In a message dated 97-12-18 17:19:34 EST, you write:

<< The actual timing does not need to be hyper accurate, if there is a
 slight error repeatability of the error is important. Also the display
 does not need to count up, mearly to display the time at the end of the
 timed period.

 Has anybody done this in PIC already?
  >>
How about down to 100ths.  The timer portion of my Pinewood derby timer would
work.  It also has scanning and encoding for  a 3 digit 7 segment LED display.
The current version only goes to 9.99 seconds, but what another digit?

Dave Duley