VOLKSWAGEN JETTA TDI CUP TO CROWN ITS 2009 CHAMPION AT ROAD ATLANTA

Megenbier takes a 39-point lead into the final race of the season

Race Information:

2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup – Round 10 Circuit: Road Atlanta – Braselton, Georgia (12 turns, 2.54 miles)
Date/Time: Practice / Qualifying – Friday, September 25 at 8:15 am / 6:30 pm (all times Eastern) Race – Saturday, September 26 at 9 am
Race Length: 30 minutes

News & Notes:

Road Atlanta preview

For the second consecutive year, the SCCA Pro Racing Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup will be closing out its season at Road Atlanta. And, as in 2008, the Championship battle is going to come down to the final race around the 12-turn, 2.54-mile road course in Braselton, Georgia.

Last season, Josh Hurley entered the final race with a 17-point lead and won the series title by five points over Liam Kenney. The pair has moved to compete in other series, and series veteran Timmy Megenbier is bringing a 39-point lead over Andy Lee into Road Atlanta this year. If Megenbier finishes 15th or better, the Championship will be his regardless of any other driver results. However, anything can happen.

The Melrose Park, Illinois native has had a banner year that includes three wins, eight podium appearances, two pole positions and 41 laps led (31 percent of all laps this season). After a difficult 2008 campaign that saw several races end without him finishing, Megenbier returned to the series with a more mental approach to his craft.

“I think I showed people last year that I was capable of running up front, but I kept putting myself in bad positions and taking chances at the wrong time,” Megenbier said. “During the offseason, I had a chance to watch some of our races and identify things that I wanted to do differently. I realized that I needed to be a little smarter on the track, and this approach has certainly paid off. Other than one bad race at VIR (VIRginia International Raceway), I have been on the podium every time. My hope is that I’ll be able to maintain this consistency at Road Atlanta to win the Championship.”

Six drivers have won races, and 10 drivers have made podium appearances this season, but only Lee remains eligible to unseat Megenbier from the lead. Like Megenbier, Lee has also had a very consistent season that has him currently second in the standings. The series veteran and Maricopa, Arizona native has one race win, two pole positions, three podium appearances, 27 laps led and finished in the top 10 in every race. In addition, the 26-year-old driver hasn’t finished lower than sixth.

“I ran well last year at Road Atlanta, so I’m definitely looking forward to going back,” Lee said. “I’m trying not to worry about the Championship because it’s going to be unlikely that I’ll be able to catch (Timmy) at this point. I’m just going to worry about running my race, and if something happens that vaults me to the top that’s great, but I can’t let myself get caught up in thinking about it. The biggest thing for me is to end the season on a positive note. People remember the last thing you did, so I would like to end on top. That would be a great way to close out my run in the series.”

If last year’s race at Road Atlanta is any indication of this year’s potential result, Lee might have the upper hand. Lee finished ninth, while Megenbier came in 26th.

While 39 points separate the first- and second-place drivers in the Championship, the fight for “Rookie of the Year” honors is expected to be a battle to the finish. Only two points separate Joey Atterbury (273 points) and Jake Thompson (271 points) entering the final contest. Both drivers have found victory lane this season, but Thompson of Calgary, Alberta is coming off his second win of the year last weekend in New Jersey.

“Being able to get back to the top of the podium in New Jersey was huge for me,” Thompson said. “I was lucky enough to win one of our first races of the year, but I struggled a bit in the middle of the season. Road Atlanta is a fast track like New Jersey. These sorts of courses seem to suit me best, so I’m hopeful that I’ll be able to make a strong run there. Being able to claim the ‘Rookie of the Year’ title in my first season in sports car racing would be a huge accomplishment for me.”

No place like home – Three drivers hail from Atlanta area

The Atlanta area is a hotbed for Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup drivers, and three of the 24 series drivers are looking forward to the upcoming race on their home track.

The trio is led by series veteran Mark Pombo from Duluth, Georgia. He is currently in fifth place in the Championship standings on the strength of one win (Mosport), two pole positions, 26 laps led and five top-five finishes. While the series title is out of reach for Pombo, there still is room for him to move up the ladder. Heading into Road Atlanta, only 11 points separate him from third place, and he has experience on his side. He proved last season that he’s one of the best around the Braselton circuit as he captured the pole position on his way to a third-place finish.

