Good Clean Fun Part 2 - "Turn-in Point" Getting Ready To Race

Having just completed two days of intense media relations training, karting and autocrossing, it was now time to get to the nitty gritty. Days 3 and 4 of the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup selection weekend at Firebird Raceway were filled with more excitement and drama.

If you missed our first installment of my Jetta TDI Cup experience, check it out at
"Turn-In" Point - Part 1.

After the first night of “real” sleep in days, I awoke just before 6:00 am thinking that the early bird would actually get the worm. Soon enough, I would find out that the early worm would actually just get really sore! The day’s schedule would take us away from the track, which was only 5 minutes away. We would head north to a training facility called Athlete’s Performance. The facility was located in Tempe on the Arizona State University campus. That translated to about 35 miles North and about 40 minutes away. John and I jumped into our PT Cruiser and off we went.

Besides the day’s itinerary recommending us to wear comfortable attire and sneakers along with a minor disclaimer that we might experience a wee bit of soreness, we had absolutely no idea what was in store for us. Upon our arrival, VW factory driver Mark Miller took us for a tour of the Athlete’s Performance facility. One of the most striking things on this tour was the wall of jerseys. Jerseys of various athletes who trained there were on display: Wayne Gretzky, DeAngelo Hall, Mia Hamm, Brett Favre, Alexi Lalas, Curt Schilling and Ronnie Brown to name a few. Mr. Miller then commented that even the entire German World Cup soccer team had trained there. It was then that it really dawned on me how privileged I was to be have been there. In fact, a membership at this gym costs approximately $55,000 a year! Once again proof that Volkswagen pulled out all the stops for us.



After the tour, we were once again divided into groups. My group was to meet in the strength section of the gym. Here, we performed Romanian dead lifts and individual arm bench presses. In addition, we also performed various stretching exercises. I found the Romanian dead lifts particularly helpful as I had never done them before. They were designed to help strengthen the core, which is important not only for athletic performance but also for everyday life.

Up next was the medicine ball section. This was a pretty tough section. First, we started out in the push-up position. Then, we held the position while the trainers tried to knock us over. As tiring as this was, the real test was next. (Did I mention soreness?) We all had to take a 12-pound medicine ball and squat in front of a wall. We had to throw it as hard and as fast as we could, catch it and then repeat the drill for 30 seconds on and 30 seconds off. This was absolutely grueling! If that wasn’t enough, we had to repeat the exercise in a lunge position…….without letting our knees touch the ground! This phase was, by far, the toughest workout I had ever experienced!

I’ve got to say that the trainers at Athlete’s Performance were all top notch. They were all well-liked by the TDI Cup participants. They really helped push us all to our limits during every single session. (Did I mention soreness?) Speaking of pushing….we were then escorted out to the field for a “movement camp.” What exactly was a “movement camp?” I wondered. I soon found out. “Movement camp” meant nothing but a whole bunch of stretches, marches, walks, stretches, marches, walks and, you guessed it, more stretches. Oh, and by the way, resistance was added via a large rubber band around our ankles or knees. Since this session was outdoors, many were worried about the heat. Me? Naaaah. 85 degrees is nothing considering the fact that I’m from sunny South Florida. It actually felt quite cool, especially since it’s a “dry heat” compared to the muggy and humid climate of South Florida.



From the “movement camp,” we were herded inside for a discussion on nutrition. Did someone say “Lunch?” Yes! We were rewarded for all of our hard work and effort with food. Talk about dangling the carrot. During lunchtime, we were able to witness some of the Volkswagen staff going through some of the same fitness tests we had just completed. It was really neat to see that even the top officials were pushing themselves as much as we did. This down time also gave us an opportunity to chat with fellow drivers. The break also allowed us to get acquainted with the data acquisition system of the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup cars. Fortunately for us karters, the system is very similar to the one used by the majority of karters in North America.

After lunch and small talk, we again broke up into groups. Hydration became the next topic of discussion. For racing drivers, hydration is of particular importance. This is due to the extreme temperatures experienced while in the car. We were advised of the appropriate times to drink water versus sports drinks. This information would serve to be most useful in preparing us for the grueling task of sitting in and racing hot Jetta TDI Cup cars this summer! I could think of worse things to be forced to do!

Speaking of racing…..Before departing Athlete’s Performance, we had one more event. A race! We were split into teams of six and lined up in front of a high-tech climbing machine. The first team to make it to 1200 feet would be declared the winners. You all can just image what happens when you give racers such a challenge. Well, it became a recipe for all out war. In the race, each participant was only allowed to be on the stair climber for a maximum of ten seconds at a time prior to a driver change. The actual change was key because getting one’s feet correctly into the straps was the whole key to quick climbing. From the word “go,” we all leapt into action. I got a total of three turns on the machine. Despite our team’s loss, the teamwork, camaraderie and bond formed was awesome.

It was an absolute honor to workout with the staff of Athlete’s Performance. I definitely have to thank not only Volkswagen Group of America, but also Gunther Volkswagen of Coconut Creek for giving me the opportunity to experience what usually only world-class athletes get to experience.



As the day came to a close, important phone calls had to be made. I took the opportunity to first off call my girlfriend. Rule number one: “Ya gotta make sure you never forget the girlfriend, spouse, significant other, etc.”….EVER!! I quickly got her off the phone and made the other calls. In an effort to update everyone else of my progress, I called Gunther Volkswagen of Coconut Creek, EasyKart, friends and family. After all calls were made, sleep time was next.

