Back in April the 2010 TDI Cup documentary was featured in a multi part series on the Discovery Networks. You can now watch the show online and see how I earned Rookie Cup Champion honors.

2011 brings lots of new opportunities that I'm capitalizing on every day. You can currently find me in the Grand AM paddock working for APR Motorsports promoting the Perfect Pedal, all the while I'm striving harder than ever to get back into a race car where I can once again show my talents. It's no secret that my heart is in open wheel racing and my goals are set on the Road to Indy. Lack of website updates doesn't mean I'm lacking commitment, as a matter of fact I've been eating, sleeping, and breathing this stuff for the last few months. I'm eager to announce some official news soon, let's stay positive we CAN make this happen with persistance!



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PUEBLA, Mexico (September 26, 2010) – It was JD Mobley’s weekend, as the 19-year old led every lap run in the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Series’ debut at Autódromo Internacional Miguel E. Abed in Amozoc, Mexico.  With his second wire-to-wire victory this afternoon, Mobley also clinches the 2010 Jetta TDI Cup title, on the strength of two wins, two poles and seven top-five appearances this season.
 
“What a fantastic weekend,” said Mobley after the race.  “I came to Mexico in fifth place in the Championship, so I knew I had my work cut out for myself.  Everything seemed to fall into place and things just went perfectly.  On the restart this afternoon, I made sure to stay calm and patient and make sure I drove with a level head.  I did just that and it worked out for me, as I was able to keep the lead and go on to win the race. It’s a great feeling to be the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Champion and after this weekend, it just goes to show – it’s never over until the final lap.”
 
Series rookie, Wyatt Gooden finished the race in second and in doing so, earned Rookie of the Year honors for the 2010 season.  Puebla native, Juan Pablo Sierra Lendle finished third, marking his second podium result of the weekend at his home track.  Orizaba, Mexico native Juan Pablo Delgado was right behind Sierra Lendle in fourth place and rookie Kevin Gleason rounds out the top-five.
 
After ten races this year, Mobley sits at the top of the point standings with 343 points.  Sierra Lendle finished the season in second place with 322 points and Gooden came in third in his rookie year with 316 points.  Just one point behind Gooden, was another rookie, Jarvis Gennari who finished tenth in today’s race and series veteran, Jake Thompson earned a fifth place finish in the Championship.  Gleason finished sixth in the overall point standings and third in the rookie point standings.
 
“It’s been a great season,” said Clark Campbell, Motorsports Manager, Volkswagen of America, Inc.  “I think this was the most competitive field we’ve had and we’ve seen ultra competitive racing at every event. Our goal of developing young up-and-coming talent has certainly come to fruition.  Congratulations to JD (Mobley) for a tremendous weekend; he kept his composure despite all of the pressure and he absolutely deserves the Series title. All of the racecars used this season were produced at the Volkswagen factory just miles from the track in Puebla, so it’s definitely fitting that the city was able to host the Jetta TDI Cup’s season finale in Mexico.”
 

Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup 2010 Point Standings


 Driver   Points   
  1.   JD Mobley   343   
  2.   Juan Pablo Sierra Lendle   322   
  3.   Wyatt Gooden (R)   316   
  4.   Jarvis Gennari (R)   315   
  5.   Jake Thompson   302   
  6.   Kevin Gleason (R)   250   
  7.   Ryan Ellis   246   
  8.   Arie Ouimet (R)   220   
  9.   Chris Wehrheim   173   
  10.  Michael Hogg (R)   172   
  11.  AJ Nealey   157   
  12.  Taylor Broekemeier   149   
  13.  Juan Pablo Delgado      139   
  14.  Nate Norenberg (R)      129   
  15.  Andrew Cordeiro      126   
  16.  Rafael Navarro IV (R)     125   
  17.  JJ Tomlinson (R)   115   
  18.  Andrew Novich     100   
  19.  Colin Thompson (R)   83   
  20.  Mike Mineo-Nardacci (R)     64   
  21. Brian Whitmire (R)   63   
  22. Taylor Tzouanakis (R)   56   
  23.  AJ Severino (R)            45   
  24.  Jenna Wagner (R)       8   
  25.  Justine Jackson (R)       6  


Follow the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Series action on:

www.vwmotorsportusa.com
Volkswagen Online Newsroom: media.vw.com
Live Timing & Scoring: http://livetiming.net/scca/VW
Live Timing & Scoring for your Mobile Device: http://livetiming.net/SCCA/VW/html.asp
Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/JettaTDICup
Twitter: http://twitter.com/VWJettaTDICup

About the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup

The SCCA Pro Racing Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup was launched in 2008 as way to introduce clean diesel technology to the U.S. market and develop the best of motorsport’s up-and-coming talent. During the season, young, up and coming drivers (between ages 16-26) compete on road courses around North America in identical factory-prepared clean diesel powered Jetta TDI’s. Each driver competing in the Series earns a professional racing license from SCCA Pro Racing at the conclusion of the season. In addition to more than $50,000 in prize money at stake during the season, the Series Champion receives Volkswagen factory career advancement support with a value up to $100,000.
 