“I’ve had a lot of experience racing at Road Atlanta, so I couldn’t pick a better spot for us to finish our season,” Pombo said. “Obviously, I would like to be a little higher in the Championship, but there’s no sense in looking back at what could have been. I have nothing to lose in terms of points, so I’m definitely going to be driving for the win in hopes of giving my family and friends who will be in attendance something to cheer about.”

Pombo is also joined by two series rookies who are also from the area. Rhett Tucker of Cumming, Georgia and Andrew Gunn Tucker of McDonough, Georgia are getting their first taste of professional racing experience this season.

Tucker is currently 20th in points and is coming off of a 13th-place finish last weekend in New Jersey, his best result of the season. While this is his first season competing in the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup, Tucker began racing at age eight when he started karting on dirt ovals and road courses. In 2004 and 2005, he won the championship at Florida’s Dirt Devils WKA Speedway. Last year, he ran five races in the USAC Ford Focus midget series.

Gunn Tucker is also coming off his best result of the season, 19th. However, his racing career spans only a few years. He began competing in local autocross events in 2003 while attending Tennessee Tech University and then entered the technical side of racing. Gunn Tucker has served as a mechanic and car chief for various sports car teams including his current employer, APR Motorsport. APR races Volkswagen GTIs in the Grand Am Koni Challenge series and is currently third in the series standings with two races left.

Richert claims the PR title

In an attempt to develop driver skills on and off the track, the series holds an annual public relations contest. During the season, drivers earn points by securing media stories on themselves and the series, engaging in social media efforts and making promotional appearances for the series and sponsors.

For the second year, series veteran David Richert claimed the title. Not only did he achieve more media coverage than any other driver, but he also came up with creative ways to bring attention to the series. Earlier this season at Mid-Ohio, Richert developed a Father’s Day campaign where fans could purchase space on his car to write their Father’s Day greetings. He then used this money to purchase toys for children at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.

Richert’s prize is attending an upcoming Volkswagen public relations event in Germany to launch the 2010 Golf and Golf TDI. During the trip, he will join journalists in driving the vehicles and touring the company’s facilities including the Autostadt and the transparent factory. All expenses associated with this trip are being covered by Volkswagen.

“Being successful in the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup media contest has been one of my top priorities this race season,” Richert said. “The contest has provided me with an excellent opportunity to demonstrate my skills and abilities off of the racetrack, which can often make or break a driver’s career. The series has been great in providing us with the tools needed to succeed in this area, and I’m looking forward to developing relationships with reporters during the trip to Germany.”

There’s green racing, and there’s the Jetta TDI Cup – Truly green racing

In the past, racing and environmentally-friendly cars haven’t gone hand in hand. However, Volkswagen changed the game in 2008 with the introduction of the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup, featuring the mostly-stock, clean diesel Jetta TDI. Performance testing proves that diesel-powered vehicles offer more low-end torque than traditional gasoline engines, providing quicker off-the-line acceleration that’s well suited for the race track. In addition, the Jetta TDI engine’s use of a “common rail” direct injection system improves fuel economy over gasoline engines and reduces sooty emissions by 95 percent, even under demanding race conditions.

To take environmental responsibility one step further, the Jetta TDI Cup is using a Syndiesel® B5 biodiesel blend provided by Houston-based HYPERFUELS to power its racecars and B20 biodiesel blends for its transport vehicles and generators. Syndiesel B5 is a blend of 5 percent biodiesel and 95 percent synthetic diesel fuel. The SynDiesel B5 provides a winning combination of benefits, offering the highest cetane rating of any diesel fuel on the market today and 20 percent more BTUs than conventional diesel. The added benefits of this type of fuel also include increased lubricity and significantly-reduced emissions from the domestically-produced, renewable biodiesel component. During the 2009 season, the Jetta TDI Cup racecars will consume approximately two tanks of blended biodiesel during race conditions, and overall carbon emissions produced by the series will be reduced by 33,760 pounds as a result of the new fuels.

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates the Jetta TDI at an economical 30 mpg City and 41 mpg Highway. Volkswagen went a step further to evaluate the real world fuel economy of the Jetta TDI. A leading third-party certifier tested the Jetta TDI and found it performed 24 percent better in real world conditions, achieving 38 mpg in the city and 44 mpg on the highway. While the Jetta TDI Cup racecar has been modified slightly from the consumer version, the cars still achieve more than 20 mpg on the racetrack where they’re being pushed to the limit. In comparison, most racecars achieve less than 10 mpg.