Day 4 – “Cut day!”- came quickly. I realized that the day had finally come whereby, not only would the final cuts be made, but also we’d finally get to drive the 2.0 L 170bhp Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup car. As we made our final appearance at VW’s hospitality tent at Firebird Raceway, we saw a tables filled with racing gear. All the racing gear that we had been measured for was right there on the table waiting for us. Oakley suits, gloves, shoes, and CarbonX underwear. What a great feeling to finally get the VW stuff on for the first time.

With our full gear on, helmets and Hans devices in hand, it was off to the road course where we were to participate in our first lead/follow session. We were assigned cars and randomly split into two groups. The first two sessions were conducted behind the instructors, who drove GTIs.



The moment that I had been waiting for since Day One was finally here. I finally climbed into the seat of the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup car for the first time. The technicians were right there to help buckle me into my six-point Schroth harness. Then came the command to fire up the TDI engines. Wow! Just wow! What a sweet sound to hear after three long days of waiting. We proceeded out onto the track for the first time at low speed. Who cared? I was in the race car and that was all that mattered. The sound of the engine under acceleration was a deep rumble (think Audi R10). The brakes felt strong. The DSG gearbox clicked off shifts flawlessly. The overall grip of the tires was ridiculous. This was by far the most grip I had ever experienced in a tin-top racing car. So what if there was a slight bit of understeer? After this short session, we had one final lead follow.

Next up: two open practice sessions in the car with no lead follows, no controlled pace. Just me and the car. This time, it was for real. I took the first two or three laps easy in an effort to get a “feel” for the car. The torque of the clean diesel engine was shocking. The motor had a constant pull from low RPMs all the way to the 4750 RPM redline. The grip from the Michelin slicks was unrelenting. I then started to step up the pace. I experimented with using the curbs. The car took to the curbs quite well, soaking up the bumps without upsetting the car’s balance. What a blast! The car was extremely stable under braking and was quite confidence inspiring to drive.

During lunchtime (pasta, salad and meat croissants), Clark Campbell (Volkswagen Motorsport Director) took to the microphone stand once again. He got ready to announce the 30 drivers who would be racing this season. In no particular order, he started calling names. Mercifully, this time my name was called early. My roommate John had to tough it out awhile longer. But he too made it to the top thirty. We were then summoned to the classroom to go over the rest of the afternoon, which consisted of a qualifying session and a mini race. Did I mention standing start? We were debriefed on the finer points of the launch control system, as well as some basic driving rules.



Qualifying came next. The sessions were crucial as the times posted in these sessions would sort out the grid positions for the mini races that would follow. I positioned my TDI at the end of pit lane and performed my Launch control procedures. I put my foot on the brake and pushed the accelerator to the floor. Then it was time. After lifting my foot off the brake, the diesel exploded off the line as all 290+ foot-pounds of torque gripped the tarmac through the Michelin slicks. Almost immediately, it was time for the first upshift. Then another. And another. I was in my first qualifying session as a Volkswagen factory driver!

Speaking of factory drivers…..Jan Heylen, a Volkswagen factory driver himself, made the official announcements regarding qualifying. For the races, the original two groups were split into four groups. Jan announced where we qualified. As he announced group 2A (the so-called “fast” group), guess what? The first number he read was mine! I got to start on pole! Woohoo!! Qualifying right behind me were two of my old karting buddies: Timmy Megenbier and Andy Lee. Since group 2A ran third, I had a little time to kill. I went back to the garage area and watched the Volkswagen technicians mount new front tires to the cars for the races. I then sat back and watched the first two groups run until group 2A was called.

Next up: Showtime! It was finally time to compete wheel-to-wheel against my colleagues in group 2A. We climbed into our cars and drove to the grid, taking our assigned spots. I can honestly say that there was nothing sweeter than being on that grid……with no one in front of me! The formation lap came next. We all departed the grid and began to put heat into the tires and the brakes. This was imperative for a good launch into Turn 1.



With heart palpations in full effect, I saw the “5-second board” go up. Sometime in the next 5 seconds, the lights would go on. When the lights turned off again, it was time to go. “Breathe Josh. Breathe,” is what I kept telling myself. The lights came on and I spooled the engine up with the aid of launch control. Time slowed down for just a moment, and I could literally hear my heartbeat. “Bahbump. Bahbump.” The lights went off and I was gone!

The Volkswagen Jetta TDI surged off the line. It was time to shift, and shift and shift. I quickly glanced around at my mirrors and discovered that I had gotten an excellent launch. I protected my line going into the first corner and realized that I had the lead….. safely……for now. It was time to put my head down and push and push and push. As I glanced at the telemetry, it was then that I realized my lap times were consistently faster than I had gone all weekend. I also glanced into the mirrors and realized that Timmy wasn’t catching up to me. I was then able to relax my pace. The car was absolutely flawless. I felt as though my laps were smooth and consistent. Five or so laps into the race, it was over. My Gunther Volkswagen Jetta TDI crossed the finish line first! I was stoked! What a great way to start the season!


Speaking of starting the season, the first round of the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup series starts the weekend of April 25-27 at Virginia International Raceway. For those of you who haven’t been there, VIR is an absolutely beautiful facility that actually looks like the grounds of a national park. The track presents a lot of interesting challenges for a driver and is one of my personal favorites. Featuring the now famous Oak-tree hairpin as well as the awesome Roller Coaster section, VIR is sure to be one of the most exciting rounds of the series.

So, if you’re going to be in the area, make sure to come to VIR to watch the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup series run. We will run immediately following the Grand Am Rolex series. While there, look for the number 11 Gunther Volkswagen of Coconut Creek TDI driven by Josh Hurley.

Check back soon as I hope to bring you all the behind wheel action from VIR!