Volkswagen Announces Qualifying Paths For 2010 Jetta TDI Cup Season
HERNDON, Va., Aug. 19, 2009 -- The 2009 SCCA Pro Racing Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup is entering the final four races of its second season, and series organizers have begun looking ahead to the 2010 edition of the only clean diesel racing series in the United States. Today, Volkswagen of America posted an online application page for prospective drivers at www.vwmotorsportusa.com, adding one more path that drivers may follow in order advance to the final driver selection event that will be held in February.
The final driver selection event will be held in early February 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada and is the last step in qualifying for the factory series. During the event, candidates will undergo a comprehensive examination on the asphalt and in the classroom. After driving tests, media-readiness assessment and physical fitness examination, 25 drivers will be chosen to participate in the 2010 season. Once selected, Volkswagen provides factory maintained and prepared racecars, media support and promotions, a first class at-track hospitality area as well as ongoing driving instruction for these future racing stars in hopes of advancing their careers to the next level.
Potential driver candidates must be between the ages of 16 and 26 as of January 1, 2010 and hold a passport from the U.S., Canada or Mexico. In addition, drivers entering the series for the first time must not have competed in any professional racing series regardless of location. Applicants must be able to submit a season entry fee of $45,000 by December 11, 2009 in order to be considered for the final driver selection event. The entry fee will be fully refunded to those not chosen as a 2010 series driver. Further information on application and series rules is available at www.vwmotorsportusa.com.
Three paths now available for qualifying for the final driver selection event are:
-- Online application - Applicants can visit www.vwmotorsportusa.com for
an online application. On the site, candidates can submit their
amateur racing resumes and other details about their past experience.
Series officials will then select candidates from these applications
to participate in the driver selection program. All applications must
be submitted along with the series entry fee by December 11, 2009.
-- iRacing.com Jetta TDI Cup online racing season - In conjunction with
iRacing.com Motorsport Simulations, Volkswagen has created an online
racing experience unlike any other. The Jetta TDI Cup series car has
joined the list of racecars offered on iRacing.com, and iRacing has
launched an online version of the series. The iRacing.com Jetta TDI
Cup series participants will be battling to earn their way into the
2010 final driver selection event. The top iRacing.com driver to earn
a position in the 2010 series will be awarded their season entry fee
and will drive the iRacing.com car. More information is available at
www.iracing.com.
-- Karting qualifier competitions - Earlier this summer, the series began
hosting standalone karting competitions at Boston's F1 Outdoor karting
facility. The top finishers from each event will move on and compete
in the final driver selection event. Like the iRacing.com path, the
top-rated karting qualifier driver to earn a spot in the 2010 series
will receive a fully-funded ride. Information on the karting qualifier
events is available at www.volkswagenjettacup.com.
About the 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup
The 2009 season marks the second year of competition for the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup, which is sanctioned by SCCA Pro Racing. During the season, young, up and coming drivers (between ages 16-26) will compete in 10 events on eight road courses around North America in identical, factory-prepared clean diesel Jetta TDI's powered by Syndiesel B5 blended biodiesel fuel. Each driver competing in the series will earn a Pro Racing license from SCCA at the conclusion of the season. In addition to more than $50,000 in prize money at stake during the season, the series champion will win $100,000.
The Jetta TDI Cup car is powered by a 2.0-liter, 170 hp, four-cylinder TDI clean diesel engine mated to a six-speed, double-clutch, automatic DSG transmission. The car is only slightly modified from stock with Pirelli racing tires, race suspension and brake components, driver's racing safety seat, FIA roll cage and an on-board fire extinguisher system. Series sponsors include: Pirelli, Bosch, ViON, Castrol, Oakley, Red Bull, HYPERFUELS, Aggreko, defNder, Lamin-X, Meguiar's, Sherwin-Williams, Chicagoland VW, Safety-Kleen, Ringer Gloves, Jim Russell Racing School and Trellis Earth.
Follow the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup series action on: www.vwmotorsportusa.com www.tditruthanddare.com
SCCA Pro Racing Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Live Timing & Scoring: http://www.livetiming.net/SCCA/VW/livetiming.asp
Volkswagen Online Newsroom: media.vw.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/VWJettaTDICup Twitter: http://twitter.com/VWJettaTDICup Volkswagen of America, Inc.
Founded in 1955, Volkswagen of America, Inc. is headquartered in Herndon, Virginia. It is a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany. Volkswagen is one of the world's largest producers of passenger cars and Europe's largest automaker. Volkswagen sells the Eos, Rabbit, New Beetle, New Beetle convertible, GTI, Jetta, Jetta SportWagen, GLI, Passat, Passat wagon, Tiguan and Touareg 2 through approximately 600 independent U.S. dealers. All 2009 Volkswagens come standard-equipped with Electronic Stabilization Program. This is important because the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has called ESC the most effective new vehicle safety technology since the safety belt. Visit Volkswagen of America online at vw.com or www.media.vw.com to learn more.
NOTE TO EDITORS: * Series photos available upon request or via media.vw.com