2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Mid-Season Review
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
* Series photos available upon request or via media.vw.com
CONTACT: Jeremy Riffle
(310) 210-1336
jeremyriffle@sbcglobal.net
2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup
Mid-Season Review
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Veteran Sierra Lendle Leads the Pack Heading Into Round Six of Ten Events
HERNDON, Va. (July 12, 2010) The first half of the 2010 Volkswagen Jetta
TDI Cup season is in the books and with four different race winners in five
events, the competition could not be more fierce. Just 28 points separate
the top-five drivers and with 60 points available for each win, itıs
anybodyıs guess who will be hoisting the Championship trophy come September.
One of the overwhelming favorites to take the crown has to be current points
leader, Juan Pablo Sierra Lendle (with 158 points). The Puebla, Mexico
resident started out the season with three consecutive podium appearances
when he finished second in the pair of opening races at VIRginia
International Raceway and earned a victory in Round Three at New Jersey
Motorsports Park. In the first five events of the 2010 season, Sierra
Lendle has earned five top-ten finishes, three top-three finishes and has
led a Series-high 34 laps out of a total of 80 laps run (43%). Needless to
say, if he can maintain results like this, heıs going to be very difficult
to catch in the latter half of the 2010 season.
³I had an excellent start to the season with two second-place finishes and
then the win in New Jersey,² said Sierra Lendle. ³The victory was my first
in the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup, which was wonderful to finally be able to
earn. I continued to lead the Championship after the fourth and fifth
races, even though I struggled a bit on the track (Sierra Lendle finished
seventh in Utah and tenth at Mid-Ohio). The important thing was that I
finished cleanly and continued to add important points towards the
Championship. The points battle has gotten very close and the rookies are
pushing just as hard as the other veterans. In the second half of the
season, Iım just going to keep doing what Iıve been doing. I know the next
five races will be challenging, but I feel I have the experience, the speed
and the ability to win the Championship. I canıt wait to get to Autobahn at
the end of the month. Last year I had a disappointing race in Joliet, but
Iıve been training very hard in the gym, as well as on the simulator. I
think Iım in a great place both physically and mentally, so Iım really
excited to start the second half of the year. I know with some smart, clean
racing I can continue to lead the points and hopefully earn my first
Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Championship.²
Another strong contender to claim the Series title is rookie phenom Arie
Ouimet, who is currently in second place in the 2010 Championship point
standings, just six points out of first. The Plymouth, Mass. native took a
couple of races to get up to speed, but since then heıs earned three
top-five finishes including second-place results at two of the last three
events. In addition, heıs earned five top-ten finishes, led 12 of 80 laps
(15%) and is the only rookie to have won a pole in the first half of the
2010 season (Ouimet claimed the pole at the last Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup
event three weeks ago at Mid-Ohio).
³Iım very happy with how the season has gone thus far,² said Ouimet. ³The
first few races of the year were a bit difficult, but in the last three
events Iıve been able to run well. Iım also beginning to understand the car
more and more as the season progresses. In the second half of the year, Iım
looking to finish on the podium in each event I feel that is not only a
realistic goal, but it will keep me right in the Championship hunt as well.
Thus far, the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup has proven to be a great opportunity
for me. Not only have I learned a ton on the racetrack, but Iıve learned a
lot off of it as well. The entire Volkswagen team has helped to teach us the
things we need to know in order to pursue a career in motorsports. I think
working with everyone at the Series will prove to be highly beneficial as I
look to next year and beyond.²
Aside from Sierra Lendle and Ouimet, there are three other drivers who are
within immediate striking distance of the Championship points lead: Series
veterans Jake Thompson (136 points) and JD Mobley (133 points) as well as
rookie Wyatt Gooden (130 points). Each member of this trio has earned at
least two podium appearances to date; Thompson also earned a victory in Utah
and Gooden captured his first checkered flag three weeks ago at Mid-Ohio.
The final five races should be quite exciting, as these talented drivers
battle it out until the final lap of the season.
³Iım very impressed by the rookies in this yearıs Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup,²
said Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Chief Instructor, Jan Heylen. ³Our Series
veterans are quite good and for some of the rookies to come in with no
experience in the Series, and some of them with only karting experience, and
qualify and finish in front of the guys whoıve raced the Jetta TDI Cup cars
before really speaks to the level of talent we have this year. What Iım
really happy about is the fact that the rookies are showing why they were
picked to compete this season. As a Series, I think we have learned a lot
in our first two and a half years; and that combined with this yearıs crop
of drivers has really led to a great year; weıve seen nothing but clean,
hard racing. I think another important thing is that weıve seen progress
throughout the entire field. In the first two races, the field was a little
spread out, which was disappointing but in the last three events, the
field has been a lot closer. Weıre starting to see marked improvement in
every single driver and I think the second half of the year will only be
more exciting.²
The Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup heads to Autobahn Country Club in Joliet, Ill.
to compete in Round Six of the 2010 season on Sunday, August 1st.
Series Alumni Continue to Make Progress
While the 25 current Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup drivers are still learning the
ropes of professional auto racing, there are two Series alumni who have
taken what the Series has taught them and moved on to make waves in other
forms of motorsports.
Timmy Megenbier, the 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Champion, is competing in
Germanyıs Scirocco R-Cup, where he currently sits in ninth place in the
Championship point standings. Megenbier is the first American to compete in
a full-year of the German Series. At the last event two weeks ago,
Megenbier started 17th and finished 14th in Round Three at Norisring.
The 2010 season marks the debut of Germanyıs Scirocco R-Cup, the most
eco-friendly, one-make cup series in the world. Volkswagen thus assumes a
pioneering role yet again among the worldwide one-make cups with the
Scirocco R-Cup. 80 per cent less CO2 emissions, thanks to bio-CNG
(compressed natural gas) power, as well as ³push to pass² technology, make
the series one of the most exciting to watch.
In addition to Megenbierıs post-Jetta TDI Cup success, the 2008 Series
Champion, Josh Hurley, is also making a name for himself, but here in
America. Hurley is currently competing in the Grand-Am Continental Tire
Sports Car Challenge, where he runs in the Street Tuner Class, which
features imports and compact cars. In the seven races run to date, Hurley
has finished in the top-five in his class in five events; and he currently
sits in eighth place in the Championship point standings.
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 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.
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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