This has been a banner year for diesels in motorsports. Diesel-powered race cars won at the 12 Hours of Sebring, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and took a second place at the Dakar Rally.
Not to be outdone by its sister company, Audi (whose R10 endurance race car won its debut race at Sebring and the 24 Hours of Le Mans), Volkswagen scored big at the Dakar Rally with its new Race Touareg 2. Volkswagen's V-10 TDI-powered Race Touareg 2 made the first diesel podium finish ever in the 28-year history of the Dakar Rally. The squadron of Volkswagen Race Touaregs finished second, fifth, eighth, 11th, and 13th overall in the grueling 15-day, 5,619-mile rally.
To back up that off-road performance, Volkswagen also put on an impressive showing at America's second-oldest racing venue, the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, this past July. This year's race marked the 84th running of the Hill Climb, and Volkswagen brought three identically prepared Touareg V-10 TDIs to give its TDI technology a push by competing in the Exhibition class. The three Touaregs were virtually stock, except for rollcages, racing seats, and Nitto tires. Three of motorsport's most capable race drivers were hired to handle the piloting duties: Indianapolis 500 winner, Danny Sullivan; Baja 1000 winner, Ryan Arciero; and Ryan's teammate, Baja 1000 winner and '06 Dakar Rally fifth-place-finisher, Mark Miller. Also of note, the three diesel-powered Touaregs were said to be running Shell Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel fuel.
On race day, rain, sleet, and snow at the top of Pikes Peak created dangerous course conditions for afternoon competitors. After a two-hour delay, officials finally had to shorten the 12.46-mile, 156-turn course, ending it at Devil's Playground. Fortunately, all of the diesels ran the course before it was shortened, allowing for runs that could be compared to previous years. Much to the chagrin of many afternoon challengers, the abbreviated course would ensure Rod Millen's record time of 10:04.06, set in 1994, in a one-off Toyota Celica Turbo, would stand.
Diesel's advantages of power at low rpm, economy, and reliability are finally reaching mainstream racing, and at Pikes Peak their times proved diesels to be competitive at yet another racing venue.