American racing Bugs from Europe take to American soil
– Homestead Florida
I was in Florida last weekend to see a race, but not that you are thinking of. Instead of the 24-hour race at Daytona I flew to The Sunshine State’s southern tip to see the Volkswagen Fun Cup’s inaugural event on American soil. This one make series doesn’t have to win or keep the sponsors happy. It’s about having a great time.
Benoit Abdelatif, a race promoter, tells me that the Fun Cup is “big kids with big toys” in the Homestead-Miami Speedway paddock. He says that the Fun Cup car is “one of the easiest you can find for racing cars,” and adds that it’s not just about the cars being easy to drive. It’s also all about the relationships between drivers and the overall social experience.
Quick history: Fun Cup was founded in late 1990s by Franz Dubois, a Belgian touring-car driver. Although the event is mainly held on tracks in France and Spain, there have been events in Dubai, Belgium, Spain, Spain, as well as in Dubai. The highlight of the event is the Spa endurance race, which lasts 25 hours.
The fiberglass panels are based on a Bug original.
All the cars are identical, powered by a naturally-aspirated four-cylinder engine that produces 173 horsepower and mated with a five-speed paddle-shifted sequential transmission. The cars can reach speeds of around 124 mph (200 km/h) when fully open. The engine is located in front of a rear axle. Inside, the cockpit features a simple layout with only one seat and a row of controls in front. These cars look like a classic Beetle race car. The molds for the fiberglass body panels were taken directly from an original Bug. However, other than the flat windshield, these racers do not share any parts with the historical VW.
Abdelatif claims that the Fun Cup can sometimes run more than 50 cars simultaneously during French races. But here at Homestead, there are only 30 cars. It costs approximately $22,000 to rent a car for this race. This includes shipping it by boat to the States. It costs less than $12,000. To rent a car in Europe for a Fun Cup race, it will cost you about $12,000. You can also buy the car by yourself. It will cost you approximately $60,000. It will cost approximately $60,000.
Abdelatif tells us that the purpose of the Homestead race is not to try and break into the U.S. racing scene. “We are going to the sun” during winter. The decidedly wealthy racers, along with their friends, care more about distant winter destinations cities than the tracks.
Abdelatif states that most of the participants didn’t know much about the track. “They don’t care!” It’s all about having fun in hot places and having a great weekend. America has a lot more tracks than the oval at Homestead. Even though the infield section with – gasp! is a right turn, it’s still very interesting. A wealthy European man can’t help but be impressed by the draw of Miami in January.
The Fun Cup is fun. The Fun Cup is not competitive or meant to be taken seriously.
The race was attended by Scott Speed and Tanner Foust, Volkswagen Motorsport drivers. Sunday’s stint was on a wet track after some rain. It was the first U.S. event. Abdelatif laughs a bit when asked if they do anything to help the racers or the event. It’s nice that they’re here.” However, there is no crowd or promotion at the Fun Cup race so Speed and Foust aren’t there trying to win another win. It’s a great bragging right to be able say that you were able keep up with a Global Rallycross champion if you are a weekend racer.
The Fun Cup is fun. The Fun Cup is not competitive or serious. No spectators were allowed to see the race at Homestead. There were no trophies. Pit stops are measured in minutes of handshakes and smoke breaks. Not painstaking seconds. All drivers leave the race with smiles on their faces.
Abdelatif says again: “To understand and appreciate the spirit of Fun Cup, we have a beer draft in the paddock every weekend [in France]. It’s the place where everyone can come together and talk about their performances on the track. It’s a great place to enjoy a beer. It’s a great way to make friends. It’s beer in the Fun Cup!