The Jetta TDI Cup car is powered by a 2.0-liter, 170 hp, four-cylinder TDI clean diesel engine mated to a six-speed, double-clutch, automatic DSG transmission. The car is only slightly modified from stock with Pirelli racing tires, an on-board Race Data system, race suspension and brake components, drivers racing safety seat, FIA roll cage and an on-board fire extinguisher system.  Series sponsors include: Pirelli, Bosch, ViON, Castrol, Oakley, Red Bull, Staubli, Aggreko, defNder, Lamin-X, Volkswagen Driver Gear, Volkswagen Parts & Service, iRacing, Safety-Kleen and Ringer Gloves.

About Volkswagen of America

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 Golf, GTI, New Beetle, New Beetle convertible, Jetta, Jetta SportWagen, Eos, Passat, Passat Wagon, CC, Tiguan, Touareg and Routan through approximately 600 independent U.S. dealers. All 2010 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 www.vw.com or www.media.vw.com to learn more.

About SCCA Pro Racing:

A wholly owned subsidiary of Sports Car Club of America, Inc., SCCA Pro Racing Inc. 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 World Challenge Championships, the SCCA Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup, SCCA Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup, SCCA Pro Trans-Am Series, Spec Racer Ford Pro Series and Formula Enterprises Pro Series. For more information, please visit www.sccapro.com.

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My last entry was written after my very first victory in the 2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup (which you can read about HERE) I became the first series rookie to win a race this season, as the previous races had been dominated by two and three year veterans who had the edge on experience over many of us. I qualified in the second position at the Mid Ohio Sports Car Course, and from my previous podium run at Miller Motorsports Park in Utah, I felt confident enough to fight for my first professional victory. It was awesome to be the only driver from Ohio, giving the spectators someone local to cheer for!

I pressured the leader for the second half of the race after pacing myself throughout the majority of the timed 30 minute event, in order to save my car for the end. He ended up making a slight mistake in the Keyhole corner and I was able to slip by with six laps to go and hang on for the win! It was a great victory ( ok, when isn't a victory "great" ), and a feeling I can't put into words...disbelief, awe, surrealism, and the reality setting in that I do have what it takes. The win back in June propelled me from 13th to 5th in the championship points standings.

More recently, this past weekend the season resumed from a 6 week summer break after Mid Ohio, where we traveled just outside of Chicago to Joliet, IL. The circuit was unusually long and technical, 3.5 miles in length and 21 turns total. I knew it was going to be tough to get all those corners down in just 30 minutes of practice. On Saturday morning it rained heavily, which meant we would swap the slick tires for the softer treaded tires which provide more traction in the wet. The session went well considering the conditions, I was just happy to keep the car out of the barriers! Qualifying was held later in the afternoon, which worked out as the rain had stopped and the track was fully dry. Right at the end of the session I just started to develop a rhythm on the track, with my last lap being a 2:46:7 (Yeah, almost 3 minutes to complete a lap here!) to place me 3rd on the grid. Certainly was happy with that time considering I would be starting ahead of the mid pack melee, and I knew there was more speed to be found out on the track.

Sunday Morning, ahhhhh raceday! Always a mix of excitement and anticipation, along with a little nervousness and fear. It's what racing drivers, as well as all fellow adrenaline seekers know very well. As much as the media will try to question you about what your "strategy" for the race is going to be, you can never plan for what is going to happen, because you simply can't predict! I always try not to over analyze race start scenarios because it is worthless. What I was sure of was that I would be even quicker in the race once I felt like I had the track down 100%.

I got off to a good start when the lights went green, almost took second place into turn one but decided not to force the issue as the driver was looking to collide with me had I held my line. Settled into 3rd position and was feeling very 'in control' at this point. Just one lap into the race and the leader goes wide in turn one sending him back to 4th place. Two laps later I set up a pass for the lead by carrying more speed through the exit of turn 5, and taking the inside line away into turn 6 to complete the pass. Four laps into the race now and I'd built up about a 2.5 second lead over the second place and third place cars behind as they were battling hard with each other for the position, then the caution comes out and that lead was diminished. 10 minutes later after some terminally damaged cars were hauled off on the wrecker, the race resumed and I got a great restart. Immediately with over a two second lead, I was able to comfortably drive my pace and save the tires til the end without any pressure from the second and third place cars. A slightly more relaxed win from my first back at Mid Ohio needless to say.

Six rounds of the ten race season are now in the books, and I find myself leading the championship. After each race I've been able to learn more about the cars, tracks, and competition. Thanks to the incredibly helpful driver coaches at Volkswagen, along with the mechanics who provide us with reliable, safe, and evening matched Jetta TDI's it has been a great learning experience so far and I honestly don't believe there's a better place for an up and coming racing driver to gain experience than in this series.


Source - Cleveland.com
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