Driver Interview: Wyatt Gooden

 The Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup was started in 2008 as a platform for VW to showcase their latest clean diesel technology in identically prepared Jettas and as a platform to provide a full season of professional racing for thirty of the best and brightest young racing drivers in the country. We were lucky enough to interview this years points leader, Wyatt Gooden, about his career in motorsports so far.

Photo: Bruce Lancaster

Joey Selmants- To start things off, congratulations on your second consecutive victory in the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup, how does it feel to now be leading the points?

Wyatt Gooden- Thanks! I'm obviously ecstatic to be where I'm at right now. Everything has been coming together this season and I'm really happy with the progress I've been able to make as far as learning how to race these big heavy sedans. Going into the season I had day-dreamed about how cool it would be to be to compete for the championship, never thought it would seriously happen like this though so I'm just taking it all in and carrying the momentum.

JS- How did you first get involved in racing?

WG- I got started in karting about 10 years ago. I had always wanted to drive actual race cars though, and after attending some skip barber courses in 2007 I knew that's what my true passion was. Never thought I would get the opportunity to race cars, but thankfully my long time hobby of sim racing finally paid off!

JS- You managed to get invited to the TDI Cup's driver selection process by winning iRacing.com's virtual TDI Cup championship, what were your expectations going into the shootout and what was it like when you picked as one of the top 30? 

WG- Well I'm not going to lie, I certainly didn't go all the way to Las Vegas to leave empty handed. I really gave it everything I had as I wanted to leave a positive impression on the instructors, but I also knew the importance of not over driving during the karting and autocross. The interview and media stuff was all new to me, but it's something I'll have to get used to if I want to ever get somewhere in racing.

Photo: Bruce Lancaster

JS-  Many F1 teams now rely heavily on racing simulators to train their drivers, do you think your time spent on iRacing has helped to improve areas of your driving such as racecraft?

WG- Being behind the real cockpit is a completely different feeling and enviornment, but the simulator can certainly teach you alot about the importance of consistently driving as fast as you can within the limits. I'd say it has honed my race craft, and taught me the importance of making decisive but safe passes on the track. in iRacing if you make any sort of contact it's very easy to damage the car, so you have to think about your moves and learn to 'read' the driver ahead of you, as you would in real life.

JS-  How similar does the real Volkswagen feel to the virtual rendition in iRacing and does it really "hop" as much as it does in the game? (Iracing members will know all about that!)

WG-It's actually way easier to get the car to hop in real life. Keeping the weight of the car balanced and not carrying too much speed into the corners is real important, cause once the car starts to hop you have to get out of it quick or you lose lots of time. The Jetta rotates a ton better in real life, and is much more maneuverable under braking. I'm confident that the new tire model iRacing is working on will improve the feel of the car. It is still great training for learning a fwd car though,  the trail braking technique is mostly the same.

Photo: Bruce Lancaster

JS- When the series has a race at a track available in the game, do you feel you already have a good understanding of the track when you get to drive it in real life for the first time?

WG- In iRacing certainly, in other sims not really. The Autobahn circuit for example, I had been running it on rfactor enough so that I could run consistant lap times, but when I got to the real circuit the corners were so different that I really had no reference as to where I was just from my memory of the rfactor version. The detail iRacing puts into their tracks, and the fact that the surface is laser scanned really goes along way towards making it a proper training tool for getting familiar with the tracks.

JS- What were your thoughts going into the first race weekend at such a challenging track like VIR?

WG- Really didn't know what to expect at all. VIR was a completely different track and a helluva lot scarier than the course we got to test the cars on in Vegas lol. I was happy about being the 2nd and 3rd quickest rookie both days, I knew I had a lot to learn about the car though. What ultimately screwed me up was that I had the car in the wrong drive setting and lost a ton of spots on both starts. Being in a huge cluster of cars, without having developed a feel for managing the brakes and pushing the car hard... it didn't end well but I quickly learned from it!

JS- What was it like to breakthrough and win your first race at your hometown track of Mid-Ohio?

WG- It felt amazing to really see the consistent improvement finally pay off. A lot of it was down to the confidence I had developed from getting a podium at the previous round, and qualifying 2nd on the grid for the third time in a row. I knew I had the speed and i felt like it was time for me to get everything right. Obviously I couldn't have asked for a better place to get my first professional win in a car. I've been going to Mid Ohio for years as a spectator and I was the only local driver competing. It was just an incredible, surreal experience that I'll always cherish.

Photo: Bruce Lancaster

JS- Does your mindset change at all now that you lead the championship after your grabbed your second consecutive victory?

WG- I'm going to just try and consistently keep myself near the front for these remaining races. My championship lead means nothing right now, I have to focus on getting on the podium as it pays much more points to be in the top 3. Road America is a track that has always been one of my favorites on the simulators, and Puebla looks like it will be a nice challenging circuit so I'm optimistic about my chances.

JS- What are your plans for 2011 and beyond?

WG- My focus right now is clinching this years championship. That would secure my plans for next year to possibly race in Germany for Volkswagen. Other options would most likely be in the Continental Tire Challenge Series.

Thanks to Wyatt for taking the time out of his busy schedule to answer some questions!

http://www.wyattgooden.com/

http://www.iracing.com/

http://www.racerartphotographic.com/