The famed asphalt of Willow Springs International Raceway baked under the early summer sun as NASA SoCal hosted a spectacular Time Trial weekend May 24-25, 2025. With a raft of diverse machinery, Time Trial Target competition highlighted drivers’ ultimate test of consistency, lap after lap.
With temperatures climbing and the notorious desert winds making their presence felt, competitors battled not only each other and the clock, but also the challenging high-speed sweepers and technical sections of this historic track.
Christopher Reber, TT3
Driving a 2016 Ford Mustang GT in the competitive TT3 class, the largest of the event at seven cars, Christopher Reber demonstrated remarkable precision. On Saturday, Reber secured second place in the TT3 class with a 1:29.945, and clinched first in Time Trial Target with a 0.923-second delta. The 3,780-pound Mustang presented challenges. “You do definitely feel the weight,” he said, contrasting it with lighter cars he’s driven. Managing tire pressures was crucial as temperatures rose. “Pressures for sure, that’s a huge one,” Reber emphasized, recounting a near-miss where forgotten checks led to pressures of “44 or something” and poor handling.
Sunday saw Reber aim to replicate his Saturday triumphs. This time he finished first in TT3 with an improved time of 1:28.802 over Dillon Sandidge in second and Natalee Wiebe in third. He finished just off the podium in fourth in TTT.
His pre-session ritual involves listening to loud music to relax, and run smart out-laps: “I’d try and hang back and create a gap. We’re racing our lap time.” To find more speed, Reber’s method is analytical: “I kind of go over my best lap and say, ‘Hmm, which corner could I improve a half second on?’ Find one or two corners where I can go, ‘Okay, let’s try and brake a little deeper or let’s try and add a little more throttle mid-corner.'” That kind of dedication to continuous improvement was critical to his successes at Willow Springs.
Pramesh Ruparelia, TT5
Pramesh Ruparelia showcased his 1994 Toyota Celica’s competitiveness in TT5, his experience as a driver and instructor proving vital. Saturday was a banner day for consistency: Ruparelia took second in Time Trial Target with a 0.958-second delta, and fourth in TT5. Instructing offers a unique perspective. “When I get into a GR car or a Supra, and I see what they’re doing, it kind of gives me a little bit of an edge saying, ‘Hey, I can do this a little bit more on my car,'” he explained, adding that slower laps with students reveal more of the track.
Ruparelia’s fast laps usually come “between the second to the fourth or the fifth lap,” and he emphasized on-track camaraderie: “I’m the kind of guy that will give up my lap if I see somebody coming up on me fast. We’re all respectful out there.” Tire management is paramount. “Tire pressures, I think, are a huge thing,” he noted, mentioning he’s learning pressures for different tires like Maxxis. Friendly competition motivates him: “I try to figure out what the people surrounding me are doing. It helps me to push myself.” The Celica, a former Long Beach Grand Prix celebrity race car, is beloved, but he plans to build a supercharged 2001 Celica with a 2ZZ motor.
TT3 competitor Team Fernandez took third in TTT on Saturday, with a delta of .966 seconds.
Joe Arbour, TT3
Joe Arbour and his new C8 Corvette Z51 were a formidable TT3 combination, especially shining in Sunday’s Time Trial Target. On Saturday, Arbour took sixth in TTT (1.057-second delta). His new C8, which replaces a C7 Z06 that was stolen, deeply impressed him. “I love it. It’s unbelievable,” Arbour said. “It almost felt like cheating.” He initially tracked it with paper license plates and stock alignment to establish a baseline.
Sunday was Arbour’s day. He won TTT with a skinny 0.448-second delta, the thinnest of the weekend. Managing traffic in TT3 was key, Arbour said. “Everybody works pretty well together. They just kind of leave you a little bit of room to get by.” Arbour is continuously developing the C8 with a track alignment, wider tires on smaller rims, Hawk brake pads, and pending aero upgrades. The ride height also has been lowered “about an inch and a half” from stock.
Derrin Griffin, TTU
A longtime NASA participant, Derrin Griffin campaigns his Fox Body Mustang in Time Trial Unlimited. His approach now prioritizes fun, but his consistency was obvious. On Saturday, Griffin took third in TTU among some quick competitors. “The last couple of years I’m actually just doing it for fun,” he shared. “It’s my guy weekend.”
Sunday saw Griffin mirror his Saturday TTT result with another third place finish in TTU, and second place in TTT with a delta of .533 seconds. Though his Fox body is a bit overshadowed in TTU, the move was strategic because it allows him to avoid dyno forms and having to weigh the car.
“If you look at this year, I’m currently leading the championship in points. I’ve been at every event. So, it’s more of just a consistency thing.” Griffin’s strategy for clean air involves utilizing laps two through four. “They’re really good at moving out of the way,” he said of other drivers. Though not primarily focused on TTT, he was happy to claim the additional contingencies.
Tony Ryland, TT6
TT6 driver Tony Ryland is relatively new to Time Trial this season. On Saturday, he finished fifth in Time Trial Target (1.026-second delta) and fourth in the TT6 class. “I’m still sort of figuring out Time Trial and learning about competing versus just sort of going around a track,” Ryland said. His initial focus was getting clean laps and staying close to competitors.
Sunday marked a breakthrough. Ryland dramatically improved his TTT performance, slicing his delta to 0.548 seconds to take third in TTT. He attributed the consistency to having more seat time over the course of the weekend. Of course, confidence is key at Big Willow. “Willow Springs is a place where confidence goes a long way and that’s just something that I’ve been trying to work on.” A student of the sport, Ryland actively learns from peers, “Definitely watching what other people are doing, looking at lines, braking points,” to strategize for future events.
Time Trial Target competition provided a showcase of driver skill and consistency among all Time Trial classes. Christopher Reber’s Saturday TTT victory and Joe Arbour’s Sunday TTT win were headline performances, but the efforts of Tony Ryland, Pramesh Ruparelia, and Derrin Griffin, among many others, highlighted the depth of talent and dedication within the NASA SoCal Time Trial community.
As the season progresses, the battles for class championships and the overall Time Trial Target honors are sure to intensify. NASA SoCal heads next to Buttonwillow Raceway, where these friendly rivalries will undoubtedly continue.
