So, I scrapped the Sheep Herder engine, and started a new "time trial based" engine instead.
I got a classic Thrust style gravity ship, popped it at the start of the track on the top left of the screen.
Fire for Thrust and then left and right.

-=-=-

I started the round, and timer began counting down.
Reach a checkpoint and the timer grows.

I flew from the start point, "Thrust, tilt, thrust, thrust, thrust"..
I reached the next checkpoint of the makeshift track, then the next, and then...

..and then....

.. then I looked at what I'd made, and went "Hang on, this is just Flappadiddle again, isn't it?"

And it was.
It might've looked more space-like, but it was just Flappadiddle.
Start a 0, reach the checkpoints, rinse and repeat.
It was Flappadiddle.

So, there's another attempt at a "racing" game that's been scrapped, this week.
It's not going well, really.

Hmmm..

I'm now looking at this game and wondering what I might be able to do with that concept..