I am fairly sure that the game engine assumes the track always begins at coordinate (0 0 0) and always goes directly north for a while
hmm thats interesting. I hope this doesnt disturb the randomizing in some way

For the lap times and number of laps, I am sure that information is not stored in the TRI and INFO files.
right.
The lap times are stored in the config.dat file (so this file doesnt just store game settings, controls etc, it does store the lap times and speeds as well.)
I cannot see any other files where it is stored, so it is probably hard-coded in the game EXE and hence cannot be changed.
The number of laps is very sure hardcoded. For long tracks it lets you choose between 2,6,12 laps (default 6) and short tracks it is 4,8,16
But since Rusty Springs (TR1) is the one and only track which is considered a short track and with this the one and only track which allows more laps you can fairly sure assume the 2,6,12 cluster.
So - Since I can choose between 2,6, or 12 laps (at track description - press enter while you've the track selector active (or click with left mouse onto the picture of the track) ) I dont even care so much anyway. If I need/want more/less laps I can just choose more/less.
I noticed two NFS1 tracks which do not exist in the game's main menu : TR4.TRI and TR5.TRI
Should these tracks be generated?
TR4.tri is the track "Lost Vegas" and has to be unlocked first. You can unlock it by winning the tournament. I'm sorry that my game isnt unlocked at the moment. I couldn't find my old config.dat file at this point.
If you win the tournament twice you also have access to the rally versions of the tracks (other road texture and other more arcade physics)
Rusty Springs' Rally version is even a complete else track (or better said a modified rusty springs) It now has lots of slopes like a rally track.
-> And this track is the TR5.tri
Lost Vegas should be supported in any case. Its an awesome track.
TR5 has very very low priority to me though. I'm also not sure if its even necessary to support it. The tracks are new shapes anyway then. And rally mode physics work for every track. The only problem would be if you intend to drive rusty springs in rally mode the game will try to access tr5 instead of tr1. This could be solved by using for tr1 and tr5 the same file.
Or ..... an idea for tr5 could be that tr5 has an extra high probability for slopes? That could be an idea I think
