Tim Scheerbarth and Kristian Nägele are the new drivers in the VLN Honda Junior Team. They will join Dennis Nägele who has driven the Honda Civic Type R of the junior team since mid season 2008 of the BFGoodrich Langstreckenmeisterschaft Nürburgring. In co-operation with the partners Honda and BFGoodrich, 2009 will be the fourth year already in which the VLN thus offers young drivers a low-cost possibility to join circuit racing. Honda provides the Civic Type R and BFGoodrich supports the project as tyre partner. As in previous years, the operation is run by the team FH Köln Motorsport.
Whilst the brothers Dennis and Kristian Nägele from Laterstein have gained previous experience in various race series, the 19 years old Tim Scheerbarth from Dormagen near Cologne will assume the role as rookie. “We had observed Tim already during the previous season at his first participations in the BFGoodrich Langstreckenmeisterschaft Nürburgring”, informs Jan Derenbach from FH Köln Motorsport. “His development was very impressive – So time has come to give him the chance in the Junior Team.”
Apart from the driving performance and the excellent racing understanding, their high technical knowledge also was essential for this decision. Kristian Nägele is industrial electronics technician and his brother Dennis is studying automotive engineering. Tim Scheerbarth who is currently fulfilling his alternative civilian service has chosen the same course of studies for himself to start in autumn at the University of Applied Science in Cologne.
The juniors will obtain a broad education in motor sports – the support programme includes an extensive medical assessment of performance to create a personal training schedule especially adapted to the requirements in racing, a further education in the areas “automotive engineering” and “marketing and PR” as well as, in co-operation with the Motorsport Academy Nürburgring, an individual training at the Nordschleife at the side of the 2006 VLN Honda Junior Christoph Breuer
”We are sure that with Tim, Dennis and Kristian, in combination with a highly motivated team and the outstanding support given by VLN, Honda and tyre partner BFGoodrich, we will have an excellent package for the year 2009,” adds Derenbach.
Robert Rust, VLN Managing Director: “The VLN responsible persons will continue to have a “heart” for the promotion of young drivers in the BFGoodrich Langstreckenmeisterschaft Nürburgring. We have therefore substantially contributed to assure the participation of Dennis and Kristian Nägele as well as of Tim Scheerbarth in our motor sport series 2009. On behalf of all VLN shareholders, I wish these young racing drivers as well as all of the organisers and team members of the VLN Honda Junior Team 2009 a successful season 2009, to be free of accidents and I hope that these young motor sports people will at one or another occasion be shown into top positions of the result lists.”
Andreas Mansfeld, Honda Motor Sports Coordinator: “We are very happy that we are able to support his solid junior project now already in the fourth year. We wish our new juniors all the best in this highly competitive tv14 Honda Civic Cup.”
Heike Graef, Michelin Reifenwerke AG & Co. KGaA, Sponsoring Car, Truck and Commercial Vehicle Tyres: “BFGoodrich wishes the new juniors a successful start into the 2009 season. As their tyre partners, we will support them with tyres which provide perfect control and driving fun. Top results of the VLN Honda Junior Team are also important successes for BFGoodrich.”
