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A Time Trial is a fun, yet competitive, driving education event where participants navigate a course, or "track", as quickly as possible against the clock. So far this sounds like an Autocross right? The difference is in the practice.
Time Trial practice sessions are continuous laps. Unlike Autocross, you remain on the course for the entire practice session. Also, cars are sent out on the course in groups, not individually. This means that in addition to finding the fastest line around the course, you must also deal with traffic. Inevitably, cars will bunch up, and passing is a required and expected part of a practice session.
Time Trials are frequently run on real race tracks, and occasionally tracks are set up in a large parking lot or other open area using pylons (traffic cones). Tracks are designed or chosen to provide a fun and challenging test of your driving skills, and prepare you for the higher speeds of a real race track. Instructors are always available to assist new student drivers, or those wishing to improve their driving skills.
Time Trials are not an entry level activity. A minimum
of 6 Autocross' or 4 Autocross' and a drivers school are
required to participate. Additionally, safety equipment
requirements are more stringent than for Autocross. See
the Zone 8 Rules
for details. See the Event Tech
Inspection page for car preparation requirements. Time Trials
are limited to licensed participants or students. You
obtain your license by satisfying at least two instructors
that you are competent to run an event unsupervised.It
takes at least two events to achieve this. Licenses are
issued by Zone 8. Equivalent licenses from other sanctioning
bodies are recognized and allowed. |
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Typically, a Time Trial is a two day event, (however, they are held in one day on occasion.) The first day is all practice runs, the second day has practice runs in the morning, with timed runs happening later in the afternoon. For the timed runs, cars are divided into classes so that drivers are competing against other cars with similar horsepower-to-weight ratios and modifications. Please note that the competitive nature of this is, like Autocross, against the clock. It is NOT wheel to wheel racing, even though the practice sessions may give that appearance.
Occasionally you will hear of another type of event called a
Drivers Education. This type of event is also sanctioned by
PCA National and is essentially a non-competitive Time Trial.
This means that the entire event is practice sessions (run in
the same manner), there are no timed runs. Drivers Educations
and Time Trialing are the perfect stepping stone to PCA
Club Racing (which is wheel to wheel racing).
For More Information, Contact the Time Trial Team
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