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Amateur oil-burning action! VW TDI cup set to kick off
Volkswagen has a history of supporting grass roots racing programs that goes back to the sixties. Over the years, countless drivers have come up through series like Formula Vee, SuperVee, Rabbit Cup, Golf Cup, among others. Amidst the alumni of VW-powered race cars include professional championship winners with names like Andretti and Unser. Volkswagen announced their latest racing program, the Jetta TDI cup in October at the SEMA show. The Jetta TDI cup is designed for amateur racers aged 16-26. Drivers who are interested in participating can sign up at a special VW web site. The series is limited to only thirty drivers and a series of qualifying races will be held in March 2008. Drivers who make it through to the full series will have to come up with $35,000 to cover the full season. For that money, VW will supply a fully race prepped diesel-powered Jetta TDI with all the necessary safety equipment. The 2.0L diesel is tuned for 170hp and drivers just need to show up at the track with their helmet and driving suit. Race winners earn $1,500 and the series champ will get $100,000. If the series champ hooks up a pro ride within six months of the end of the series, they earn an extra $250,000 bonus from VW. Go sign up now!
[Source: Volkswagen via AutoblogGreen]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
why not the LS2/LS7? 4:38PM (12/30/2007)
The price is a great deal. The car I'm not so impressed with.
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Mobius_1 8:57PM (12/30/2007)
Yeah, the car is a bit crap... Guess I have to keep waiting for the Lambo Cup... haha
MemphisNET 4:56PM (12/30/2007)
Canadian's like to race too :( Come on VW, extend this to the north.
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Brendan 5:20PM (12/30/2007)
who knew all those college loans would inhibit my racing career? >:(
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Billy Hancock 6:31PM (12/30/2007)
O yea, dont forget that it costs $35,000 to enter if your chosen.
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Billy 6:32PM (12/30/2007)
And i belive that canadians can enter if i remember correctly
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RxMadness 11:11PM (12/30/2007)
For $35k do you at least get to keep the Jetta? I know racing ain't cheap but 35 grand entry + travel and lodging expenses for an entire season is going to eliminate alot of talented young drivers. Still, pricing aside it's good to see a manufacturer providing motorsport opportunities to those who need it.
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why not the LS2/LS7? 11:20AM (12/31/2007)
In a series like this, most teams won't have a car worth having at the end of the year. Most of them will be begging for free spares and body panels in no time instead of positing what they're going to do with their windfall Jetta at the end of the season.
Amateur drivers plus spec series equals bashed in body panels every time.
RockStoneSteel 12:05AM (12/31/2007)
Why is it that Autoblog must continuously perpetuate the "oil burner" stereotype for diesels as is done in the title of the article. It's all too common for Autoblog to use that terminology, which is unfortunate, as it is probably not true of the newest diesel engines. I had a Chevy Vega, with a gas engine, that surely burned more oil than any diesel engine ever has.
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ambientFLIER 12:21AM (12/31/2007)
I think "oil burner" means that it burns oil (diesel) instead of gasoline, not oil (lubrication) consumption.
spookthehamster 3:31PM (12/31/2007)
diesel = fuel oil
anthony 2:39AM (12/31/2007)
Volkswagen are doing the right thing with these CUP racers...as it will give them a lot of exposure and image.
The Jetta is their hottest seller,and big things are expected from it in 2008 with the introduction of the sports wagon...and delayed but stunning TDI models.
They should both sell like hot cakes.
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Kevin C 6:19AM (12/31/2007)
why would anyone age 16 have 35 grand laying around? unless they were given some through a will...
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j_diesel 6:47AM (12/31/2007)
that's very good marketing by VW. not only to they have a torture endurance R&D session every race but they can also introduce the next gen TDI to a target group that may have otherwise not have been interested in them.
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Guenther 12:06PM (12/31/2007)
I really must applaud VWs decision to sponsor a cup series using TDI's rather than the GTI/GLI's. I think it'd be a hoot to run one of these cars in a 25hour NASA endurance event. Perhaps we'll get lucky and GM will offer the new (to US) Astra with a performance diesel, and Toyota and Honda will follow suit- it would be fun to have an "Oiler" class at the track.
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Greg 9:12AM (1/19/2008)
Oh! I didn't realize the A5 Jetta was so crappy like has been stated in some post. And just think, I had been rather enjoying my trouble-free, 45-mpg, biodiesel-burning, 2006 Jetta TDI for two years; not realizing it was so crappy.
Now, I guess I should push it off a cliff in favor of a new, gas-guzzling, Toyota Tundra like some folks have been doing on insurance-fraud-enticing commercials.
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