Although Tony Joe White’s often-recorded “Rainy Night in Georgia” tells a story of loneliness, a rainy day in Georgia certainly didn’t dampen the spirits of more than 100 Pirelli tire retailers invited to Road Atlanta to witness this past weekend’s Sports Car Club of America Pro Racing Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup competition.
For first-year series sponsor Pirelli, the event gave the company’s dealers a first-hand view of how the tires perform under challenging weather conditions.
“While I’m sure that some of the drivers weren’t pleased to see the rain, I don’t think we could have asked for a better demonstration of our product,” reports Rafael Navarro III, Pirelli’s director of communications and motorsports.
At the end of the day, according to Navarro, “it was fitting that tire grip and handling were the two factors that decided the race.”
The series’ 10-race season highlights young up-and-coming drivers between the ages of 16 to 26 sitting behind the wheel of identical factory-prepared clean diesel Jetta TDIs powered by Syndiesel B5 blended biodiesel fuel. Each car has a 2-liter, 170-hp, four-cylinder clean diesel engine mated to a six-speed, double-clutch, automatic transmission. The car is only slightly modified from stock with Pirelli racing tires, race suspensions and brake components, a driver’s racing safety seat, FIA roll cage and an on-board fire extinguisher.
The all-Pirelli aspect of the tires will return for another run next year. “Our involvement in this series has far surpassed our expectations, and I look forward to a bright future with Volkswagen and continuing to contribute to the environmentally-conscious spirit of the series in 2010,” Navarro says.
For the third consecutive race weekend, the Jettas had to navigate a rain-soaked track.
“Considering the conditions, I was really amazed at how well these cars held up to the demands of racing,” notes Aerosmith guitarist Brad Whitford, who was among several celebrity guest drivers.
No need for him to “dream on,” as Whitford was able to keep his car intact and net an 18th-place finish.
“Several years ago, nobody would have guessed that you could race a diesel, but these Jetta TDIs are awesome little cars, and I think the fans got a great show,” Whitford points out.
Upon arrival at Road Atlanta for the day’s competition, the racers saw that the series’ technicians had installed grooved Pirelli rain tires that would make their 14 laps more manageable, Navarro reports.
Juan Pablo Sierra Lendle initially held the lead he gained from winning the pole position, but Mark Pombo moved ahead in Turn 10 on the first lap and claimed the checkered flag. Andrew Cordeiro took second, with Lendle finishing in third place.
“There’s something about racing in the rain that really works well for me because the two races I've won this year have been on a wet track,” Pombo says. “This win is really bittersweet for me because if it weren't for a couple of bad breaks, I feel as though I might have had a chance to fight with Timmy (Megenbier) for the championship. However, I think it’s pretty neat that I’ve won the first race for the series last year and my final race this year. I’ll be too old to race in the Jetta TDI Cup again next year, so it’s great to be able to go out on top.”
As Pombo took the Road Atlanta trophy, there was another race going on for the series championship and its $100,000 in prize money.
Megenbier brought a 39-point lead over Andy Lee into the race, and he took a conservative approach in order to maintain his spot on top.
The rain caused several dramatic spins and wrecks, but the pair was able to avoid trouble with Lee placing sixth and Megenbier 11th. While Lee was able to cut into Megenbier’s lead, Megenbier’s mid-pack finish was enough to maintain a 29-point advantage over Lee and give him the championship.
“I knew what I had to do to achieve my ultimate goal of winning the championship,” Megenbier says. “After being on the podium nearly every race this season, it was a real challenge to hold myself back so that I didn’t potentially risk my season. I had a couple of close calls out there with the rain and people spinning in front of me, but thankfully I was able to hold on. Being named the champion is a dream come true for me, and my hope is that this will lead to much bigger things for me down the road.”
“This entire weekend was quite the experience for me,” says Aerosmith’s Whitford. “First of all, I was driving a totally different car than I have competed in before. Secondly, I have never raced in the rain. Add the two together, and it sounds like a recipe for disaster. However, I was able to keep the car on track and in one piece for the entire race,” he recounts.
For more information, visit www.us.pirelli.com and www.vwmotorsportusa.com.
