LOCAL RACER
WINS CHAMPIONSHIP
JOSH HURLEY WINS INAUGURAL SEASON
OF JETTA TDI CUP SERIES
Clean Diesel Series Completes Season With Thrilling Race at Road Atlanta
BRASELTON, Ga. – Josh Hurley, Cooper City, Fl., drove his clean diesel Jetta TDI to a championship win placing second overall in Saturday’s race at Road Atlanta. Liam Kenney, Sterling, Va., claimed top place on the podium but Hurley’s previous performances coupled with his second place finish today ensured his championship victory in the inaugural season of the Jetta TDI Cup series. Completing the podium was Mark Pombo, Duluth, Ga., who began on the pole and finished third.
“It is a really exciting day and I’m absolutely ecstatic,” said Hurley. “This is one of the toughest races I’ve ever been in. I was a little worried when I fell back but knew I had to end up second in order to bring home the championship. To bring Gunther Volkswagen and Easykart up to the top of the championship is something that’s hard to put in to words, but I’m thrilled.”
The exhilarating race was run under sunny skies and was the first race of the season to be completed with no yellow flags throughout the 30-minute sprint. There were multiple lead changes as the amateur drivers put it all on the line for the final time this season. Pombo, Hurley, Kenney, Chris Holman and Michael DeNino spent most of the race in the front of the pack battling each other for top positions. Kenney finally took over in lap 12, and Hurley moved up to second in lap 15 in order to secure their respective victories.
2009 Grand-Am KONI Challenge Series
Returns To Homestead
The Grand-Am KONI Challenge Series has announced that they will be returning to the Homestead-Miami Speedway March 13 through the 15 as part of their 2009 Schedule.
Grand-Am Road Racing, which operates and sanctions the Rolex Sports Car Series and the KONI Challenge Series, is the premier road racing organization in North America. The 13-race Rolex Series 2009 schedule and the 11-race KONI Challenge Series 2009 calendar delivers professional sports car racing to key markets throughout North America in addition to being televised in the United States and Canada on SPEED and distributed globally through ESPN International. With title sponsorship support from Rolex Watch USA and presenting sponsorship from Crown Royal Cask No. 16, the Rolex Series showcases emerging and legendary drivers from around the globe and thoroughbred racing machines from the industry's leading constructors and the world's top automobile manufacturers. Learn more about Grand-Am at www.grand-am.com.
JOSH HURLEY
WINS JETTA TDI CUP
AT PORTLAND INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY
Clean Diesel Vehicles Make Only West Coast Stop for Third Race in Series
PORTLAND, Oregon – After starting the previous two races in the pole position, Josh Hurley, 23, Cooper City, Fl., claimed first place at Portland International Raceway (PIR) today in the third race of the Jetta TDI Cup series. Starting from the second position in today’s race, Hurley raced ahead of 29 other clean diesel vehicles in the only race stop on the West Coast. Finishing second was Liam Kenney, 16, Sterling, Va., and Northwest driver David Jurca, 22, Federal Way, Wash., rounding out the top three.
“I am really happy with the win today, words can’t describe it. I was actually a little choked up on the cool down lap,” said Hurley. “To put the Gunther Volkswagen Jetta TDI up front really means a lot after getting two pole positions coming into here. I am absolutely ecstatic.”
With almost all drivers completing 20 laps, the exciting race was run mostly under green flag with multiple lead changes showcasing the talent of these up-and-coming drivers. The VW race series will continue its competitive run with the next race scheduled to take place at Lime Rock Park on August 16, 2008.
Top 5 Jetta TDI Cup provisional race results are listed below with finishing position, starting position in parentheses, driver, hometown, car sponsor and laps completed.
1. (2), Josh Hurley, Cooper City, Fla., Athlete’s Performance, 20
2. (4), Liam Kenney, Sterling, Va., ViON, 20, -6.117
3. (6), David Jurca, Federal Way, Wash., Kyosho, 20, -6.742
4. (8), Chris Castagna, Boston, Mass., Bosch, 20, -7.270
5. (5), Chris Holman, Burlington, Ontario, Kyosho, 20, -10.268
The Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup series is an innovative approach to motorsports – 29 factory-prepared and managed 2009 clean-diesel Jetta TDIs will be piloted by talented, up-and-coming drivers, aged 16 to 26. Volkswagen’s goal is to find the driver with the most talent and help them break into the world of professional motorsports. The Jetta TDI Cup series, the first all clean-diesel race series, is sanctioned by SCCA Pro Racing Inc. Sponsors for the race include: Aggreko, Athlete’s Performance, Bondurant, Bosch, ful®, Holder, Hoopla, Ironclad, Kyosho, Oakley, RedBull, UTI and ViON.
You can follow Josh Hurley's exploits at his race blog at:
RALLYCORSS
