Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Mid-Ohio Preview
MEDIA CONTACT: Jeremy Riffle
(310) 210-1336
jeremyriffle@sbcglobal.net
Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Heads to Historic
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
--
Event Will Mark Halfway Point of 2010 Season
Race Information
2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Round 5
Circuit: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course Lexington, OH (Main Course
- 13 turns, 2.25 miles)
Date/Time: Practice Saturday, June 19 at 9:20 am ET
Qualifying / Race Sunday, June 20 at 8:00 am ET / 11:55 am ET
Race Length: 30 minutes
About the 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 powered Jetta TDIıs. Each driver
competing in the Series earns a professional racing license from SCCA Pro
Racing 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. Series
sponsors include: Pirelli, Bosch, ViON, Castrol, Oakley, Red Bull, Staubli,
Aggreko, defNder, Lamin-X, Volkswagen Driver Gear, Volkswagen Parts &
Service, iRacing, Safety-Kleen and Ringer Gloves.
What sets the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup apart from other racing series?
· The Series is the only clean diesel racing series in the United
States, and Volkswagen is the only auto manufacturer participating in
motorsports full time with diesel powered cars.
· The TDI engine technology improves fuel economy over gasoline engines
and reduces sooty emissions by 95 percent, even under demanding race
conditions. The Series will consume approximately two tanks of fuel during
its ten races this season.
· The Jetta TDI Cup features a vehicle similar to what consumers can buy
at their local Volkswagen dealerships.
· Cars are maintained by Volkswagen of America, which creates a level
playing field for all drivers.
News & Notes:
Volkswagen Motorsports Manager, Campbell, on the 2010 Season to date
³Weıve seen some fantastic racing in the first four events and I donıt
expect anything less next weekend in Lexington,² said Clark Campbell,
Motorsports Manager, Volkswagen of America, Inc. ³Not only have our Series
veterans improved this season, but our rookies are developing very quickly
as well. At our last event in Utah, we had four rookies finish in the
top-six. With exciting competition like this, weıre certainly accomplishing
the objectives of the TDI Cup - to not only develop up-and-coming drivers,
but also to demonstrate the benefits of clean fuel technology to the US
market.²
Nine Veterans Return to Miller Motorsports Park
This season, there are nine drivers returning to the Volkswagen Jetta TDI
Cup from last year, including five drivers who finished in the top-ten at
the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in 2009. Last year, Andrew Cordeiro finished
fourth, JD Mobley finished seventh, Juan Pablo Sierra Lendle finished
eighth, AJ Nealey finished ninth and Andrew Novich rounded out the top-ten
in the Seriesı debut at the historic road course. The other four returning
drivers all finished in the top-19: Jake Thompson 11th; Taylor Broekemeier
12th; Ryan Ellis 13th; Juan Pablo Delgado 19th.
Tight Points Race Heading to Lexington
A mere 50 points separates the top five drivers in the 2010 Championship
point standings heading into next weekendıs event at Mid-Ohio. Juan Pablo
Sierra Lendle is the current points leader; and has earned one victory, one
pole and three podium appearances in the yearıs first four events.
Furthermore, only 40 points separate fifth-fifteenth place and with 60
points available to the driver that notches the victory, things can change
very quickly in the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup. Thus far, this season has
seen three different race winners and three different pole winners; so rest
assured, anything is possible this weekend.
Local Driver Wyatt Gooden Set to for Hometown Race
When the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup heads to the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
next weekend, one driver will be less than 70 miles away from his hometown.
Wyatt Gooden, a resident of Gates Mills, OH is making his debut in the
Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup this season and will no doubt be looking for a win
in his own backyard come Sunday.
For Gooden, motorsports has always been a family activity. At a young age,
he and his father would watch all types of racing together from NASCAR to
Formula 1; as well as attend CART events when the Series came to his home
state of Ohio. When he turned ten, Goodenıs father got him into karting
where he competed at a local track in northern Ohio.
In 2002, he began competing on the WKA national circuit racing 2-cycle
engines. Since he began, Gooden has earned his fair share of poles and
podiums, of which he is particularly proud, as it was just he and his father
competing against factory teams on the circuit. In 2007, Gooden made the
move to racing cars by attending a Skip Barber three-day school at the Mid
Ohio Sports Car Course. He also participated in the 2008 Skip Barber Karting
Shootout at Sebring International Raceway.
Last fall Gooden bested 1,163 competitors to win the iRacing.com Volkswagen
Jetta TDI Cup online racing series and earn his way into the selection
process for the 2010 real-world version. Earlier this year, the 21-year-old
computer information systems student turned in a standout performance at the
three-day selection trials in Las Vegas and not only made the 25-driver 2010
field but because of his winning performance in the iRacing online racing
series, qualified for a scholarship for his full participation fee for the
2010 season of ten real-world races.
Virginia Tech students earn their racing stripes with the Jetta TDI Cup
Thereıs no better experience than on-the-job training, which is why nearly
20 engineering students from Virginia Tech University are taking part in the
2010 Jetta TDI Cup season. The Volkswagen Motorsports Jetta TDI Cup program
allows Virginia Teach students interested in pursuing a career in
motorsports with an opportunity to experience it first-hand. The students
provide technical support at Volkswagenıs race shop at VIR and on the road
at the Seriesı ten race events. During the season, up to fifteen students
will travel to each race and work alongside the Series technicians getting
hands-on experience with every aspect of motorsports from changing tires to
downloading data.
The Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup program is an ideal way for students interested
in a career in motorsports to learn about the industry and it provides them
with the advantage of real-world experience before they enter the workplace.
Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Point Standings (Through Four Rounds)
Driver
Points____________________________________
1. Juan Pablo Sierra Lendle 136
2. Jake Thompson 106
3. Arie Ouimet (R) 104
4. JD Mobley 93
5. Ryan Ellis 86
6. Wyatt Gooden (R) 70
7. AJ Nealey 69
8. Nate Norenberg (R) 66
9. Jarvis Gennari (R) 65
10. Juan Pablo Delgado 63
11. Taylor Broekemeier 61
12. Michael Hogg (R) 56
13. Andrew Novich 50
14. Kevin Gleason (R) 50
15. Andrew Cordeiro 46
16. Brian Whitmire (R) 31
17. JJ Tomlinson (R) 29
18. Chris Wehrheim 27
19. Mike Mineo-Nardacci (R) 24
20. Taylor Tzouanakis (R) 23
21. Colin Thompson (R) 17
22. Rafael Navarro IV (R) 17
23. AJ Severino (R) 13
24. Justine Jackson (R) 4
25. Jenna Wagner (R) 1
Follow the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup series action on:
www.vwmotorsportusa.com
Volkswagen Online Newsroom: media.vw.com
Live Timing & Scoring: http://livetiming.net/scca/VW
Live Timing & Scoring for your Mobile Device:
http://livetiming.net/SCCA/VW/html.asp
Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/JettaTDICup
Twitter: http://twitter.com/VWJettaTDICup
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.
About SCCA Pro Racing:
A wholly owned subsidiary of Sports Car Club of America, Inc., SCCA Pro
Racing Inc. is a leading sanctioning body for motorsports events in the
United States. A member of the Automobile Competition Committee of the
United States (ACCUS), SCCA Pro Racing operates and sanctions the World
Challenge Championships, the SCCA Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup, SCCA Volkswagen
Jetta TDI Cup, SCCA Pro Trans-Am Series, Spec Racer Ford Pro Series and
Formula Enterprises Pro Series. For more information, please visit
www.sccapro.com.
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