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Volkswagen Adds Tenth Race to the 2009 Jetta TDI Cup Schedule
 
Utah's Miller Motorsports Park to host Round 3 on the series circuit

HERNDON, Va., Feb. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- After previously releasing details on nine of the ten events for the 2009 Jetta TDI Cup season, Volkswagen of America, Inc. has now announced the final addition of Miller Motorsports Park to the list of venues that will host its SCCA Pro Racing-sanctioned events. The Salt Lake City track will host Round 3, May 15-17.

"I'm very pleased with the addition of Miller Motorsports Park to our schedule, as it is an excellent circuit to host one of our events," said Clark Campbell, Motorsport Manager, Volkswagen of America, Inc. "In addition, this race helps us broaden the geographic reach of our series in hopes of spreading the word about the many benefits of clean diesel performance and technology," added Campbell.

The Jetta TDI Cup's second season will begin on April 24 at VIRginia International Raceway. During the season, 30 young, undiscovered drivers (between ages 16-26) will compete in ten events on eight road courses around North America in identical factory-prepared Jetta TDI's powered by clean diesel. The series champion will win $100,000. In addition, each driver competing in the series will earn a Pro Racing license from SCCA at the conclusion of the season.

"During the 2009 season, our drivers will compete on some of the most storied and challenging road courses in North America," said Kyle Novak, Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup SCCA Program Manager. "The circuits will definitely be a test of driving ability, but I feel that at the conclusion of the season, our drivers will be equipped with the skills necessary to launch their careers in racing. In addition, our events will also provide our participants great exposure because they'll often be racing alongside some of the best road course drivers and teams from Grand-Am and ALMS," added Novak.

Last season's Jetta TDI Cup Champion, Josh Hurley used his opportunity to propel his racing career into a full-time position. Hurley was signed by APR Motorsport to compete in the 2009 Koni Sports Car Challenge Championship, a division of the Grand-Am Series. In addition, last year's runner-up, Liam Kenney also secured a full-time professional ride in the 2009 ADAC Formula Masters Championship in Europe driving for Ma-Con Motorsport.

The Jetta TDI Cup car is powered by a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder TDI clean diesel engine with six-speed, double-clutch, automatic DSG transmission. The car is only slightly modified from stock with race suspension and brakes.

    2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Schedule

    Round 1 & 2     April 24 - 26    VIRginia International Raceway  Grand-Am
                                     Alton, Va.
    Round 3         May 15 - 17      Miller Motorsports Park         ALMS
                                     Salt Lake City, Utah
    Round 4         June 19 - 21     Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course      Grand-Am
                                     Lexington, Ohio
    Round 5         July 24 - 26     Autobahn Country Club           Atlantics
                                     Chicago, Ill.
    Round 6         Aug. 14 - 16     Road America                    ALMS
                                     Elkhart Lake, Wis.
    Round 7         Aug. 28 - 30     Mosport International Raceway   ALMS
                                     Mosport, Ontario (Canada)
    Round 8 & 9     Sept. 11 - 13    New Jersey Motorsports Park     ARCA
                                     Millville, NJ
    Round 10        Sept. 25 - 27    Road Atlanta                    ALMS
                                     Braselton, Ga.

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, CC, Tiguan, Touareg 2 and Routan 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 SCCA World Challenge Championships, the SCCA Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup and 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.

SOURCE Volkswagen of America, Inc.