Time-Trial Race Dashboard
The Time-Trial Race Dashboard in RUFUS Race Manager (RRM) provides a real-time operational view for races that run for a fixed duration, where the objective is to complete as many laps as possible before time expires. Unlike Fixed Laps races, the finish condition isn’t reaching a lap goal but reaching the race duration limit.
This dashboard is optimized for endurance-style loop racing such as cycling circuits, motorsport heats, MTB enduro loops, running time challenges, or any competition in which participants repeat laps for a defined period of time.
Dashboard Overview
A Time-Trial Dashboard includes:
Race title and timing controls
Process passings switch
Checkpoint and Lap Gate indicators
Start time & floating passing tools
Race Progress widget showing the leader’s laps
Race Pause system (exclusive to time-trial races)
Time-Trial race clock with over-time behavior
Lap-based results table
Time-trial dashboards focus on both lap count and race duration, presenting a hybrid view of timing and endurance performance.
Race Controls
Process Passings
The Process passings switch determines whether the dashboard actively evaluates new passings:
Enabled → Lap numbering, times, and rankings update in real time
Disabled → Passings are captured but marked as RACE_CLOSED and do not affect results
This is useful before the race begins or after the race ends.
Start Time Management
Just like other race types, the Time-Trial dashboard includes:
Manual start time entry
A NOW button to trigger start when the horn or flag is given
Automatic recalculation of all race times if the start time is corrected later
Because time-trial races depend heavily on accurate timing across the full duration, RRM recalculates:
Lap times
Total times
Ranking order
…whenever the start time is adjusted.
Race Progress & Checkered Flag State
Time-trial races do not have a target lap goal. Instead, the Race Progress widget displays:
The number of laps completed by the leading participant
A visual progress bar showing the race activity
This gives timekeepers immediate insight into how far the race has progressed in terms of lap performance.
Checkered Flag State in Time-Trial Races
When the race duration limit is reached, the dashboard:
Activates the Checkered Flag state
Highlights the leader at the moment the race expired
Displays a red “Time Finished – Overtime” panel
Participants may complete their ongoing lap, but no new laps can start once the race time has expired.
Race Pause System (Exclusive to Time-Trial Races)
Time-trial races in RRM include a Pauses widget, which allows timers to record:
Red flags
Safety pauses
Neutralization periods
Race interruptions
When a pause begins:
The race clock stops
A red pause badge appears (
Active pause)The pause duration is measured
Passings remain recorded but do not advance race time
When the pause ends:
The clock resumes
A blue pause entry is logged, showing:
Start time of pause
End time of pause
Total pause duration
The pause record remains visible for audit and reporting
This ensures official elapsed race time reflects active competition time, excluding interruptions.
Lap Results Table
The main body of the Time-Trial dashboard displays a detailed table of all participants and their lap performance.
Columns typically include:
Position
BIB and Name
Laps Completed
Lap Time (most recent lap)
Total Time
Gap to leader (laps or time)
Interval (difference vs previous lap)
Sector splits (S1, S2, …)
Position Change (POS. Δ)
Lap Pace
Best Lap
Time-Trial Ranking Logic
Participants are ranked by:
Total laps completed
Total race time (if same lap count)
This ensures fair and consistent classification even when participants complete laps at different speeds.
Race Clock Behavior
The Time-Trial race clock does more than count up—it manages the entire duration logic:
Before start
Shows countdown if start time is in the future
During the race
Counts down against the configured duration
Pauses when an active race pause is triggered
Resumes when the pause ends
After the duration expires
Switches to Time Finished – Overtime
Continues counting up how long the race is beyond the original duration
Prevents new laps from starting
Allows participants to complete their current lap
This reflects the real-world behavior of endurance time events.
Checkpoints & Lap Gate
For time-trial races, the Lap Gate increments lap counts. Sector checkpoints may exist, but only the Lap Gate determines lap progression.
The dashboard displays all checkpoints with state indicators so timekeepers can see at a glance that all timing points are active.
When to Use the Time-Trial Dashboard
This dashboard is ideal for duration-based endurance competitions such as:
Cycling criteriums with a timed phase
Motor sport timed heats
Trail or road running time challenges
MTB loop endurance races
Adventure challenges with timed loop stages
Any race where performance is measured by laps completed in a fixed amount of time should use this dashboard.
Conclusion
The Time-Trial Race Dashboard in RRM is fully optimized for duration-driven, lap-based events. With real-time lap tracking, a flexible pause system, automatic checkered-flag handling, and a detailed performance table, organizers can run complex endurance races accurately, safely, and confidently.
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