NEWS RELEASE: 7 MARCH 2008

WOOD PLANS TO KNOCK ON VICTORY'S DOOR IN 2008

Last year's Volkswagen Racing Cup vice-champion Steve Wood is to return to the Hankook-backed championship in a bid to go one better in 2008. Gloucester-based Golf GTI pilot Wood is the latest top driver to sign up for a grid daily increasing in competitiveness.

With the addition of Wood there will be seven new-model Golf GTIs on track at Oulton Park in a fortnight (22-24 March) when the championship blasts back into action.

Forty-six-year-old Wood, who made the top three six times in 2007, is determined to get on to the victory podium: 'We did very well last year but suffered a few gearbox problems at the start of the season which cost me one or two wins. If I had taken those wins I could have won the championship… But that's motor racing. Hopefully we can be more consistent this time and get some victories."

Steve will again be backed by Travis Perkins and Danwood Homes, and has formed a team with Beetle driver Steve Chaplin to look after both machines.

His six Golf GTI-driving rivals will be veteran John Quartermaine, who has taken over at the wheel of the championship-winning Regal Autosport car; Europcar-backed Michael McInerney; 2007 race winner Jamie Perry; racing newcomers James Griffiths and Liam Griffin; and old hand Mike Kurton.

A 25-car field is expected at the Cheshire circuit for rounds one and two of the 14-race championship. The meeting will see the world track debut of the new Volkswagen Jetta TSI Sport, with evo magazine journalist Jethro Bovingdon at the wheel of the 1.4-litre turbocharged and supercharged machine.

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