from Randy:  My Then Brand new 1981 Jetta Diesel Coupe (very rare!)

I've been saving this post for a slow news week, and here it is.  When we were out in California for the Downieville Classic, a brand-loyal VW fan came up to chat with us.  Randy van Vliet has owned a series of cool VWs and Audis, and sent me some photos.  He's a big fan of the VW diesel cars, I'm personally a fan of diesel as an efficient fuel for the future, and now VW is reintroducing clean diesels to the USA.  Pretty exciting stuff!  Here's what Randy had to say:

"Greetings Zach,

I had the chance to volunteer at the timing booth for the 2008 Downieville Classic, as well as chat with eventual winner of the All Mountain category Ross Schnell on Saturday at the VW Trek booth on Main Street in Downieville.  At the booth, I requested info on how  to get a VW / Trek T shirt in XL, seeing that I've been a brand loyal VW owner since 1977, with a 1996 Passat TDI and a 1998 Jetta TDI currently in the stable.  You referred me to emailing you here, stating you were out of stock of shirts for Downieville.

Some links to my VW's.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v374/grand_toots/B4%20passat/10-10-05022m.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v374/grand_toots/A3%20jetta%20Bleached%20Bora%20II/8-14-07026Medium.jpg

Thanking you in advance for a lead on a Team shirt of sorts.   PS, if you can find the time, you owe it to yourself to at least demo a  new 2009 Jetta TDI. Check out the DSG 6 speed auto/manual paddle shift on the fly feature on it when you do. It's impressive how fast it shifts without lifting your foot off of the pedal. The computer chip programs throttle reduction when you shift on the fly, no need to lift your foot out of it..

Randy van Vliet,  brand loyal VW / Audi owner since 1976

1998 VW Jetta TDI (same platform at the VW TREK Series but in Turbo Direct Injection powerplant)

1996 VW Passat TDI  ( one of about 5000 imported from Germany into the USA in1996=1997)