A series of one-
driver rallies done before some automotive
races. The order of the starting positions in a race is determined by the time trials. The people with the fastest times get positioned at the front, and the people with the slowest times are positioned at the rear.
Most drivers try for the Pole Position, but there's one school of thought where the drivers try to be in the middle of the pack, so that they can conserve their car's strength until the later stages of the race.
Time trials consist of a set number of laps, usually 3, 5, 10, or 20. The fastest lap turned in by each driver is the only lap considered for the time trials. Some drivers push their cars for the entire duration, trying to squeeze out a lap that's a few hundredths of a second faster. Other drivers get one fast lap, then spend the rest of the time trials communicating with their pit crew, for making adjustments before the race. Still others will turn in a fast lap, and give up the remainder of their laps.