Listen, there are plenty of people wandering around Las Vegas who might now go by a different name than they did previously in their life. Maybe they’re hiding from the mob, maybe they work under a stage name, or maybe they’re in a different (and thrilling!) stage of their life. The latter is the case for the first round of the Tire Rack SCCA® Time Attack Challenge, taking place Feb. 15-16, 2025, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
The Time Attack Challenge is a nationwide series that, to a certain extent, used to go by the name “Time Trials National Tour.” But while the Time Attack Challenge’s roots lay in that National Tour, it’s not the same beast as before – it’s better.
As the name implies, these racetrack-based events now concentrate completely on Time Attack – that is, fastest flying lap around the circuit is king. Sure, the Tuner and Max rulesets may have been tweaked slightly for the Time Attack Challenge (so brush up on the car classing rules), but if you loved the Time Trials National Tour, the Time Attack Challenge is going to be your jam.
And that jam begins very soon.
What to Expect
The outside road course at Las Vegas Motor Speedway is different to what many have been a part of. The track boasts 2.4 miles and 12-turns, with plenty of runoff room for you to safely push the limits.
Unlike many courses at an oval facility, the Las Vegas track sits entirely outside of the oval (hence the “outside road course” moniker), and it’s this fact that (and we cannot stress this enough) will allow you to push to the limit in ways that might not be possible otherwise.
At that point, your job is to drive fast on Saturday during your three timed sessions, drive fast on Sunday during those three timed sessions, and your single fastest time from each day will add together to create your overall score. In short: Your best times will be your best times. Then Sunday afternoon, we celebrate the outstanding performances during the KONI Podium Celebration.
It’s everything Time Attack should be.
Anything Else?
The debut of the Time Attack Challenge is also your chance to set the bar for the season, because another component of the Challenge is a nationwide points championship.
Points for the Time Attack Challenge will be earned using the best finishes at any two of the season’s seven Time Attack Challenge events, with bonus points given for track records. The third point-earning opportunity comes at Time Trials Nationals, which this year will be held in September at Pittsburgh International Race Complex (Pitt Race).
The Time Attack Challenge weekend in Las Vegas is also a great opportunity to get on track in a non-timed environment, as there will be a Track Day element to the weekend as well. The Track Day sessions are low stress, awesome experiences that are modeled after SCCA’s Track Night in America® Driven by Tire Rack events…but during the weekend.
Regardless of whether it’s the all-out Tire Rack SCCA Time Attack Challenge that has your interest or the stress-free Track Day, you’ll want to register soon, because Feb. 15-16 will be here before you know it.
Photo by John Villasanta/Lionel Fiel
