Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Heads to Autobahn Country
Club
MEDIA CONTACT: Jeremy Riffle
(310) 210-1336
jeremyriffle@sbcglobal.net
Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Heads to Autobahn Country Club
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The Second Half of the 2010 Season Kicks-Off in Joliet
Race Information
2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Round 6
Circuit: Autobahn Country Club Joliet, Illinois
(21 Turns, 3.56 miles)
Date/Time: Practice / Qualifying Saturday, July 31 at 9:45 am
ET / 5:10 pm ET
Race Sunday, August 1 at 9:50 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 First Half of the 2010
Season
³This yearıs Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup is certainly the most exciting weıve
seen since the Seriesı inception in 2008,² said Clark Campbell, Motorsports
Manager, Volkswagen of America, Inc. ³Weıve had four different race winners
in the first five events and there are five rookies in the top-ten in the
Championship point standings. Our goal for the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup is
to develop young, up-and-coming talent, while demonstrating the benefits of
clean diesel technology to the US market. I think weıre definitely headed in
the right direction and I canıt wait to see how the second half of the year
unfolds.²
Tight Points Race Heading to Joliet
A mere 28 points separate the top five drivers in the 2010 Championship
point standings heading into next weekendıs event at Autobahn Country Club.
Juan Pablo Sierra Lendle is the current points leader; and has earned one
victory, one pole and three podium appearances in the yearıs first five
events. Rookie Arie Ouimet sits just six points behind Sierra Lendle in
second place. Ouimet has earned two podium results and three top-four
finishes in the past three events and heıs currently the Seriesı hottest
driver. With a streak like that, itıs not out of the question that we could
have a new points leader heading out of Joliet.
The battle for the lead isnıt the only one going on in the Volkswagen Jetta
TDI Cup field; only 51 points separate fifth-tenth place and with 60 points
available to the driver that notches the victory, things can change very
quickly.
2010 Season By the Numbers
Weıre halfway through the 2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup season, and with
four race winners in five events, you could definitely say the competition
is tight. Of those four drivers, three of them captured their first-ever
Series victory this season Ryan Ellis won the pair of season-opening races
at VIRginia International Raceway, Juan Pablo Sierra Lendle won in New
Jersey and rookie Wyatt Gooden won at Mid-Ohio; Jake Thompson was the only
previous winner as he earned victories in Virginia and New Jersey in 2009
(this year he won in Utah). Another thing to note is that the polesitter has
won four of the five races in 2010 (Gooden is the only winner not to have
started from the pole he started second in Mid-Ohio on the way to his
victory).
A total of twelve drivers have earned top-five appearances to date (Sierra
Lendle, Thompson and Gooden lead the Series with three) and four different
drivers have set the fastest race lap in an event this season. While
current points leader Sierra Lendle has led 34 of the 80 laps run in
competition (43%), five other drivers have combined to lead the other 46
laps. And lastly, this season to date, there have been a total of 308
passes for position among the Seriesı 25 drivers; rookie Jenna Wagner and JD
Mobley are at the top of the ³pass chart² as theyıve both made an astounding
23 passes to gain position in the first half of the season.
Nine Veterans Return to Autobahn Country Club
This season, there are nine drivers returning to the Volkswagen Jetta TDI
Cup from last year, including four drivers who finished in the top-ten at
Autobahn Country Club in 2009. Last year, Andrew Cordeiro finished fourth,
Jake Thompson finished sixth, Taylor Broekemeier finished seventh and JD
Mobley finished tenth at the 3.56-mile road course. AJ Nealey was one spot
shy of the top-ten as he brought his car home in 11th; right behind him were
Ryan Ellis and 2010 Championship points leader Juan Pablo Sierra Lendle
finishing 12th and 13th respectively. Juan Pablo Delgado finished 15th and
Andrew Novich finished 24th after being knocked out of the race on lap seven
after suffering tire damage.
Local Driver Taylor Tzouanakis Set for Hometown Race
When the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup heads to Autobahn Country Club next
weekend, one driver will be less than 50 miles away from his hometown.
Taylor Tzouanakis, a resident of Wauconda, Ill is making his debut in the
Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup this season and will no doubt be looking for a trip
to Victory Lane in his home state.
Tzouanakis received a go-kart for his ninth birthday and heıs been racing
ever since. In 2006, Tzouanakis began competing in indoor go-karts, where
he earned two different Championships and over 40 race wins. In 2007, he
moved into the Rotax Mini Max Class and then moved up again the next year
into the Rotax Junior Class.
In 2009, Tzouanakis won the MRP South Bend Rotax Junior Class Championship
after winning six of 11 events. He also finished second in the US Rotax Max
Challenge National point standings. Tzouanakis would also compete in the
Florida Winter Tour in the Rotax Junior Class, earning a best finish of
fourth at the Ocala Grand Prix.
Tzouanakis is using the opportunity of competing in the 2010 Volkswagen
Jetta TDI Cup Series as a way to improve his racing skills in hopes of
evolving into a better driver, elevating him through the ranks to a premier
open-wheel series.
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 Five Rounds)
Driver Points
1. Juan Pablo Sierra Lendle 158
2. Arie Ouimet (R) 152
3. Jake Thompson 136
4. JD Mobley 133
5. Wyatt Gooden (R) 130
6. Ryan Ellis 112
7. Jarvis Gennari (R) 99
8. AJ Nealey 93
9. Michael Hogg (R) 88
10. Nate Norenberg (R) 79
11. Taylor Broekemeier 79
12. Juan Pablo Delgado 79
13. Kevin Gleason (R) 78
14. Andrew Cordeiro 56
15. Andrew Novich 54
16. JJ Tomlinson (R) 49
17. Taylor Tzouanakis (R) 38
18. Brian Whitmire (R) 37
19. Mike Mineo-Nardacci (R) 32
20. Chris Wehrheim 27
21. Colin Thompson (R) 19
22. Rafael Navarro IV (R) 17
23. AJ Severino (R) 13
24. Justine Jackson (R) 6
25. Jenna Wagner (R) 2
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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