“I’m addicted,” laughs Kip Mitchell while standing in the paddock of Pittsburgh International Race Complex (Pitt Race) during the Sept. 19-21, 2025, Tire Rack SCCA Time Attack Challenge. As early as the beginning of this year, Time Attack Challenge competition wasn’t on Kip’s radar. Now, he’s an addict eyeing multiple Time Attack Challenge events in 2026 – and none of this would have happened without SCCA Targa.
“It’s going good,” he says with a smile at the halfway point of Time Trials Nationals. “I’m learning some stuff on the car – still working on setup and adjustments, but overall, I’m happy.”
Kip’s car, a 2023 Scion BRZ in the wild Max 5 class, wears plenty of go-fast goodies and sports a mean rear wing and a stern front splitter.
“This is my first time at Time Trials Nationals, my second Time Attack ever,” Kip explains. “My first Time Attack was CMP during Targa.”
SCCA’s Targa program returned in 2025 following a multi-year hiatus. The events are kind of a traveling road show, offering drivers the opportunity to compete on multiple racetracks over the course of four days; the cars are then driven on the streets from track to track. The SCCA Targa Kip participated in in 2025 hit Atlanta Motorsports Park, Road Atlanta, NCCAR, and concluded at Carolina Motorsports Park (CMP).
While Kip’s car is a looker, so is his shirt – an eye-catching button-up showcasing a rainbow, flames, and (of course) a cat riding a unicorn. Kip likes motorsports, but it’s nothing if it’s not fun.
Kip’s been driving in a performance environment for the last 20 years, cutting his teeth with autocross before moving to wheel-to-wheel road racing for the last decade. When SCCA Targa took him to CMP in 2025, his eyes were opened to a whole new world. “It’s a lot of fun,” he says of the atmosphere found in an SCCA Time Attack Challenge paddock.
Kip’s 2026 season plans involve more Tire Rack SCCA Time Attack Challenge events, and then hopefully that year’s season-ending Time Attack National Championship.
“I’ve got three planned so far, and we’re going to see how my budget looks after that,” he chuckles.
Photo by Philip Royle