The Jetta TDI’s fuel efficiency combined with its environmentally-friendly emissions rating have earned the model the Smart Way designation from the EPA. The EPA created the Smart Way program to help consumers identify the cleanest, most fuel-efficient vehicles available. In addition, the 2009 Jetta TDI clean diesel was recently named the “Green Car of the Year®” by Green Car Journal.

Points standings after nine races Position/Driver Name/Hometown/Points 1 Timmy Megenbier, Melrose Park, IL – 346 2 Andy Lee, Maricopa, AZ – 307 3 Joey Atterbury(R), Renton, WA – 273 4 Jake Thompson(R), Calgary, Alberta – 271 5 Mark Pombo, Duluth, GA – 262 6 Juan Pablo Sierra Lendle, Puebla, Mexico – 218 7 Nicky Boulle(R), Dallas, TX – 184 8 AJ Nealey(R), Edgewater, MD – 181 9 Taylor Broekemeier, Ft. Collins, CO – 179 10 JD Mobley(R), Castle Rock, CO – 176 11 Andrew Cordeiro, Woodbridge, Ontario – 172 12 Devin Cates(R), Broad Run, VA – 164 13 Ryan Ellis(R), Ashburn, VA – 159 14 Derek Jones, Philadelphia, PA – 142 15 Donny Warren(R), Winchester, VA – 113 16 Andrew Novich(R), Novato, CA – 81 17 Perry Richardson(R), Los Gatos, CA – 75 18 David Richert, Niverville, Manitoba – 61 19 Juan Pablo Delgado(R), Orizaba, Vericruz, Mexico – 50 20 Rhett Tucker(R), Cumming, GA – 48 21 Theresa Condict(R), Lexington, MA – 36 22 Kerstin Smutny(R), Bothell, WA – 33 23 Eric Morse(R), Pittsburgh, PA – 33 24 Kyle Wharff(R), Miramar, FL – 13 25 Andrew Gunn Tucker(R), McDonough, GA – 10 (R) – Jetta TDI Cup Rookie Driver

What sets the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup apart from other racing series?

• The Jetta TDI Cup is the only clean diesel racing series in North America, and Volkswagen is the only auto manufacturer participating in motorsports full time with diesel-powered cars in North America. • Unlike most racing products, the Jetta TDI Cup is the ultimate display of fuel efficiency. During the race weekend, the racecars will consume approximately four gallons of Syndiesel® B5 biodiesel blend. Over the course of the season, the racecars will consume only two tanks of fuel during races. In comparison, most traditional, gasoline powered racecars get between 2-5 mpg. • The improved fuel economy is accomplished through the use of Volkswagen’s TDI (turbo direct injection) engine technology, which improves fuel economy over gasoline engines and reduces sooty emissions by 95 percent, even under demanding race conditions. • The Jetta TDI Cup features a product that consumers can buy at their local dealerships. • The racecars are maintained by Volkswagen, which creates a level playing field for all drivers.

About the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup The 2009 season marks the second year of competition for the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup, which is sanctioned by SCCA Pro Racing. During the season, young, up and coming drivers (between ages 16-26) will compete in 10 events on eight road courses around North America in identical, factory-prepared clean diesel Jetta TDI’s powered by Syndiesel® B5 blended biodiesel fuel. Each driver competing in the series will earn a Pro Racing license from SCCA at the conclusion of the season. In addition to more than $50,000 in prize money at stake during the season, the series champion will win $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, driver’s racing safety seat, FIA roll cage and an on-board fire extinguisher system. Series sponsors include: Pirelli, Bosch, ViON, Castrol, Oakley, Red Bull, HYPERFUELS, Aggreko, defNder, Lamin-X, Meguiar’s, Sherwin-Williams, Chicagoland VW, Safety-Kleen, Ringer Gloves, Jim Russell Racing School and Trellis Earth.

Follow the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup series action on: www.vwmotorsportusa.com www.tditruthanddare.com SCCA Pro Racing Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Live Timing & Scoring: http://www.livetiming.net/SCCA/VW/livetiming.asp  Volkswagen Online Newsroom: media.vw.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/VWJettaTDICup Twitter: http://twitter.com/VWJettaTDICup

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 Eos, Rabbit, New Beetle, New Beetle convertible, GTI, Jetta, Jetta SportWagen, GLI, Passat, Passat wagon, Tiguan and Touareg 2 through approximately 600 independent U.S. dealers. All 2009 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 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 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup, as well as provides sanctioning and various operational services for other racing series. For more information, please visit www.sccapro.com .