With the amount of track time slated for the Oct. 24-27, 2024, Tire Rack SCCA® Time Trials Nationals Powered by Hagerty at NCM Motorsports Park in Bowling Green, KY, it’s no gamble to say that lap records will fall. Cars will be dialed in, tires will be hot, and drivers will be in sync with the course, meaning any – or all – track records are in danger.
This year’s Time Trials Nats puts drivers on NCM’s Grand Full Course for timed sessions on Thursday, Oct. 24, followed by even more timed lapping on Friday. Saturday sees drivers on segments of the course all day, with entrants getting another shot at the 3.15-mile, 23-turn Grand Full Course on Sunday.
NCM Lap Records: Can You Beat These?
If your goal is to put the smackdown on the clock, you need to appreciate what you’re up against. For that, here’s a complete listing of all 20 Time Trials track records that have been set at NCM over the last seven years:
- Unlimited 1 – Steve Luca – 2:02.759
- Unlimited 2 – James Rauck – 2:03.863
- Max 1 – Justin Peachey – 2:04.362
- Max 2 – David Marcus – 2:09.629
- Max 3 – Jason Hobbs – 2:13.789
- Max 4 – Josh Owens – 2:13.930
- Max 5 – Nick Johnston – 2:19.369
- Tuner 1 – Tom O’Gorman – 2:11.107
- Tuner 2 – Mark Sarcevicz – 2:13.106
- Tuner 3 – Lyle Zyra – 2:16.966
- Tuner 4 – Tony Rodriguez – 2:19.187
- Tuner 5 – John Allen – 2:25.360
- Sport 1 – Tom Bergeron – 2:11.501
- Sport 2 – Nicholas Phillips – 2:15.819
- Sport 3 – Dennis Barrett – 2:20.943
- Sport 4 – Derek Secord – 2:22.674
- Sport 5 – Peter Luzon – 2:24.906
- Sport 6 – Kevin Lindley – 2:24.467
- CSM – Trevor Kindlon – 2:24.471
- CSX – Daniel Lohan – 2:32.260
That list looks simple enough, but stare at the numbers for even a moment and a couple standouts arise. For instance, the delta between Max 3 and Max 4 stands at a measly 0.141sec. Does that make the time Josh Owens set in Max 4 untouchable, or is Max 3’s lap record ready for destruction?
The Contenders: Who Can Throw One Down?
It’s one thing to glance at lap records, and it’s quite another to predict who will reset those times at this year’s Time Trials Nationals. But since we’re a glutton for punishment, we checked the entry list and singled out a few drivers who, in our minds, stand the best shot at rewriting the record book.
Unlimited 1
Justin Peachey moves from Max 1 to U1 this year and was “only” 1.6sec off Steve Luca’s record-setting time while running in Max on 200TW tires. Another name to keep an eye on is Mike Dusold in his amazing 1967 Chevy Camaro. Luca, though, has said he'll be signing up for the event and gunning to break the 2-minute barrier. No matter how this goes down, the U1 drivers will have a battle on their hands.
Unlimited 2
James Rauck is back again and will be gunning for not only the U2 lap record (which he just set during May’s Time Trials National Tour), but also the fastest overall time with his K-swapped Honda Civic. Will he post the fastest overall time? Will the overall record at NCM be held by a front-wheel-drive Honda? If anyone beats Luca’s time, it’ll be the new “production car” record at NCM – that’s something to keep an eye on all weekend long.
Max 1
This is one of the bigger classes this year, with close to 20 total entries at the time of this writing, but Justin Peachey’s 2:04.362 is nothing to sneeze at, so this record will be hard to take down. However, Jackie Ding has put a ton of work into his new BMW M2 and just might be up to the task.
Max 4
Lyle Zyra (the current Tuner 3 record holder) has moved on to Max. Can he take down Josh Owens’s record-setting time of 2:13? It would be a tall order, but Lyle can wheel a car like nobody’s business and was only a few seconds off in Tuner trim.
Max 5
Andy Hollis is back in Max 5, looking to reclaim the record from Nick Johnston. Johnston’s record time beat Hollis’s by a hair over 0.2sec. So, Hollis is back to put his name back atop the record books in his familiar Honda CRX, but this time sporting a B18 vs. the B16 that was previously beneath the hood. Sounds like a winning combination!
Tuner 1
Kyle Carrick is signed up in his BMW M3 and could chase down Tom O’Gorman’s record that he set in 2019. Kyle has the driving chops, and the car, to get the job done.
Tuner 4
Pater Lauzon, the current Sport 5 record holder, has been running in Tuner 4 and slowly chasing down the lap record. At the Time Trials National Tour at NCM in May, Lauzon set the record for the fastest ND Miata in Tuner 4 at NCM, but can he find the one second needed to take down Tony Rodriguez’s five-year-old T4 record?
Sport 1
Tom Bergeron’s S1 record has seemed untouchable, as it would be good for second fastest overall in T1 and is only 0.4sec off Tom O’Gorman’s T1 record. However, a new player has entered the chat. Barney Bernstein in his C8 Corvette is knocking on the door and looking to take top honors this year in Sport 1. New school, mid-engine vs. the tried-and-true big block in front of the driver – this is a battle we can’t wait to see.
Sport 2
There are a couple Toyota Supras hoping to shake things up in Sport 2. One Supra is driven by Ben Bulthuis, while the other has Charles Krampert in the driver’s seat. On the domestic side of things, we have names like Sam Strano and Tim Mason gunning for the record in a pair of pony cars, while Micheal Digiorgio has also been close in his C5 Z06. Any one of these drivers could walk away with a new class record.
Sport 3
Dennis Barrett is back to defend – and extend – the record time he set in his BMW M3. But John Laughlin, known for bouncing around cars, has landed in a new Honda Civic Type R. Front-wheel drive vs rear-wheel drive. Manual vs SMG. This kind of shootout is what motorsport dreams are made of.
Sport 5
Sarin Kodappully has been hitting the Time Trials National Tour this year in his Subaru BRZ and leaving with records more often than not. He’ll need to trim about a second from his personal best at NCM to get there, but things are looking good that he’ll leave the Time Trials Nationals weekend as the new Sport 5 lap record holder.
There’s Still Time to Join the Fun
We know what you’re thinking: I could beat any of those drivers! Well, you should! It’s not too late to enter the Oct. 24-27, 2024, Tire Rack SCCA Time Trials Nationals Powered by Hagerty. For those who’ve never run with the Time Trials National Tour before, discover your car’s class, then click the big red button below to enter and prove our predictions wrong.
Even if you don’t set the new record, maybe you’ll drop a bomb with a new personal best. And even if that doesn’t happen, there’s still the at-track parties to hang out at. In other words, no matter what happens, you’ll be set for a great time.
Register for Time Trials Nationals
Photo by Tradd Slayton
