NEWS RELEASE: 18 APRIL 2008

NEW CARS FOR ROCKINGHAM FOR RACING CUP MEN

Two competitors will have new machinery at their disposal at next month's Rockingham rounds of the Volkswagen Racing Cup in association with Hankook.

Richard Kingsnorth, who raced a turbodiesel Golf in 2007, is to switch to a 3.2-litre V6-engined Beetle RSI, while Irish driver Sam Maher-Loughnan is to swap his Vento VR6 for a 1.8-litre turbocharged Polo.

Essex-based Kingsnorth has taken over the Beetle which Darren Blumson had been due to race this season; Darren was taken ill just before last month's opening rounds at Oulton Park and will be out of the cockpit for the rest of the year.

'Darren is a very good friend of mine,' said Richard, 'and I am delighted to be able to help him and to get back into the championship in a competitive car. Darren put it on the pole at Rockingham last year, so I have a lot to live up to.'

Blumson is already planning his return to the championship: 'He is aiming to be back on the grid in 2009 with a Jetta,' says Kingsnorth, who will be testing his new Beetle for the first time early in May.

Rockingham circuit instructor Maher-Loughnan, 25, is meanwhile hoping that his switch to Polo power will boost his championship ambitions. He tested the RacingLine-prepared car at Rockingham last week and within a few laps had set a time just 0.3s off last year's qualifying best.

Sam had been due to race a Vento at Oulton Park but, after establishing top-10 pace in qualifying, was sidelined by a mechanical problem. 'What I learned about the championship at Oulton and its competitive nature really enthused me,' said Maher-Loughnan. 'It's a great series and I feel that the Polo, although there is still development work on it to do, can be a front-running car.'

Sam is backed by choices.ie and by inchview.co.uk

Golf R32 racer Paul Taylor leads the championship contenders to Rockingham. The 2006 title holder enjoys a 12-point advantage over his closest pursuers, Joe Fulbrook (Bora) and James Walker (Golf TDI), thanks to a win and a second at Oulton at Easter.

The Volkswagen Racing Cup in association with Hankook is additionally supported by Augustus Martin, Castrol, Ceva Logistics, ECM Vehicle Delivery, Milltek Sport, Mondial Assistance, KW Automotive, Superchips, Turbo Dynamics, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles and Volkswagen Financial Services UK.