Keep up the great work

Something I should mention is that VW Australia has its own race program with the R32. The following link has some pics in it, but look especially for the video "Stokell is on fire."

http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4289443859

This is one of THE best R32 film clips you will see. Guaranteed to make the hairs on your neck stand on end. I bet you don't just play it once.

Note, however, that the teamate to Paul Stokell, Stewart McColl, died tragically in a 180km/h racing incident moments after these pictures were taken.

RIP Stewart, may your soul rest in peace.

Modified by mdt at 3:42 AM 11-18-2003

Actually, Chuck wrote this piece.

Jamie just seems to be gettting all the credit.... But what else is new, eh Chuck?

I'm doing my best, but it's a little far from here. 13,000ks to be precise.

Not all of us get to go to Topeka. I have been killing cones for years first in my ex-MK III and soon in the project MKI.

BTW-- AMEN on the article. I have been thinking the same things for a long time. I thought maybe we would see something start to happen after the change in power and we started seeing a few racing prototype cars. But that has been the extennt of it.

FOR SALE - ported and polished 16v manifoldhttp://forums.vwvortex.com/zer...63345

Yes, it seems VW is one of a few companies that doesn't subscribe to the old adage, "win on Sunday, sell on Monday."

I ran the ProSolo back in August, but could not get away for Nationals. I will be there next year (and at some tours as well).

Also... I have often wondered why VW is not on the racing seen, and I would love to see them there! I know I already posted along those lines, but count my vote twice.

Rally Fans look for the RallyVW Golf TDI at the SnoDrift ProRally in January. The team will be aiming for another Championship!

Jon Hamilton
2002 SCCA Production Class Champion
http://www.rallyvw.com
rallytdi@yahoo.com

I'm from Australia where they race R32's and one RSi Beetle and I believe that they would sell more If they Rally instead of Racing although I appreciate having them race than not at all, the reason I say this is because VW have more Rally sucess than Circuit Racing in Australia eg 1950's Redex and 98 and 99 F2 Australian Championship on the world scale Circuit may be the go eg LE MANS,F1,F3 and for Rallying WRC.

Modified by phaeton at 8:11 AM 11-21-2003

Volkswagen News Blog

This was definetly a great article. Volkswagen used to be huge part of grassroots racing here in the states. A couple of months ago in SportsCar the magazine published by the SCCA had a great article on Volkswagens past involvement with the SCCA. First with Formula Vee and eventually with the Rabbit and Golf which were used in pro series classes during the late 70s and throughout the 80s.
Today there is no support for Volkswagen in pro or club racing. Today Mazda seems to rule the scene. Mazdaspeed offers discounts and the people there are very friendly. I've worked on an SCCA roadracing team for the last year, we build and race Spec Miatas and an occasional Golf. Many people who used to run an IT VW have made the jump over to the Miata.
Mazda gave a few hundred thousand dollars to Sun-Belt for research and development for the world challenge series Mazda Protege engine program. Sun-Belt powers the Tripoint car and the old OPM(now ARC) Protege. However next year the protege will be obsolete in World Challege with the introduction of the new 6. It would be nice to VW give some support to Club and Pro racing. Even though Mazda gives our shop no money, we do deal directly with mazdaspeed in California for many of the parts used on the Miatas. All of the parts we use for the VW are from aftermarket parts suppliers or the dealership, and many parts are custom made by our shop which we have developed through years of racing experience.

Indeed, “the question” is particularly frustrating for those like myself who have competed loyally with VW products in North America for many years. However, to begin an article with the establishment of a question and then not even attempt at obtaining the answer is poor journalism. Perhaps in keeping with the “new look” vwvortex, we could excuse Messrs. Macak and Vondruska from providing followers with hard-hitting, investigative journalism. As such, the content is simply a rehash of what most of us are already aware of, or in the case of those of us involved in the sport, what we might aspire to. It’s obvious that no phone calls to trips to Auburn Hills or Wolfsburg were made, so we are all still left wondering. Be assured that Chuck’s piece would never have made it past the editor of an equivalent print publication because it is neither meaningful, because no answer is provided, nor is it objective. In fact, the end result appears to be a thinly-disguised vehicle for yet another vwvortex petition that so-often appeals to those who like to jump on bandwagons. What IS the answer Chuck?

The real nature of the controversy surrounding this “question” is borne entirely out of the fact that we are jealous of others around the world that enjoy VWs in VWAG run or sanctioned motorsports programs, and the fact that we wrongly assume that “if it can be done there it can be done here”. Aside from some histrionics and cultural issues that may or may not play a role, establishing a pragmatic view of getting an answer reveals some grim realities that are unique to the US/CDN. They can be categorized as follows: Brand/Product, People and Money. Some can be dealt with. Some cannot.

