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Volkswagen Announces Driver Lineup for the 2010 Jetta TDI Cup

Volkswagen announces its picks for the third season of the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup starting April 23, at the VIRginia International Raceway in Alton, VA.  After several days of evaluating young drivers the Volkswagen has selected 16 drivers new to the TDI Cup as well as nine drivers who have participated in the series in previous seasons.  As in previous years the racers will be competing in nearly identically prepared Jetta TDI sedans with a 170 horsepower version of the 2.0-liter diesel inline-four found in the street Jetta.  The TDI Cup Jettas are only slightly modified from factory-prepared TDI Jettas with racing tires, suspension, brakes and safety equipment.

The Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup began in 2008 as way to introduce clean diesel technology to the U.S. market and to develop the best of motorsport’s young talent. During the season, drivers (ages 16-26) compete on road courses around the US and Mexico in clean diesel Jetta TDI’s nearly identical to their factory-prepared cousins. Each driver competing in the series earns a Pro Racing license from SCCA at the conclusion of the season.  Prize money in upwards of $50,000 is at stake, as well as up to $100,000 in Volkswagen factory career advancement support.

Below is a copy of the Volkswagen press release:

25 Drivers Ready To Compete For The Series Championship Starting April 23, 2010

HERNDON, Va., Feb. 10/PRNewswire/ – Volkswagen of America, Inc. is proud to announce the names of the 25 drivers who will compete in the 2010 Jetta TDI® Cup. The Volkswagen-operated spec racing series, now entering its third season, will take the green flag on its SCCA Pro Racing-sanctioned events beginning April 23 at Virginia International Raceway.

The drivers selected to compete in the 2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup include:

Rafael Navarro IV – Temecula, CA          Colin Thompson – Perkasie, PA

Arie Ouimet – Plymouth, MA                  Michael Hogg – Vancouver, BC

Chris Wehrheim – Norcross, GA             Kevin Gleason – Johnstown, PA

JJ Tomlinson – Park City, UT                 Taylor Tzouanakis – Wauconda, IL

Justine Jackson – Kingston, Jamaica     Wyatt Gooden – Gates Mills, OH

Jarvis Gennari – Boca Raton, FL            Brian Whitmire – Baton Rouge, LA

Mike Mineo-Nardacci – East Hills, NY     AJ Severino – Hamilton, NJ

Jenna Wagner – Bristol, VA                   Andrew Novich – Novato, CA

Nate Norenberg – Plymouth, MN            Taylor Broekemeier – Fort Collins, CO

JD Mobley – Castle Rock, CO                AJ Nealey – Edgewater, MD

Andrew Cordeiro – Woodbridge, ON       Ryan Ellis – Ashburn, VA

Jake Thompson – Calgary, AB               Juan Pablo Delgado – Orizaba, Mexico

Juan Pablo Sierra Lendle – Puebla, Mexico

Earlier this week in Las Vegas, NV, Volkswagen welcomed driver candidates from throughout North America for three days of in-depth testing and analysis. All drivers were evaluated through a variety of on- and off-track scenarios to establish skill level, potential, and overall ability. Following a collection of driving activities, physical fitness tests, media training, and an in-depth sponsorship workshop from Townsend Bell, who finished 4^th in the 2009 Indianapolis 500 (www.townsendbell.com), the final 25 drivers were chosen.

“Our third year for the Jetta TDI Cup is already shaping up to be the best one yet,” said Clark Campbell, Motorsport Manager, Volkswagen of America, Inc. “We were given the extremely difficult task of selecting only 25 drivers from a such diverse group of individuals who, honestly, all deserve the chance to compete. With 16 new drivers and 9 more returning from previous seasons, the field is undoubtedly set for top-notch competition and racing excitement.”

Drivers will race in ten Jetta TDI Cup events spanning seven road courses in the United States and Mexico in identical, factory-prepared and maintained Jetta TDIs running on clean diesel fuel. The series Champion will win $100,000 toward career development support from Volkswagen, while every driver who competes in the series will earn a Pro Racing license from SCCA at the finish of the season.

The Jetta TDI Cup racecar is powered by a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder TDI clean diesel engine mated to a six-speed, Direct Shift Gearbox® (DSG®) dual-clutch automatic transmission. The car is only slightly modified from stock through the addition of race tires, suspension, brakes, and safety equipment.

2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Schedule

Round 1 & 2 April 23 – 25                  Virginia International Raceway (Alton, VA)

Round 3 May 9                           New Jersey Motorsports Park (Millville, NJ)

Round 4 June 5 – 6                     Miller Motorsports Park (Tooele, UT)

Round 5 July 18 – 20                  Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (Lexington, OH)

Round 6 July 30 – Aug. 1            Autobahn Country Club (Joliet, IL)

Round 7 & 8 Aug. 20 – 22                 Road America (Elkhart Lake, WI)

Round 9 & 10 Sept. 24 – 26                Autodromo AMOZOC (Puebla, Mexico)

To learn more about the 2010 Jetta TDI Cup, please visit www.volkswagenjettacup.com.

About 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 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.

SCCA Pro Racing

A wholly owned subsidiary of Sports Car Club of America, Inc., SCCA Pro Racing Ltd. 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 SCCA World Challenge Championships, the SCCA Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup and the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup and provides sanctioning and various operational services for other racing series. For more information, please visit www.sccapro.com.

SOURCE Volkswagen of America, Inc.