A visit to the Bluegrass State for a weekend of fun at NCM Motorsports Park in Bowling Green, KY, is a highlight for many automotive enthusiasts who get their kicks with cars.
Thankfully, members of the Sports Car Club of America® Time Trials community get two shots a year at the twisty and challenging 3.15-mile course, with that first opportunity coming up on May 18-19, 2024, with the Tire Rack SCCA Time Trials National Tour at NCM Motorsports Park Powered by Hagerty (TTNT) – an event which also includes non-competitive Track Days on Saturday and Sunday.
While the May gathering is sure to be a blast – with lots of food, friends, and excitement in the works – it also serves as a forerunner (or test session) for the Tire Rack SCCA Time Trials Nationals Powered by Hagerty, taking place Oct. 24-27, 2024, at the same venue. The October throwdown will be a doozy, too, as it’s also the final event on the 2024 NATA Championship calendar and will feature competition from Grassroots Motorsports’ Ultimate Track Car Challenge.
Whether you’re planning to be at the October Time Trials Nationals or not, you won’t want to miss the May TTNT at NCM because, well, October is so far away and May 18-19 is just about as close as you can get to instant gratification.
It’s not too late to claim your spot in the TTNT competition or non-competitive Track Day.
Tell Everyone You’re Going
Before we jump into lap times, video, and more, let everyone know you’re going by creating an “I’m Going” Driver Card to post on your social media of choice.
We’ve made things easy by creating this template on Canva. There are many options for logging in (no Canva-specific account is needed), then you upload an image, update the text with your name, class, and car number, and save the image – then share the fun!
NCM Times to Beat
Having visited NCM on multiple occasions over several years, an extensive list of logged lap times can be reviewed via the Time Trials Records and Personal Bests webpage. The current lap record for an SCCA Time Trials car class at NCM is a 2:02.759 posted by Unlimited 1 driver Steve Luca in a 2020 Ford Mustang.
Luca’s lap was certainly awesome. Still, it’s not the only time to keep in mind for the upcoming event. Below are a few other standing records drivers might be aiming to oust.
Max 1: 2:04.362, Justin Peachey, 2007 Chevrolet Corvette
Tuner 1: 2:11.107, Tom O'Gorman, 2016 Chevrolet Camaro
Sport 1: 2:11.501, Tom Bergeron, 2009 Chevrolet Corvette
A fast lap is no easy feat at NCM. With more elevation changes than you expect, corners come your way in speedy succession. That means achieving a great lap requires drivers to keep their focus. Need proof? check out this in-car video from Tuner 3 driver Lyle Zyra. His lap of 2:16.966 in a Toyota GR86 (resetting the class record in 2023) gives a clue of what to expect.
Weekend Plans
Be it TTNT or Track Day drivers, everyone at the May event is slated to get 80 minutes on the circuit – each day! And when you’re not on track, you can meander the paddock looking at cars, chatting with friends, or watching how others attempt to dominate the course. You could also go for a spin on some race karts or pop over to the nearby National Corvette Museum.
On-track action at NCM begins at 8:30 a.m. CT on Saturday, May 18, with 20 minutes of paced laps for Novice Time Trials and Track Day drivers. After that, each TTNT run group will have two 20-minute practice sessions before lunch to familiarize (or reacquaint) themselves with the tricky ribbon of road. Track Day drivers will also get two 20-minute sessions in the morning.
Saturday afternoon begins the timed TTNT competition, with each run group getting two 20-minutes sessions to set their best TrackAttack lap. Track Day attendees will also get to experience two more 20-minute runs on the course before in-car activities end for the day.
Once the track goes “cold” late Saturday afternoon, there’s more fun with the ridiculously awesome food provided onsite during the Hagerty Social Dinner Party. It’s a can’t-miss gathering that’s open to everyone in the paddock.
Good times keep rolling on Sunday, May 19, when Novice Time Trials and Track Day participants get another 20-minute session of paced laps starting at 8:30 a.m. TTNT drivers then have four more 20-minute TrackAttack sessions throughout the day, and Track Day participants will see an additional 80 minutes on course throughout the day.
The incredible weekend concludes Sunday afternoon during the KONI Podium Celebration, where Superlative Awards are handed out and fast drivers in each TTNT class are recognized.
Get a better idea of what the weekend has in store by reviewing the full NCM TTNT and Track Day schedule.
Photo by Tradd Slayton
