TUNING GIANT APR TO SPONSOR VW CUP
APR will be the new name on the VW Cup this year. Photo: APR Motorsport
The Volkswagen Racing Cup is to enter the 2012 season with a new title sponsor – US Volkswagen Group tuning specialist APR, which is backing Britain’s most competitive and best-supported one-make saloon series as part of a new push into Europe.
Alabama-based APR, one of the biggest names in the world of Porsche, Audi, SEAT, Skoda and Volkswagen aftermarket performance products, has set up its European headquarters in Milton Keynes alongside those of Volkswagen Racing UK, and is set to become not just the championship’s title sponsor but also a technical partner.
APR will assist with scrutineering and offer technical assistance to competitors in the APR Volkswagen Racing Cup. “APR was established in 1997 and has many years of motorsport experience in the USA,” said vice-president Keith Lucas, “and it is a logical progression for us to bring the expertise we have gained to the European motorsport market and to offer it to competitors here.
“Britain is the ideal place for us to start our European programme and the Volkswagen Racing Cup is a natural partner for us. It is a great championship and the competitors are enthusiastic and driven, just like APR.”
Sam Roach of Volkswagen Racing UK welcomed APR to the series: “It’s a great fit – APR has built a peerless reputation in the world of motorsport and aftermarket Volkswagen performance parts and the company’s knowledge and experience will prove a major benefit to the championship.”
In the United States, APR Motorsport has enjoyed major success over several seasons in GRAND-AM sports car racing – the team is set to contest the Rolex 24 at Daytona later this month with the first Audi R8 LMS in North America – and also races two Mk VI Golf GTIs and three Mk VI Jetta GLIs in the ST class of the GRAND-AM challenge.
The Volkswagen Racing Cup was established in the UK in 2000 and is entering its 13th season as the sole saloon-racing supporting event to British GT and British F3. This year the championship will also race at Brands Hatch alongside the German touring car championship and at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium as a supporting event to the 25-hour Fun Cup.
2012 APR Volkswagen Racing Cup provisional calendar
| Oulton Park | 09 Apr | British F3/GT |
| Brands Hatch Indy | 20 May | DTM |
| Rockingham | 10 Jun | British F3/GT |
| Spa-Francorchamps | 07 Jul | Spa 25H Fun Cup |
| Snetterton 300 | 05 Aug | British F3/GT |
| Silverstone GP | 09 Sep | British F3/GT |
| Donington Park GP | 30 Sep | British F3/GT |
