Trial Mountain Circuit

The Trial Mountain Circuit is a fictional circuit that appeared in the mainline Gran Turismo games, except for Gran Turismo Sport, and is also featured in Tourist Trophy and Gran Turismo PSP.
It is set in a mountainous area in Sierra Nevada, USA, and is almost four kilometers. It features several blind corners, three tunnels, a long, uphill back straight and a series of fast compound corners. It is seen by most players as one of the easiest circuits in the series. That is, one of the easiest to drive and memorize. However, it is one of the hardest circuits to drive fast due to its length.
In Gran Turismo 7, it has undergone a full renovation. As a result, its full length is increased to over five kilometers.
==Events==
===Gran Turismo 1===
*License Tests A-4, iA-6
====GT League====
*Clubman Cup; 2 Laps - Race 3
*GT Cup; 3 Laps - Race 4
*GT World Cup; 3 Laps - Race 2
====Special Events====
*4WD Challenge (reverse); 2 Laps - Race 1
*US vs. Japan (reverse); 3 Laps - Race 1
*UK vs. Japan (reverse); 3 Laps - Race 1
*UK vs US (reverse); 3 Laps - Race 1
===Gran Turismo 2===
====GT League====
*UK Nationals; 2 Laps - Race 1, 2 and 3
*Gran Turismo World League; 5 Laps - Race 1
====Special Events====
*FF Challenge; 2 Laps - Race 3
*Convertible Car World Cup; 2 Laps - Race 3
*'80s Sports Car Cup; 3 Laps - Race 1
*Pure Sports Car Cup; 2 Laps - Race 3
*Super Touring; 3 Laps - Race 2
*GT 500 Championship; 5 Laps - Race 4
====Endurance Events====
*Trial Mountain 30 Laps; 30 Laps
===Gran Turismo 3===
====Beginner League====
*Sunday Cup; 2 Laps - Race 3
*MR Challenge; 2 Laps - Race 1
*Lightweight Sports Car Cup; 2 Laps - Race 1
*Tourist Trophy; 2 Laps - Race 3
*Legend of Silver Arrow (reversed); 2 Laps - Race 1
*Vitz Race; 2 Laps - Race 4
*Type-R Meeting (reversed); 2 Laps - Race 3
*Evolution Meeting; 2 Laps - Race 2
*Gran Turismo World Championship; 2 Laps - Race 3
====Amateur League====
*American Championship; 3 Laps - Race 2
*Gran Turismo World Championship; 5 Laps - Race 6
*German Touring Car Championship; 3 Laps - Race 1
*FR Challenge; 5 Laps - Race 1
*80's Sports Car Cup (reversed); 3 Laps - Race 3
*Tourist Trophy; 3 Laps - Race 3
*Race of Red Emblem; 3 Laps - Race 1
*Legend of Silver Arrow; 3 Laps - Race 1
====Professional League====
*British GT Car Cup; 10 Laps - Race 1
*Gran Turismo World Championship; 10 Laps - Race 4
*MR Challenge; 10 Laps - Race 1
*Spider & Roadster; 10 Laps - Race 2
*All Japan GT Championship; 15 Laps - Race 6
*Lotus Elise Trophy; 10 Laps - Race 5
*TVR Tuscan Challenge (reversed); 10 Laps - Race 1
*Dream Car Championship (reversed); 15 Laps - Race 3
*Polyphony Digital Cup; 20 Laps - Race 1
====Endurance League====
*Trial Mountain Endurance; 2 Hours
====License Tests====
*License Tests B-8, iA-2 and S-3.
