This game is so blasted addicting. I do well in the regular game but I suck at time trials. Go figure.
You ever accept my friend Invitations on that? You can send time trial challenges.
Best thing to do, I found, is play though normaly (Grand Prix), then do time trials, then go back and get better ranks in the Grand Prix (I've got at least a 1 star on all of them, most are 2 stars)