With the exception of Rallying, the painful reality is that Volkswagen does not currently produce any vehicle that can easily become a competitive road race or autocross car (by easily, I mean within the technical restrictions and current VW classifications in current SCCA series rulebooks). Why? Compared to Japanese competitors, VWs are heavier and have suspension and powertrain designs that are inappropriate for competition. The nature of the A4 platform suspension in particular is especially at fault. The lack of camber adjustment on a strut front suspension with extreme caster, a rudimentary rear suspension whose design goal was to provide excellent trunk space and an ABS-based, electronically controlled differential lock do not make the basis for an effective, competitive setup. I know this first hand from my time as crew chief for Schmidt Racing in Canada, and my current GTI1.8T autocross car. Sure, throw some springs and shocks at it, control the roll and turn the ASR off and you’ll get around corners for sure. However, competitors with more appropriate unequal length A-arm suspensions and mechanical locking diffs (Acura/Honda) or independent rear drivers (BMW) will still be at an advantage from both an efficiency and “easy to drive” perspectives. The current cross flow 2.0L VW engine is also a lump, but that is really irrelevant because the SCCA recognizes FIA worldwide homologation and allows the use of the VAG Konzern 2.0L 16V. Unfortunately, the Hagestadts proved that in their hands, with their driving strength and knowledge, that motor was not the answer either. The really sad part of all this is that the SCCA has yet again failed to allow forced induction in Showroom Stock and Speed Touring, meaning that the our beloved 1.8T is relegated to the back burner for another year. THAT motor would be able to take it to the peer group Mazdas and Nissans that also lack appropriate suspensions for track use. It’s also sad that the upcoming R32 is not eligible for SCCA/Speed Touring class because of the cap on engine displacement for that class at 2.8L... Forget about an R32 in Speed GT.

I also totally disagree that just being there is okay, without being competitive. A credible effort should be rewarded in order for it to be meaningful.….. besides, always loosing or at least not making it into the top 10 makes for very depressed drivers and crew, believe me. Maybe a bad example, but one nonetheless is that of Cadillac. Even after a multi-year, million dollar investment, with two very competent, private development teams… a Le Mans win was not to be had. What idiocy… but hey, regardless not obtaining that extra bit of polish on the brand, they still sell just as many Cadillacs. It saddens me to see Volkswagen in the same light, for they are already there.

Where does that leave us? Well, Volkswagens are great touring cars, family cars, tuner and entry level used cars for college kids… and that’s why we love them. However, trying to turn a sow’s ear into a silk purse or adapt an existing international spec to an SCCA rulebook is next fraught with expensive obstacles where “who should pay for the development” is a problem. In this, history has shown that even in efforts fully funded or supported/fielded by Factory resources, Volkswagen has failed miserably in all global attempts at competing with other brands in motorsports. This is apparent whether it be with complete vehicles or as an engine supplier (F3 for example). Attracting competent vendors or teams to field entries also seems to be a problem for them. While the Factory-developed A3 and A4 Kit Cars started out with high hopes and did achieve limited success (British Gr.2 Rally Champion with Alistair McRae), Wolfsburg/Hannover failed to commit to further development and support of customer cars so that they remained competitive. As a result, and especially within the global competitor population, there simply is NO credibility associated with Volkswagen as a successful, competitive marque. This is perhaps why in the past Volkswagen Motorsports, and now the oddly renamed Volkswagen Racing have embraced the single-make sedan/formula car series and allowed their Konzern partners (Skoda & SEAT) to fail on their own. Sadly, the best of the past privately run VW teams like RSG in Wolfsburg and SBG in England have far more expertise in these matters than Wolfsburg will ever have. Only when one reads carefully does their single-make strategy surface. By building unique cars that by spec are essentially are on the fringe of most international rulebooks, their goal in this is to provide a means where those that started in Karting can initially get their feet wet in sedans or formula cars on their way to a professional driving career. A rung in the feeder ladder system that is sadly undersubscribed in the USA/CDN. Whether or not this approach results in vehicles sales in Germany is really a moot point because they sell enough Lupos to begin with, and all RSIs were sold out before the first one was delivered.

It’s easy for us to associate marques like Porsche, BMW, Ferrari and recently even Audi with a credible motorsports heritage. Why? They are in the business of building sports cars, and they first and foremost use racing as a means to develop and showcase technologies that improve their road-going product. They’ve done it for a long time, it remains part of their core business strategies and an appropriate brand image results. Volkswagen does not (yet) build sports cars. Volkswagen has no credible (read: competitive) motorsports brand image or heritage to speak of. Even picking up the phone and cold-calling VW Racing to purchase parts or get advice (like anyone can do) is a frustrating experience. Audi is unique in that it benefits from a carefully conceived and freshly-moulded motorsports heritage that has been nurtured and has matured over the last decade. Volkswagen’s product lineup by definition is 180 degrees opposite from Audi’s, and the justification for even casting a mould because of the core nature of the product becomes problematic.