===Gran Turismo 4===
*License Tests A-15, iA-7 and S-7
*Driving Mission 8
====Beginner Events====
*Spider & Roadster (reversed); 2 Laps - Race 2
====Professional Events====
*Race of NA Sports; 3 Laps - Race 5
====European Events====
*European Hot Hatch Car Championship (reversed); 3 Laps - Race 3
*Schwarzwald League A; 3 Laps - Race 1
====Japanese Events====
*Japanese 70's Classics; 2 Laps - Race 5
====One Make Races====
*Alpine Cup; 3 Laps - Race 2
*Isuzu Sports Classics; 2 Laps - Race 3
*Roadster Cup; 2 Laps - Race 5
*Race of Red Emblem (reversed); 6 Laps - Race 2
*Race of the Pleiades; 3 Laps - Race 2
*Crossfire Trophy (reversed); 2 Laps - Race 3
*Shelby Cobra Cup (reversed); 2 Laps - Race 5
===Gran Turismo 5===
====Beginner Series====
*FR Challenge - Race 3 of 3
====Expert Series====
*Gran Turismo All Stars - Race 1 of 5
*Polyphony Digital Cup - Race 2 of 3
===Gran Turismo 6===
====National B====
*FF Challenge - Race 2 of 3
*FR Challenge - Race 2 of 3
*Mission Races: Trial Mountain Circuit [B-2]
====National A====
*Turbo Sports Series - Race 2 of 3
*MR Challenge - Race 2 of 3
====International B====
*Polyphony Digital Cup - Race 3 of 3
===Gran Turismo 7===
====World Circuits====
*Trial Mountain Cup; Race 1 - 2 laps
*Trial Mountain Cup (reverse); Race 2 - 2 laps
*Japanese 4WD Challenge 600; Race 1 - 2 laps
*World Touring Car 700; Race 1 - 5 laps
*World Rally Challenge Gr.B; Race 3 - 10 laps
*Hypercar Parade; Race 3 - 5 laps
*American Clubman Cup 700; Race 5 - 5 laps
*World Touring Car 900; Race 4 - 10 laps
*X2019 Nations Cup; Race 5 - 14 laps
*American FR Challenge 550 (reverse); Race 6 - 3 laps
====Mission Challenge====
*Rolling Stone: Least Fuel, Longest Lap 1
**Mileage Trial; Ford F-150 SVT Raptor '11Time doesn't matter here and distance is everything.
***Gold: 
***Silver: 
***Bronze: 
*Rolling Stone: Mazda Showdown
**One Lap Magic; Mazda 787B '91Drive the Le Mans winning 787B rotary powered machine to overtake all cars in 1 Lap. Can you catch the Mazda roadster that's way ahead of you?
***Gold: 1st
***Silver: 2nd
***Bronze: 3rd
*Moby Dick: Downhill Trial
**The Pass; Eckert's Rod & Custom Mach FortyIn this challenge you will drive a downhill section with an American Classic. The key is in choosing a line that takes into account the changes in slope, and careful throttle control!
***Gold: 1st
***Silver: 2nd
***Bronze: 3rd
*The Human Comedy: Trial Mountain One Hour
**One Hour Endurance Series; Garage Car Event (BAC Mono '16]], 204PP or less)A one-hour endurance race for the BAC Mono. Will you aim to push the pace, changing tyres several times? Or will you choose to try and make each set of tyres last as long as possible?
***Gold: 1st
***Silver: 5th
***Bronze: 15th
=== My First Gran Turismo ===
====Licence Center====
B-1: Starting & Stopping
*Car: Peugeot 208 GTi by Peugeot Sport '14
*Gold Time: 0:17.480 
*Silver Time: 0:18.200
*Bronze Time: 0:19.800
A-1: Cornering Basics 4
*Car: Volkswagen Golf VII GTI '14
*Gold Time: 0:09.790 
*Silver Time: 0:10.200
*Bronze Time: 0:11.400
A-4: Consecutive Corners: Beginner 1
*Car: Audi TT Coupe 3.2 quattro '03
*Gold Time: 0:15.830 
*Silver Time: 0:16.500
*Bronze Time: 0:18.400
A-5: Consecutive Corners: Beginner 2
*Car: Renault R5 Turbo '80
*Gold Time: 0:22.530 
*Silver Time: 0:23.700
*Bronze Time: 0:26.400
IB-4: Racing Line: Intermediate 4
*Car: Honda NSX Type R '92
*Gold Time: 0:39.110 
*Silver Time: 0:41.000
*Bronze Time: 0:45.000
IB-5: Racing Line: Expert
*Car: Lamborghini Countach LP400 '74
*Gold Time: 0:59.690 
*Silver Time: 1:02.500
*Bronze Time: 1:08.700
====Music Rally====
=====Moon Over the Castle GT7 version=====
*Car: Alfa Romeo 4C Launch Edition '14
*Gold Distance: 
*Silver Distance: 
*Bronze Distance: 
====Races====
Race 3: Gran Turismo Cup
*Laps - 3
*Completion conditions: 5th place or higher
*Permitted cars:
**Mazda RX-7 Spirit R Type A (FD) '02
**Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution V GSR '98
**Porsche 911 Turbo (930) '81
**Nissan SKYLINE GT-R V • spec II (R32) '94
**Honda NSX Type R '92
**Lamborghini Countach LP400 '74
====Time Trial====
1 Lap Attack
*Car: Nissan SKYLINE GT-R V • spec II (R32) '94
*Gold Time: 2:15.810
*Silver Time: 2:21.900
*Bronze Time: 2:36.600
==Layout==
===Sector 1: Turns 1-8===
