Volkswagen Racing Cup Aims to Thrill in 2005

09 January 2005

The Volkswagen Racing Cup is set for an exciting season of competition in 2005 with the promise of full grids, fresh competitors and new cars, and an impressive schedule of race dates and circuits.
 
Launching the championship prior to this week’s Autosport International racing car show in Birmingham, Volkswagen Racing UK director Sam Roach said he believed the foundations of a superb season were already in place:
 
"Competitor interest is at an all-time high," he said,"and we are looking forward to seeing capacity grids and some excellent race action."
 
The successful power-to-weight formula of the technical regulations, which permits smaller-engined Volkswagens to compete on an equal footing with their larger rivals, is to be retained. "There will be minor changes," adds Roach, "including provision to allow the new Golf to compete within the championship, but the regulations are the cornerstone of the championship’s success and do not require major modification."
 
Volkswagen Racing UK is moving to secure places on the grid for competitors who have supported the championship in recent seasons: "We want to ensure that our regular drivers are looked after, so we have devised a new system of championship registration which we hope will prove fair and easy to administer.
 
"We will accept any car – regardless of driver – that has been raced in the championship within the last two years, and will also accept any driver from the last two seasons regardless of what model they wish to drive.
 
"Beyond this, we will also accept fresh drivers with cars new to the championship, provided those models left the Volkswagen factory within the last 10 years."
 
Among those already committed to returning is 2004 champion Philip House, 23, with his Beetle RSi and another young frontrunner, 24-year-old Alex Dziurzynski, who is preparing a Corrado. Tony Harberman, who first sampled the championship in 2004 with occasional outings at the wheel of a Vento, is to return at the wheel of a Meltune Motorsport-prepared Golf VR6.
 
Saxon Motorsport, who prepared Steve Wood’s 2004 race-winning Golf, has meanwhile launched a young driver scholarship competition – top prize a free season in the Volkswagen Racing Cup
 
The championship will feature 12 rounds in 2005, with two races at each of six meetings between April and September, and it will for the first time venture to the Scottish circuit of Knockhill and the ultra-fast Castle Combe track in Wiltshire.
Three of the six dates – at Donington Park, Knockhill and Castle Combe – will see the Volkswagen Racing Cup playing a supporting role to the prestigious British Formula 3 and GT Championships. The Oulton Park, Snetterton and Brands Hatch meetings will meanwhile give competitors the chance to compete on circuits run by MotorSport Vision.
 
"It’s a well balanced and exciting calendar," said Roach, "and it will be great to visit Scotland and to take in two new circuits as well. Tight and twisty tracks always provide frenetic Volkswagen racing and Knockhill should be a highlight for us."
 
The championship will have a new co-ordinator in Barbara Armstrong, the former British Ladies Rally Champion, who will be assisted by Samantha Holland.
 
The Volkswagen Racing Cup enjoys the support of Augustus Martin, Castrol, ECM Vehicle Delivery, Europcar, Experian, gedas UK, Inchcape Automotive, ISG Occupancy, K&N Filters, Sabelt, Milltek Sport, Mondial Assistance, Pirelli, Proximity London, KW Automotive, Sony UK, Superchips, TMD Friction, TNT Logistics, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles and Volkswagen Financial Services UK.

See 2005 series calendar for VW Racing Cup

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