Race fans rejoice! A posting over on the PlayStation Blog has given the world a date for when it can expect to finally play the long-delayed Gran Turismo 5. No, the game doesn't have a sales date yet, but we've finally gotten word about a playable demo. Called the "Gran Turismo 5 Time Trial", the first taste of the highly anticipated racer will be coming to the PlayStation Network on Thursday December 17th. Now before you go getting yourself all jazzed up to try the game that you've waited over five years to play, bear in mind that the demo will only unlock one car. Well, technically two versions of the same car, but it's still just one car. You'll get a chance to drive the Nissan 370Z, in either the standard or tuned model, on a single track, with one time trial per car. That's right ladies and gentlemen, one car, one track.

But wait! There's more!

The demo is, in fact, a contest in disguise. From December 17th until January 25th at 5:00PM (Pacific), the PSN will keep track of the best times. The winner will be rewarded with a trip for two to the 2010 Indianapolis 500, including the standard airfare, hotel rooms, and tickets to the race. However, the winner will also receive an all-access pass for Carb Day, an event which includes the final Indy 500 practices, access to the garages and pit area, a concert, and various other nitro-injected good times.

While I'm not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, I have to say that I'm a little disappointed that a demo that we've all waited so long for will only give such a small amount of content. Don't get me wrong, I can't wait to try it out. But would it have killed Polyphony to have given us just one measly race? I don't know how much can be learned about the new physics engine, or damage modeling, in just one time trial. If you have any interest in playing the demo, you'd better download it before January 25th, because after that, it's gone. If you've already downloaded it, you'll be able to keep playing, but no new downloads will happen after that date.

Here's a few more screens of that one car you'll be driving.