The circuit begins with a fast, uphill left-right series of bends in which most cars are able to be driven through full throttle. Provided that the ideal line is taken through Turn 1, it is actually possible to drive straight through Turn 2 without having to actually steer the car and provide a good setup for the entry of Turn 3. Turn 3 is a little bit trickier than the first two corners, as the player has to brake for it to avoid running off the track on exit. Depending on the car, as well as the line taken through Turn 2, the car may arrive at the braking point with less than ideal weight distribution - sometimes the car will have too much weight on its nose, making oversteer more likely, and other times there won't be enough weight in the front, which could lead to understeer. Thus, especially in faster cars, carefully managing the brake, gas and clutch pedals is crucial to keeping the car in shape.
The next turn, Turn 4, is where we arrive at the first tunnel on the track. Due to this, it is a blind corner, so players may want to take it easy the first few times around in order to familiarize themselves with it if they haven't already. Also, there is a slight hill in the middle of the corner, which means that most of the time the car will understeer here, so cutting into the corner early and getting to the inside of the turn can help the player's lap time by up to a few tenths of a second. As well, on the exit of the tunnel there is a sharp drop of about six inches, so some of the faster cars can actually leave the ground here. In that case, it is best to leave the corner with the car as straight and level as possible to minimize the risk of a spin.
The ideal line through Turn 5 is to go to the far left hand side of the track, brake hard and cut in late. This is a late-apex turn (meaning that the tightest part of it is more than halfway through it), so the late entry is necessary in order to clip the apex correctly and still leave the turn on the best line to set up for Turn 7. Turn 6 is nothing more than a slight kink in the short straightaway linking Turns 5 and 7, but it can still be enough to mess up the entry to Turn 7 a little if the player leaves Turn 5 with the car too far to the left, making a good exit from that turn all the more important to a good lap.
Turn 7 is one of the most important turns on the track, as transitioning from it to Turn 8 well can shave up to a second off of a lap, and possibly even more. Therefore, one should get to the right side of the track and stay there all the way through it. Turn 8 is a very highly banked, downhill left-hand corner, so the entry of it is very late. Coming at it from Turn 7, the player should wait until they are about halfway through the short tunnel, then brake briefly but hard, and cut very hard into the corner. Ride through the yellow-striped area from the exit of the second tunnel to the entry of the third and final one, and then let the car drift out as much as possible on the exit of the corner without hitting the wall on the right side; doing this will conserve momentum for the backstretch and provide an ideal setup for Turn 9.
The long, hilly back straight on this course provides for excellent drafting and overtaking opportunities heading into Turn 9; however, some of the faster cars in each game will lift the front end up to a few feet off of the ground, which could possibly upset the balance of the car and end in an accident in Turn 9, so especially when slipstreaming, eagerness must be tempered with caution. As a general rule, LMP cars are very susceptible to this, while most GT and Formula One-style cars tend to hold the track better. As well, players may want to keep an eye out on the exit of the tunnel for slower cars, since it is only possible to see a few yards past the end of the tunnel due to the steep hill immediately thereafter.
===Sector 2: Turns 9-11===
The approach to Turn 9 is very early; one of the earliest in the series. At the crest of the hill (or slightly after it), the driver should begin angling towards the yellow-striped area (the apron) of the turn, and begin braking about 25 yards from the start of the apron. Done correctly, the car should be able to ride the black line (the groove, where the most grip is) throughout the corner. The best place to cease braking is right when the groove touches the left-hand side of the track. The turn's apex is right in the middle of it, so that is a good place to start rolling back into the throttle.
