If you weren't able to catch a ride to E3, you'll be able to give Gran Turismo 6 a spin over the 4th of July weekend. Sony has announced that a demo will be available to download on PS3 starting July 2nd.

Not only will the demo give you a taste of what to expect from Polyphony's next racer, it will enter you into the GT Academy competition. The best qualifying times in the demo will advance to the National Finals, where players will compete for a chance to become a real competitive racer.

Although the demo offers players a chance to compete in GT Academy, the PlayStation.Blog points out that you can simply play the demo for fun--even if you don't want to enter the GT Academy contest. However, submitting any qualifying time will make you eligible to receive "free bonus content."