Circuit Racing

Volkswagen's of various models have also been used in circuit racing over the years. At the same time as Porsche Salzburg were running the 1302S and 1303S cars in rallying, a few tuning companies were running Beetles in circuit racing. These tuners managed to get a similar 120bhp from the 1600 engine, so there must have been some common ideas floating around the tuning scene at the time.

Even today, there are various air-cooled Volkswagens still racing around the circuits of the world, whether it be in the single-make championships like the various Beetle Cups, or in the thick of the action with other makes and models.

In the UK in the eary 1990s there was a circuit racing series called the Beetle Cup (styled after the German Käfer Cup). This series eventually folded, but a new team have re-invigorated the idea, and have launched a new series called the Beetle Challenge. Let's hope that this series succeeds!

	Circuit racing Beetles, taken at the Ahvenisto track in Finland, 1999. © Mikko Hentta 1999 Ahvenisto Circuit, Finland	Austrian Circuit Racing Austrian Circuit Racing	Austrian Circuit Racing Austrian Circuit Racing	Austrian Circuit Racing Austrian Circuit Racing	Austrian Circuit Racing Austrian Circuit Racing
	The 1964 Nassau Speed Week, showing a Le Mans-style start for the Beetles. Note the Formula Vs in the background that raced with the Beetles. © Franz Kern 1964 Nassau Speed Week	Steven Smith's 1965 Beetle racing in Portland and Newport, Oregon, in the 1960s © Steven Smith 1960s Oregon Racing	Steven Smith's 1965 Beetle racing in Portland and Newport, Oregon, in the 1960s © Steven Smith 1960s Oregon Racing	Steven Smith's 1965 Beetle racing in Portland and Newport, Oregon, in the 1960s © Steven Smith 1960s Oregon Racing	Steven Smith's 1965 Beetle racing in Portland and Newport, Oregon, in the 1960s © Steven Smith 1960s Oregon Racing
	Steven Smith's 1965 Beetle racing in Portland and Newport, Oregon, in the 1960s © Steven Smith 1960s Oregon Racing	Steven Smith's 1965 Beetle racing in Oregon & Washington states in the 1990s © Steven Smith 1990s Oregon Racing	Steven Smith's 1965 Beetle racing in Oregon & Washington states in the 1990s © Steven Smith 1990s Oregon Racing	Steven Smith's 1965 Beetle racing in Oregon & Washington states in the 1990s © Steven Smith 1990s Oregon Racing	Steven Smith's 1965 Beetle racing in Oregon & Washington states in the 1990s © Steven Smith 1990s Oregon Racing
	Steven Smith's 1965 Beetle racing in Oregon & Washington states in the 1990s © Steven Smith 1990s Oregon Racing	Edouard Dheere's 1303 Circuit Racer 2004 Colmar-Berg Luxembourg: 2nd place division 1 up to 1600cc and 2nd in the overall standing © Edouard Dheere 2004 Colmar-Berg Luxembourg	Edouard Dheere's 1303 Circuit Racer 2004 Colmar-Berg Luxembourg: 2nd place division 1 up to 1600cc and 2nd in the overall standing © Edouard Dheere 2004 Colmar-Berg Luxembourg	Edouard Dheere's 1303 Circuit Racer 2004 Colmar-Berg Luxembourg: 2nd place division 1 up to 1600cc and 2nd in the overall standing © Edouard Dheere 2004 Colmar-Berg Luxembourg	Edouard Dheere's 1303 Circuit Racer 2003 Spa-Francorchamps: Practice session at the infamous Eau Rouge corner © Edouard Dheere 2003 Spa-Francorchamps
	Edouard Dheere's 1303 Circuit Racer 2004 Nürburgring Oldtimer Festival: © Edouard Dheere 2004 Nürburgring Oldtimer Festival	Edouard Dheere's 1303 Circuit Racer 2004 Nürburgring Oldtimer Festival: © Edouard Dheere 2004 Nürburgring Oldtimer Festival	Bill Beattie's 1947 in 1961 More information here © Bill Beattie 1961 Ulster