Audi TT Clubsport Concept Is A 600-HP Tribute To A Racing Great

Audi is also showcasing its Sport Performance parts for the TT RS.

The SEMA show is currently underway, and it’s a predictably eclectic gathering of outlandish custom cars all in one place. Audi’s contribution to the show is subtle in comparison to some of the eye-catching cars at the show, but no less special. Making its North American debut is the Audi TT Clubsport Turbo, a sleek concept built as tribute to the 90 IMSA GTO from the 1980s which is considered by many as one of the greatest race cars ever built. Both its appearance and performance mimic the GTO racer.

Powering the TT Clubsport Turbo is a 600-hp five-cylinder TFSI engine with an electronically assisted turbocharger, just like the original race car. With this setup, the Audi TT Clubsport Turbo Concept sprints from 0-62 mph in just 3.6 seconds on its way to a top speed of 192 mph. Yes, that’s entering supercar territory. In terms of design, Audi says the concept takes the “TT silhouette to the extreme,” featuring angular fenders like the original 1980s race car which makes it 5.5 inches wider than the production TT road car to “accentuate the quattro drive”. It also sports a manually-adjustable carbon fiber rear wing to provide extra downforce.

For now, the Audi TT Clubsport Turbo is just a one-off concept, so it isn’t clear if the German automaker plans to put it into production. Audi is also showcasing a range of Sport Performance parts that will soon be available for the new Audi TT RS enhancing the suspension, exhaust system, exterior and interior, some of which can be seen on the Clubsport Concept. The TT RS being displayed at the show with Audi Sport Performance Parts is fitted with a two-way adjustable coilover suspension, additional chassis bracing, and brake system enhancements. It rides on lightweight 20-inch wheels with high-performance sport tires.

A range of aerodynamic enhancements produce additional downforce at speed, while additional air ducts provide extra brake cooling. Rounding off the exterior enhancements is an Audi Sport Performance titanium exhaust created in collaboration with Akrapovic. Inside, the TT RS includes an Audi Sport Performance steering wheel with carbon shift paddles. Pricing and availability has yet to be confirmed. Also on show is Audi’s R8 LMS race car, which shares over 50 percent of its parts with the Audi R8 road car including its naturally aspirated 5.2-liter V10, which sends 495-hp exclusively to the rear wheels.

Racing Driver Tased After Intense Fight Breaks Out On Track Following Crash

Fans got a 2 for 1 deal: A good race and a mixed martial arts bout to top it all off.

Engines aren’t the only things stressed during a race. The intense pressure on a driver and their team as well as a yearning to be the first past the finish line when the checkered flag is waving can cause emotions to run high. In some cases, the tension gets so high it spurs a fight. Like a fire on the race track, those get contained pretty quickly but in some cases, they become so dramatic that extreme measures are required. That’s the scene that took place at Anderson Speedway when two stock car racers got into a fight after colliding with each other on the track.

After big retaliatory hit is delivered, driver Jeffrey Swinford plows his car into opponent Shawn Cullen’s car and ends up on his hood.

Angry, Cullen gets out of his car and proceeds to deck Swinford, who is still sitting in his car, in the face. With the trackside helpers unable (or unwilling) to stop the fight, a police officer gets onto the race track and proceeds to use a taser on Cullen, which brings him to the floor pretty quickly. According to Indianapolis news source WISH, both drivers were taken away in handcuffs. Swinford was charged with a Class A misdemeanor for criminal recklessness and Cullen got a charge for disorderly conduct. Of the two, Swinford was banned from the track indefinitely. Out of the many forms of racing, Figure 8 is one of the more entertaining. Seems these two thought they could find a way to improve on it. Good job for making that happen.

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