JOLIET, Ill. (August 1, 2010) – Series rookie, Wyatt Gooden, earned his second consecutive Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup victory today at Autobahn Country Club as he took the checkered flag in Round Six of ten races. Two more rookies rounded out the top-three as Jarvis Gennari earned his second top-five appearance of the season bringing his Jetta TDI Cup car home in second and Kevin Gleason, today’s polesitter, was just behind him in third place.

“I love the track here at Autobahn Country Club,” said Gooden. “The circuit is very challenging and there are a lot of great corners. I don’t really know what to say about the event, other than that it was a perfect weekend. I qualified third yesterday, so it was exciting to notch the win after having to make a few passes. Today was also a great race from the points perspective; I was able to earn some solid points and the guys ahead of me in the Championship finished further down the field, which helps me a lot. After winning two in a row, I can’t wait to get to Road America in a few weeks.”

Series veteran, Jake Thompson earned his fourth top-five result this morning as he finished fourth and AJ Nealey finished fifth.

With just four races left in the 2010 season, the points race remains tight with just 29 points separating the top-five drivers. After today’s win, Wyatt Gooden takes the lead in the Championship with 190 points. Arie Ouimet (R) retains his position of second place with 182 points, while Juan Pablo Sierra Lendle moves from first to third place after a twelfth place result today and ends up with 176 points. Jake Thompson moved into fourth place with 170 points and JD Mobley rounds out the top-five with 161. The Series goes to Wisconsin next as they will compete in Rounds Seven and Eight of the 2010 Jetta TDI Cup at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis. on August 21st and 22nd.

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With just three weeks remaining until the series resumes for Round 6 at the Autobahn Country Club in Joliet IL, the anticipation is building for what promises to be a very exciting second half to the season. At 3.5 miles in length, Autobahn CC is the second longest circuit on the schedule, but arguably the most technical with 19 corners.

The Mid Ohio race last month really shook up the standings and allowed a few drivers, including myself, to close in on Juan Pablo Sierra Lendle’s massive points lead he had built through consistent podium finishes in the first 3 rounds. I knew that I had to pull it all together in Ohio if I wanted to keep my championship hopes alive, so that extra drive kept me focused all weekend. With many drivers ahead of me in points finishing just inside the top 10, winning the last round closed the points gap back up to a mere 28 points from the lead, and I’m currently sitting in 5th. A handful of rookies have been stepping it up showing good pace and consistency, as well as the 2nd and 3rd year veterans equally determined to win, making this is by far the most competitive season the TDI Cup has seen.

There are a number of strong drivers near the top of the points table, so my plan for the remaining half of the season is to consistently hit good qualifying laps, and finish on the podium. Staying out of trouble and driving smart is going to be crucial, as one DNF this late in the season could put anyone out of the running. Read More