South Africa: SEW Eurodrive has partnered with eddiesevenracing in the VW Challenge by providing the racing company with sponsorship
which effectively gives SEW Eurodrive naming rights. The team will in future be known as the eddieseven SEW Eurodrive Polo
GTi.
The agreement was formally signed at the Johannesburg offices of SEW Eurodrive this week, by MD Urs Roos and racing driver
Eddie Rodrigues.
The eddieseven SEW Eurodrive Polo GTi races in class A of the Goldwagen Series for VW manufactured vehicles. Class A is the
fastest and meanest in the series with cars that run VW 8v 2.0L 2E engines. The minimum weight in this class is 1050kg.
Regional races are held around the country and up to fifty cars compete at any given time. The racing is extremely competitive
and very popular with racing enthusiasts.
Designed for performance, the eddieseven SEW Eurodrive VW Polo GTi was has a body from VW Motorsport in Uitenhage and the
rest of the car is made up of aftermarket specifications designed especially for high performance racing. Everything is designed
to be highly efficient while keeping the car as light as possible. To this end the driver also forms part of the equation
and Eddie Rodrigues reveals that he watches his weight and keeps a healthy lifestyle.
Information aids mental preparation. Rodrigues says he studies the information gathered via the team’s Telemetry or data logging
system. This is a programme specifically designed for racing cars which calculates variants such as lateral acceleration,
g-force, speed, braking speed, wheel spins and engine temperatures. All of this information arms the driver with intelligence
on how to get the best out of the car. By applying the information the driver will be able to see a difference in his driving
style and performance on the day. “The aim is to work smarter not harder” comments Rodrigues.
Staying positive to maximize opportunities
As a driver it is very important to keep a positive frame of mind especially in the first couple of laps where you really
need to take opportunities and calculated risks to get ahead. A mistake or hesitation in the early stages of a race can cost
you a place or two which will be difficult to make up later. “I don’t think any driver gets much sleep the night before a
race, you do the laps over and over in your head” laughs Rodrigues.
Mental preparation is as important as the technical set up of the car according to Rodrigues who has been racing since 2005.
“It is easy to blame your equipment when things go wrong but preparation of your car and of your driver is very important.”
Racing is a very competitive and expensive sport. The VW Challenge has made it easier and more affordable for motor racing
enthusiasts by providing strict guidelines for participation. Cars are set up to standard specifications, design, suspension
and a minimum weight is specified. This is important as it means that the biggest budget and the best car do not always have
the advantage.
Of interest is the use of consumables during races. According to Rodrigues a softer braking compound is used to increase performance.
This results in a new set of front brakes every second race.
New tyres are fitted for every race. “This is very important as it makes 0.3 second difference. It might not seem like a lot
but it is extremely important, especially in qualifying races where it could mean a better place on the starting grid.”
The team changed from race fuel to unleaded 95 recently. The car uses at least 10 liters per race, this would mean 1 liter
per lap.
Eddie is assisted by two team members, Deon Koen and Conrad Pilger, who assist with technical set up and race preparation.
“We are a team of racing enthusiasts who do it for the love of the game” adds Eddie.
The next two years for eddiesevenracing seems to be set in the Goldwagen Challenge and the immediate goal is to be in the
top 5.
Growth and passion
“For SEW Eurodrive this is a golden opportunity to reach our target audience through sport while encouraging growth in motor
racing” comments Urs Roos. Club fees alone are not enough to cover the costs of television exposure, racing programmes, maintaining
websites and running accounts. Eduardo Construction, the company owned by Eddie Rodrigues also provides part sponsorship for
the pro-tour. “I am passionate about racing, for me it is a win-win situation” enthuses Eddie.
Urs Roos concludes that SEW Eurodrive is looking forward to an exciting racing season and that the exposure value of the sponsorship
makes it a very worthwhile investment.
The next race meeting takes place on 30 May at Kyalami. More information can be found on www.vwchallenge.co.za.