Follow the black line through the exit, but be sure to leave about a car width on the right-hand side; this will allow one to switch over to the left more quickly in order to set up for Turn 10. Go through Turn 10 wide open, and then exit as early as possible for Turn 11. At the apex of Turn 11, begin braking, and turn into Turn 12 as early as possible. Once again, ride the white line through the turn, and then, once past the apex, swing out to the curb on the left-hand side. On the short, steeply downhill straight that follows, switch over to the right side of the track to set up for Turn 13.
===Sector 3: Turn 13 and the final chicane (Turns 14-15)===
Once at the bottom of the hill, brake hard and turn in sharply to clip the apex of Turn 13. On its exit, swing the car out sharply to provide the entry for the final chicane which leads to the start-finish line.
This chicane has a reputation for being one of the hardest and most dangerous turns in the entire series, due to the very steep hill on the right side of the last turn in it. If one enters the chicane too fast, the car will drift to the right side of the track, and in many instances, will run over the hill, leading either to a spectacular save or an equally spectacular crash. Yet done right, it can provide a crucial bit of momentum through the start-finish straight, which can then be carried through almost all of the first sector of the track on the next lap; therefore, doing it correctly is absolutely critical.
The player should begin by getting the car as close to the right-side wall as they can, watching for the groove to angle towards the first in the series of two turns. Follow it. As the player turns in, they should let off of the throttle and begin riding the brakes ever so slightly. Right at the apex, switch over and angle towards the curb on the last turn. Precision is absolutely key here. Barely clip the curb at the corner's apex with the right-side wheels, and then swing the car gently out to the left. On the start-finish straight, switch the car over to the right again to set up for Turn 1.
In Gran Turismo 7, the final chicane has been changed. While the technique and approach is the same, the corners themselves are further apart with the penultimate corner being much tighter than before. Ideally, you want to take a line that clips the apex of the first turn of the chicane and keeps to the inside, giving you the ideal line for the subsequent turn in order to gain speed going onto the main straight.
==Rollover Trophy (GT5)==
240px|right
The final corner is an ideal place to gain the hidden bronze-level PSN trophy "Rollover". By cutting the right-hander close enough to the wall (see video, right), the car can be sent into a barrel-roll. Landing the car roof-first for the first time will award the player with the trophy.
==Easter Eggs==
*At turn 6, (GT3-GT6) there is a monkey sitting atop the tree that has fallen over the track.
**In GT7, the monkey sits on a tree with no leaves on the left side.
*At turn 9, (GT4-GT6) there exists a massive, withered pine tree.
**In GT7, it's replaced by the stump of a giant redwood tree.
*At turn 13 (GT4-GT6), there are two men in a boat out on the lake, and the Loch Ness Monster can be seen alongside.
**In GT7, the men are gone, and the Loch Ness Monster only pokes its head out from the lake every five minutes.
*A blimp can be seen above the start/finish line.
==Trivia==
*In GT3, Trial Mountain Circuit II (reverse) is raced on a sunny day rather than the usual partly cloudy day.
*Although it features a pit lane, in GT1 it was inaccessible as it was blocked.
*In GT1's Arcade Mode (except in the Japanese version), it is possible to make cars jump on the back straight in Arcade Mode because of a difference in its sharpness relative to GT Mode.
*In GT7, it has been given an extreme redesign from the original incarnations, including a modified final chicane.
** Though it has been hinted to being situated in the United Kingdom with the presence of the lake monster and being the track for the UK Nationals, GT7 states that it is wholly within an American national park in the Sierra Nevada mountain range. The marker on the Americas map suggests the western portion of Yosemite National Park. At the exit of the hairpin immediately after the main straight, two giant sequoias can be seen, one on each side of the road. GT7's pre-race weather radar indicates that it is located within Wawona, California, on the west side of the Sierra Nevada mountain range and just south of Yosemite National Park.
==Gallery==
Jstrial-mountain-circuit002.jpg|Start/Finish straight
jstrial-mountain-circuit003.jpg|Turn 9
jstrial-mountain-circuit004.jpg|Turn 10
jstrial-mountain-circuit001.jpg|Turn 13
==On-board video==
344px|left
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