Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Instructor Earns Second-Place
Finish in Firestone Indy Lights Series Debut
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
* Photos available upon request
CONTACT: Jeremy Riffle
(310) 210-1336
jeremyriffle@sbcglobal.net
Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Instructor Earns
Second-Place Finish in Firestone Indy Lights Series Debut
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Jan Heylen Pilots Team E Racing Machine
In 2010 Season-Opener
Herndon, Va. (March 30, 2010) This past Sunday, Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup
chief driving instructor, Jan Heylen, earned a second-place result in his
debut in the Indy Lights Series driving for Team E Racing. Due to
thunderstorms, the race was shortened from 45 to 35 laps at the temporary
street circuit in St. Petersburg and Heylen did not have enough time to
catch eventual race winner J.K. Vernay, a former Volkswagen driver in the F3
Euro Series.
³Team E could not be more pleased with a second place finish at the St
Petersburg Grand Prix with Jan Heylen behind the wheel,² said Neil Enerson,
Owner of Team E Racing. ³Jan showed what a true professional he is under
the extremely difficult conditions of the race. Team E has only 11 races
under our belt with one win and now, two second place finishes. We have a
fantastic veteran crew and a very experienced driver. To start the season
with a second place result is a great start to 2010 and hopefully we will
find the necessary sponsorship partner to continue with Jan in the car this
year.²
Heylen qualified fourth for Sundayıs event, but fell back in the field at
the start of the race to avoid an early crash. He and the Team E Racing
crew struggled a bit with their set-up throughout the weekend, but were able
to work their way back up to second before the race was red flagged due to
severe weather.
³The entire Team worked so hard this past weekend and I am extremely happy
to be able to provide them with a second-place podium finish,² said Heylen.
³During the race, the weather certainly put a wrench in our vehicle set-up,
but I gave it everything thing I had and pushed the vehicle as hard as I
could. It was a great opportunity to get back behind the wheel and to push
myself as a driver. I am unsure what the future will hold with myself and
Team E Racing, but I am grateful to Neil Enerson and the entire Team to have
been able to put in a good showing in St. Petersburg.²
Prior to this weekendıs event, the 2007 season marks the last time Heylen
competed in an open-wheel car, when he fulfilled driving duties for Conquest
Racing in two events in the Champ Car World Series. That year, Heylen would
earn a second-place finish at Assen, Holland, which was Conquest Racingıs
best-ever result. In 2006, Heylen drove for Dale Coyne Racing and earned a
season-best fifth-place finish in Cleveland.
When not pursuing his own racing career, which has included Championship
wins in the former Renault Eurocup and British Formula Ford Festival and a
stint in the Champ Car World Series, Heylen serves as the chief driving
instructor for the SCCA Pro Racing Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup series. He is
also the lead testing and development driver for the Series. The Seriesı
2010 season-opener will be held at VIRginia International Raceway on April
24th.
Jan Heylen is supported by the following sponsors:
Sponsors: VW Motorsports USA, PHR Services, Oakley, Staubli, ViON, Berghoff
volkwagenmotorsportusa.com
oakley.com
staubli.us
vion.com
phrservice.com
berghoffworldwide.com
About Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup
The SCCA Pro Racing Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup was launched in 2008 as way to
introduce clean diesel technology to the U.S. market and develop the best of
motorsportıs up-and-coming talent. During the season, young, up and coming
drivers (between ages 16-26) compete on road courses around North America in
identical factory-prepared clean diesel Jetta TDIıs. Each driver competing
in the series earns 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 receives Volkswagen factory career advancement
support with a value up to $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, drivers racing safety
seat, FIA roll cage and an on-board fire extinguisher system.
Fans can log on to watch live timing and scoring during Jetta TDI Cup events
at: http://livetiming.net/scca/VW.
About Volkswagen of America
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 worldıs largest producers of passenger
cars and Europeıs largest automaker. Volkswagen sells the Golf, GTI, New
Beetle, New Beetle convertible, Jetta, Jetta SportWagen, Eos, Passat, Passat
Wagon, CC, Tiguan, Touareg and Routan through approximately 600 independent
U.S. dealers. All 2010 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 www.vw.com or www.media.vw.com to learn more.
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