The Gran Turismo 5 Time Trial Challenge was first announced back on December 3, and the contest got underway last thursday on December 17th and will continue on into next year ending on January 25, 2010. Players can download the special demo directly to their PlayStation 3 video game consoles via the PlayStation Network and start logging laps at one of the U.S.'s most famous race tracks for the chance to attend the big race that will take place their next May.

The Gran Turismo 5 Time Trial Challenge allows gamers the opportunity to get behind the wheel of both a showroom stock and tuner transformed Nissan 370Z->ke3043 and essentially compete in a virtual time attack battle on the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway's infield road course layout. The player who can clock the quickest combined lap time for both time trials will win a VIP package to the brickyard so that they can witness the 2010 Indy 500 in person. Keeping things competitive on either side of the border, one winner chosen from the U.S. and the other from Canada. In addition to the two fastest entrants, five runner ups in the US and five from Canada will receive a voucher code so that they can get their own version of Gran Turismo for the PSP when it finally arrives in stores. If there was ever an excuse to play Gran Turismo for hours on end, this is it.

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