BURGEONING VOLKSWAGEN RACING CUP REVEALS 2013 DATES


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With grid sizes already looking set to exceed the record levels of 2012, next year’s APR Volkswagen Racing Cup is getting ready to provide even more thrills and competitive action. The provisional calendar for the coming year has been announced, with a 14-race schedule spread over seven race meetings.

Six of the seven events support another successful championship in the shape of British GT, with a summer return to the celebrated Belgian Grand Prix circuit of Spa-Francorchamps providing a highlight.

The championship kicks off at Oulton Park on Easter Monday and will feature visits to the Grand Prix circuits of Silverstone and Brands Hatch, as well as races at Rockingham and Snetterton, ahead of a Donington Park finale in early October.

Sam Roach of Volkswagen Racing UK is expecting grid places to be keenly fought over: “There was an average grid size of 27 cars at last year’s events, and all the indications are that there will be more than 30 competitors taking part in 2013, which is great news for everyone. For that reason, we have chosen to limit our events to the longer and larger circuits so that as many as possible get an opportunity to race.”

“We know of several teams new to the championship who are already well advanced with building cars, and interest from drivers new, old and returning is genuinely without precedent. The Belgian rounds of the championship were a big success in 2012 and a highlight for everyone who took part, and we are delighted to be able to return next July as a support event for the 25-hour festival for Beetle-style cars.”

The stability and performance-equalising success of the Volkswagen Racing Cup regulations is seen as key to its popularity, and few technical revisions are planned. “The biggest change is that from next season we will not be permitting four-wheel-drive cars to take part,” said Roach, “and we have revised the ‘success ballast’ rules so that unregistered guest drivers must carry the same weight as the current championship leader. Guest drivers are very welcome to race with us, but they won’t be scoring points and therefore taking them away from registered competitors, and they will be racing on an equal footing with the others on the grid.”

Another addition to the rules will be a requirement for all cars to be equipped with data-logging systems, in order to facilitate eligibility scrutineering.

Provisional race dates 2013

1st April Oulton Park with British GT
5th/6th May Rockingham with British GT
25th/26th May Silverstone GP with British GT
15th/16th June Snetterton 300 with British GT
12th/13th July Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium with Spa 25 hours
10th/11th August Brands Hatch GP with British GT
5th/6th October Donington Park GP with British GT


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