As far as the lack of anything resembling a VW credible motorsports heritage here in the US is concerned, current events provide an eerie context. Remarkably, we can blame terrorism. VW enthusiasts and competitors hopes and dreams were effectively dashed late in 1988 when, Jim Fuller (then CEO of VWOA) lost his life in the Libyan terrorist attack of a Pan Am 747 over Lockerbie, Scotland. Jim was the driving force behind the presence of VW in US motorsports in the eighties and is considered to be the father of the American GTI. His solid background from being at the helm of US Porsche-Audi prior to his move to VWoA served him well, and he understood the entire scope of the sport both from the marketing and competitor’s perspectives. Despite an often rocky relationship with the legendary Joe Hoppen, (who apparently lined his own pockets on occasion, and VWAG knew it), the environment then was what we would expect now. Sadly, all of Jim’s successors up to current times either did not embrace his ideas or, if they did (like Clive Warrilow), had more grievous things to worry about (ala the sales woes of 1993). Gerd Klauss has shown that one could not want for a more enigmatic, inspiring and successful individual to run VWoA’s importer operations. But the ability to bang a fist on the big VWAG Board conference room table on our behalf has not, and will likely not materialize. The market in the USA/CDN is simply too volatile and yes, remains small in the eyes of the Germans. Getting someone to lift VWAG’s current embargo of motorsports involvement in the USA/CDN would take someone with broad shoulders, business culture savvy and a competitor’s firm resolve like Jim Fuller had.

Like I’ve stated elsewhere, the least of VWoA’s worries right now are a lack of presence in SEMA or a presence in motorsports. In light of an average decline in sales of about 14% compared to last year, the money simply does not exist. Even the more desirable and easily do-able competitor contingency and parts purchase programs that VWoA could implement would be risky in this regard when answering about losses to the parent company. Well, quite honestly, the losses might not be that bad because as of right now, (and Rallying excepted) it’s unlikely that any VW product would finish high enough to warrant a pay out. The argument of “win on Sunday, sell on Monday” has been misused over the years. Based on it’s origins in NASCAR, it’s almost ancient marque enthusiast support for the domestic “Big three” was polarized in a totally different fashion. If it does work, it only works for GM, Porsche, BMW Ferrari et al because of the focused, successful product heritage defined above (although a NASCAR Goodys Dash series Celica is unlikely to increase Celica sales in South Carolina!). Like the chicken and egg, only when Volkswagen develops and supports a successful heritage with use of an appropriate product over many years would I agree with wos-som. That was Jim Fuller’s mission, and it died along with him on a Scottish plain.

I really do dislike the tone of this post, but understand that it comes not from some pie in the sky ideology or assumptions. The current tech spec shortcomings of the A4 platform cars cannot be easily overcome without massive development costs and testing by those familiar with local conditions (I remember Andreas Haensch of VW Motorsport being flabergasted when I told him we ran on shaved street radials or "R" compounds... after calling me crazy, he said: "that changes everything!! ...our Group A cars are set up for slicks and the spring rates we use would be catastrophic on your cars"). If we lend our hopes to anything realistic it should be that the SCCA can make a better show out of their Pro Rally program (stock and modified VWs shine there). Mainstream exposure and acceptance for Pro Rally is still quite a ways off though without the current television package being substandard (only covering the top/overall class and little in the way of production or Gr. 2 etc.).

In the end, its best to leave the racing to us racers. My sincerest hope is that the Concept R will change everything.

Cheers,

Juergen

Modified by TechEd at 2:02 PM 11-21-2003

I won't answer for Chuck, but I will give you some comments on my *editorial*...

The fact is that it is an editorial, not an investigative piece - just some thoughts and opinions of my own that I have written down. I gave some suggestions on how VW could approach a show like SEMA, but in this case I chose not to call Auburn Hills and have someone spoon feed me answers to my questions (which I already know the answer to anyway). The purpose is to spur VW on a little bit with some public grandstanding which you don't seem to care for either. That's fine...

We *are* working on a very large feature piece regarding VW's quality woes and how they are addressing them - an investigative piece if you will that isn't just the typical VW bandwagon beating that is so fashionable in the press these days. So VW has some problems... let's find out what they are doing to correct them. Hopefully you will be more satisifed with our approach on that one.

There are times (like my SEMA piece) where investigating the reasons for not being there aren't necessary to drive a point home. Could I have gotten a few quotes from people at VWoA? Sure... and the likely response would be, "We are looking into it.". Come to think of it, that is the answer given for almost everything these days.

Anyway, I always enjoy your comments and will let Chuck make his own statements.

-jamie

Good luck on finding a car! For 2004 the ITB rules state that only 1993 model year will be allowed. 1993 had the fewest number of cars sold. I have been searching for one since the rule became official, found one but was later burned. Hopefully by '05 all OBD1 MKIII Golfs will be classified into ITB, making more cars available.