Motorsport as a non-clinical therapy to help military veterans find strength, motivation, and personal inspiration is what VETMotorsports is all about. And in May, that nonprofit organization is collaborating with SCCA Foundation to utilize Tire Rack SCCA® Time Trials National Tour Powered by Hagerty (TTNT) and SCCA Track Night in America® Driven by Tire Rack (TNiA) as tools to fulfill that purpose.

Thanks to this effort managed by VETMotorsports, veterans with service-connected injuries, Gold Star parents, or active-duty military, reservists, and National Guard members can get on track completely free this May if they’ve never before attended a TNiA or TTNT event.

Through this grant, qualified applicants will be reimbursed the full entry price of a single TNiA outing in May. Those meeting the same qualifications, but who previously enrolled in TNiA, are eligible to receive a discount code worth $25 for another TNiA visit in May.

The same offer applies to drivers wishing to be part of an energizing weekend of excitement May 18-19, 2024, in Bowling Green, KY, during the Tire Rack SCCA Time Trials National Tour Powered by Hagerty at NCM Motorsports Park. Qualified candidates who have never before experienced a TTNT event can receive full reimbursement for registration. Likewise, others meeting grant specifications who have previous TTNT experience are eligible for a $25 entry discount code.

Interested parties must email vetmotorsports@gmail.com with the subject line "TNiA Event" or “TTNT Event.” Emails should include the specific May date for attendance, or TTNT entry request. Documentation validating service is required by VETMotorsports to confirm eligibility. Send vetmotorsports@gmail.com a note if you have additional questions.

 Track Night's May Schedule      TTNT at NCM Info

TNiA vs TTNT: What’s the Difference?

Oversimplified, the difference between TNiA and TTNT comes down to timing. Both events produce a social experience and party atmosphere for automotive enthusiasts, and both offer multiple 20-minute sessions on track.

TNiA is a leisurely, half day, non-competitive activity conducted over a couple hours with no official timing element. Participants need to be at least 18 years old with a valid state driver’s license and have access to an approved racing helmet and street car in good working condition (pure race cars are discouraged). No previous on-track experience or SCCA membership is required.

TNiA entrants are divided into Novice, Intermediate, and Advanced groups so on-track activities remain fun for all, and onsite SCCA coaches provide guidance with a focus on having participants drive away afterwards with giant grins.

TTNT has the same welcoming spirit as TNiA but increases the party atmosphere and competition. TTNT events take place over two days and includes a Saturday Hagerty Social Dinner Party, which is a laugh-out-loud gathering with great food that can’t be missed.

Beyond that, TTNT is all about the quest for speed. Participant lap times are recorded while SCCA coaches stress sportsmanship and teamwork. The goal, again, is that everyone drives away grinning.

The upcoming TTNT date at the twisty and challenging NCM Motorsports Park also offers Track Event sessions similar to a Track Night in America experience. That Track Event is also open to the VETMotorsports grant program in May.

Let’s Get Together in May

“VETMotorsports’ purpose is to be a pillar of support for those who served this great nation through military service,” said Peter Cline, CEO and Founder of the nonprofit. “More than 2.8 million Americans have served since 9/11, and among them are 6,840 who gave their lives.

“In that same timeframe, 115,566 veterans gave up their lives to suicide,” Cline continued. “There’s a chasm, known as the military-civilian divide, that post-9/11 veterans find themselves unable to navigate – one defined by the effects of misunderstood emotional and physical scars left on them by military service.

“Recent research, however, gives new hope,” Cline added. “It tells us that therapies focused on activity, engagement, and empowerment are the key.”

With that said, come along and be part of the fun at the May 18-19 Tire Rack SCCA Time Trials National Tour Powered by Hagerty at NCM Motorsports Park, and every SCCA Track Night in America Driven by Tire Rack in May, and welcome those joining the fun thanks to VETMotorsports.

Photo by Philip Royle