Quality Field Assembles for Volkswagen Racing Cup

13 March 2005

With three weeks to go before the Donington Park grid lights flash to signal the start of another exciting Volkswagen Racing Cup season, competitors are assembling to form one of the biggest and best-quality fields ever seen in British club motorsport.

At least 30 cars are expected on track for the opening rounds of the championship on 3 April, with several cars new to the championship, some new drivers and many returning favourites.

Leading the way to Donington is reigning champion Philip House, the North Yorkshireman returning to defend his title with his Beetle RSi. He won two rounds on his way to the crown in the fiercely contested 2004 season, and Philip is under no illusions that he'll have an easy job.

'The entry list looks a bit stiff this year,' said the 24-year-old, 'and I'm sure it's going to be even more difficult for me than in 2004. But I've spent the winter preparing my car, stripping out weight, and given some consistency we can do it again.'

One of House's chief rivals is expected to be Shaun Hollamby, who introduced his potent Golf R32 at the end of last year. Hollamby will head a three-car team from Big Boys Toys Motorsport, backed by Beetle drivers Steve Dorrell and Paul Lloyd-Roach.

Last year's third-place man and triple race victor Ken Lark is back for a fifth straight season with his Corrado VR6, and is vowing to this year make a serious bid for the championship title. As is Craig Inskip, whose turbocharged Golf GTI is now a consistent front-runner.

'Shaun Hollamby is going to be a major factor,' says House, 'and I'm sure that Ken and Craig will be up at the front as well…'

There will be two Boras in the field this year, one for former Vento Champion Mark Smith and another for race novice Joe Fulbrook. After a season of teething problems, Mark Hope's Lupo GTI has been setting some encouraging testing times and its driver is hopeful of top-10 performances…

The TDI-powered Caddy van racers have become a firm spectator favourite over the last couple of seasons and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles director Peter Wyhinny will be returning to the grid with the new-model Caddy with which touring car star Jason Plato thrilled the crowds at Brands Hatch last October. Championship newcomer Giles Lock and various guest drivers will be seen at the wheel of the two older-model Caddys.

Joining the Caddy crew in taking the fight to the petrol-powered cars will be the turbodiesel Golfs of Lloyd Allard and former rally driver Rob Palmer. The former will be at the wheel of the rapid Mk IV TDI with which he has claimed more than a few scalps in recent seasons, while the latter will be handling the new-model Golf 2.0 TDI driven by journalists in 2004.

And there's plenty more talent lining up… Steve Wood will be back with the Saxon Motorsport Golf VR6 he drove to victory at Thruxton last year, with Tony Harberman introducing a similar car to the grid and John Quartermaine's 2.0-litre Golf making it a trio of Mk IIIs. There's a Mk II Golf also, in the hands of championship newcomer Didge Dziurzynski, who is taking over older brother Alex's old car. His sibling is switching to a 2.0-litre Corrado for 2005.

Most abundant model on the grid is the Beetle, with a total of eight scheduled to appear. Joining House, Dorrell and Lloyd-Roach with their RSi models will be Grant Woodhatch, Jason Marino, Dave Turner and Europcar-backed Michael McInerney. Martin Rutherford reckons to have ironed the bugs out of his 1.8 turbo-powered Beetle after a season of development and is hoping for great results.

The Volkswagen Racing Cup's only female competitor, MSportUK Featured Driver, 23-year-old Claire Tippet, has bolted a 2.0-litre engine into her venerable MK I GTI for this season. It may be older than she is, but her ex-Carvell Golf has a double championship-winning pedigree. Another MK I Golf is expected, in the hands of newcomer Stuart Bliss.

Last but not least are the Vento VR6s - one each for father-and-son racers Martyn and Barrie Culley, and a third for Michael Kurton, who has been drawn in to a full season after whetting his appetite with a couple of races in 2004.

Volkswagen Racing UK director Sam Roach can't wait to see what will happen at Donington: 'I'm bowled over by the size and the quality of the field, which I think is a tribute to the regulations we introduced a few years ago and which we have honed since. It's great to see new names and some exciting new cars coming into the championship, and it will be fascinating to see who emerges on top.'

Roach and his team will pull the wraps from another new championship contender at Silverstone on Wednesday…

The Volkswagen Racing Cup enjoys the support of Augustus Martin, Castrol, ECM Vehicle Delivery, Europcar, Experian, Inchcape Automotive, ISG Occupancy, Milltek Sport, Mondial Assistance, Pirelli, Proximity London, KW Automotive, Superchips, TNT Logistics, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles and Volkswagen Financial Services UK.

2005 Volkswagen Racing Cup Championship registrations
01 - Philip House,  Ripley, N Yorks,  2.8 Beetle RSi
02 - Craig Inskip,  Northiam, E Sussex,  1.8T Golf GTI Mk IV
03 - Ken Lark,  Peters Green, Herts,  2.8 Corrado VR6
04 - Shaun Hollamby,  Chelsfield, Kent,  3.2 Golf R32
05 - tba
06 - Mark Smith,  Hednesford, Staffs,  1.8T Bora
07 - Steve Dorrell,  Speen, Bucks,  2.8 Beetle RSi
08 - various drivers,  1.9 Caddy TDI
09 - Peter Wyhinny,  Milton Keynes,  2.0 New Caddy TDI
10 - Martyn Culley,  Basingstoke, Herts,  2.8 Vento VR6
11 - Barrie Culley,  Thatcham, Berks,  2.8 Vento VR6
12 - Tony Harberman,  Coalville, Leics,  2.8 Golf VR6
13 - Joe Fulbrook,  Maidenhead, Berks,  1.8T Bora
14 - Paul Lloyd-Roach,  Laxey, Isle of Man,  2.8 Beetle RSi
17 - Michael McInerney,  Datchet, Berks,  2.8 Beetle RSi
18 - Stuart Bliss,  Weston, Somerset,  1.8 Golf GTI Mk I
22 - Claire Tippet,  Aylesbury, Bucks,  2.0 Golf GTI Mk I
26 - Jason Marino,  Wokingham, Berks,  2.8 Beetle RSi
33 - John Quartermaine,  Farnham Royal, Bucks,  2.0 Golf GTI Mk III
34 - Lloyd Allard,  Cheltenham, Glos,  1.9 Golf TDI Mk IV
36 - Mark Hope,  Northwood, Middx,  1.6 Lupo GTI
38 - Steve Wood,  Ashleworth, Glos,  2.8 Golf VR6
39 - Michael Kurton,  Corse Lawn, Glos,  2.8 Vento VR6
41 - Didge Dziurzynski,  Exeter, Devon,  2.0 Golf GTI Mk II
42 - Alex Dziurzynski,  Exeter, Devon,  2.0 Corrado 16V
43 - Martin Rutherford,  Little Chalfont, Bucks,  1.8T Beetle
44 - Rob Palmer,  Exeter, Devon,  2.0 Golf TDI Mk V
76 - Dave Turner,  Stonehouse, Glos,  2.8 Beetle RSi
80 - Grantley Woodhatch,  Bristol,  2.8 Beetle RSi
88 - Giles Lock,  Farnham, Surrey,  1.9 Caddy TDI

See 2005 series calendar for VW Racing Cup

Related Story 25.02.2005 - Claire Tippet: 2004 Commitment Awarded as 2005 VW Plans Finalised