DARK DOG Austrian Racing Team 2009
The DARK DOG racing team was founded by Gottfried Kogler in 2000, employing each year around nine drivers in different categories like motocross, rally, touring car etc. In the last few years, the racing team has had tremendous success along with DARK DOG with Kogler commercialising its brand, in Austria.
In 2004, the Suzuki Ignis Cup was introduced by Kogler to Austria. In this event young people interested in practising motor sports could buy Suzuki Ignis sport cars at reasonable prices and participate in different races.
In 2006, Gottfried Kogler became also the manager of the VW Rally Team Austria, racing in the Austrian Rally Championship with a total of 8 cars all partially sponsored by DARK DOG.
Michael Kogler, son of Gottfried, has also practised motor sports since 2004, starting in the Suzuki Ignis Cup. At the age of 19, he has become the youngest champion in Austria ever, winning the Alternative Class for diesel and gas cars.
In 2008, Michael Kogler had been contracted by Eurostroj – a Czech running team and took successfully part at several championships, racing a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX. By the end of the year, he finished the Austrian Rally Championship with a satisfactory 8th position.
In 2009, young Kogler started again for Volkswagen Rally Team Austria with a complete new VW Scirocco branded by DARK DOG. This was a real world premiere as it is the first Volkswagen of this series worldwide ever taking part in a rally championship!
During the first races, Kogler proved the stability of the brand-new car and was holding a superb first position overall only two races before the end of the season 2009. In the last race taking place in his home region in Austria, Kogler had to compete against a tremendous number of 102 rallye cars. The race was a turbulent one characterized by different technical problems, but Kogler finished it with great success by stating a superb victory leading with 6 seconds. This meant the fantastic victory overall in the Austrian Rallye Championship 2009 for the first time in the career of 22 year old Michael Kogler.
