AUBURN HILLS, Mich., May 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Volkswagen of America, Inc. has announced a multi-year partnership with SCORE International to become the Official Vehicle of SCORE and the six-race SCORE Desert series.
The official announcement was made at the pre-race press conference for this Saturday's 39th Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 500, the third race in the 2007 series. Volkswagen and SCORE officials were on hand to make the announcement.
"With its rich history, Volkswagen has made tremendous contributions to the sport of desert racing, both nationally and internationally, and we're excited with the opportunity to partner with a legendary racing series such as SCORE," said Clark Campbell, Volkswagen of America Motorsport manager. "We are looking forward to our official involvement in the racing series as both a sponsor and active participant."
"Volkswagen was the first "official" vehicle of SCORE International and we think it's fitting due to their vehicles' history along with their successes on both the local and international circuit," said Sal Fish, president and CEO of SCORE International. "Volkswagens and those amazing air-cooled VW engines are part of the foundation of desert racing and to have this world-renown automaker reach out in this manner is a tribute to the thousands of VWs and VW-powered vehicles that have been such an integral part of our sport."
The Volkswagen Thing had a strong presence in the first three years (1973-75) of SCORE's racing series, paving the way for a number of strong future finishes by Volkswagen products, in a number of categorical divisions.
This weekend, for the first time ever, Volkswagen is fielding two official entries from its famous Dakar Rally Factory Team. The two turbo-diesel Volkswagen Race Touareg 2's will compete in a special SCORE International Truck Class, starting between the SCORE Trophy Truck and Class 1 vehicles. The Race Touareg 2s will be driven by American Mark Miller and South African Giniel de Villers. Miller, who has won the SCORE Trophy-Truck class twice in the SCORE Baja 500, was fourth overall in this year's Dakar Rally while de Villers won four stages in the rally and finished 11th overall.
The Race Touareg 2, powered by a 2.5 liter, inline five cylinder TDI engine with a two-stage intercooled turbocharger, produces 285 horsepower and 440 ft. lbs of torque. The engine is positioned longitudinally behind the front suspension and sends its power to a six-speed sequential race gearbox. A permanent four-wheel drive system featuring three mechanical differentials with viscous locking is used to provide superior traction.
In addition, SCORE International officials have announced that:
* Unofficial checkpoint passing times will be posted on
www.score-international.com during this weekend's 39th Annual Tecate
SCORE Baja 500. With technology developed by RallyTrack.com of
Lakewood, Calif., each of the four official SCORE checkpoints in the
race will be supplied a specially-designed, rugged satellite
communications system to relay the unofficial passing time of every
vehicle, by class, to SCORE Operations as well as posting the data on
the SCORE website. The RallyTrack.com computer system expects to update
the data on the SCORE website approximately every 10 minutes. The data
will also be posted in the finish line area of the race.
* SCORE International and SCORE Radio, in association with Blue C
Communications has launched a 90 minute, bi-weekly show available
online. The show, with hosts Cameron Steele and Sal Fish, is designed
to be the direct source of information, race updates and interviews for
the SCORE Desert racing community. For more information or to check
out the premier episode, visit www.score-radio.com, or go to
www.score-international.com and click on the SCORE Radio button in the
top right corner.
Founded in 1955, Volkswagen of America, Inc. is headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan. 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 Rabbit, New Beetle, New Beetle convertible, GTI, Jetta, GLI, Passat, Passat wagon, Eos, and Touareg through approximately 600 independent U.S. dealers. Visit Volkswagen of America online at vw.com.