The battle for the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series title will resume this weekend in Italy, at the Autodromo di Franciacorta with Round 3 and 4 of the 2019 season. The 2,5-Km Italian track will host the European NASCAR Series for the third time with an event – the American NASCAR Weekend – gathering every year more fans thanks to exciting races and exhilarating trackside attractions.
A record-setting 33 cars are entered in the NASCAR GP Italy, with 20 nationalities represented on the grid.
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In the ELITE 1 Division, the whole field is chasing Ander Vilarino and the #48 Racing Engineering Mustang. The Spaniard, who brought the team led by Alfonso de Orleans-Borbon to a spectacular NASCAR debut by picking up two wins at his home track of Valencia, has never raced at Franciacorta. On the other hand, defending champion Alon Day has won three of the four races held at the Italian track for CAAL Racing and will count on the NASCAR GP Italy to reduce the 13 points gap separating him from the leader.
Second in points after the season opener, Stienes Longin is on a streak of four consecutive second-place finishes and looks poised to finally grab the first ELITE 1 victory. Loris Hezemans will definitely want to challenge for the first win of the season, as will 2018 Franciacorta race winner Lucas Lasserre, Frederic Gabillon, Marc Goossens and all the many ELITE 1 Division contenders. Among them, 1997 Formula 1 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve rapidly found a solid pace at Valencia but is looking to rebound after being forced to retire while battling in the top-10 in Round 2.
Two rookies sit atop the ELITE 2 Division standings, separated by just one point: Giorgio Maggi and Vittorio Ghirelli. Both had an impressive debut in Spain and the Swiss driver also got his maiden win by taking advantage of a last-lap crash between Myatt Snider and Andre Castro. The two Americans were extremely competitive in Spain and will be chasing their first win again in Italy.
Pulling double duties in 2019, Martin Doubek is currently third in points and will count on his experience to capitalize at Franciacorta, as will Pierluigi Veronesi, Mirco Schultis and Jerry De Weerdt. Aiming to reverse a disappointing season opener will be 2018 Rookie Trophy winner Florian Venturi.
The ELITE Club Division will return to action for the second round of the season with 2017 Champion Andreas Kuchelbacher looking to take the lead of the championship.
All the ELITE 1 and ELITE 2 races from the NASCAR GP of Italy will be streamed live on Fanschoice.tv, the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series Youtube channel and Facebook page, on Motorsport.tv and on a vast network of social media profiles.
ELITE 1 DIVISION
Luigi Ferrara debuts on home soil – The 2018 TCR Italy runner-up Luigi Ferrara will make his Euro NASCAR debut at the wheel of the #42 Mustang fielded by 42 Racing by FS Motorsport. The Italian won the Porsche Carrera Cup Italy in 2008 and the 2005 Italian F3 Championship.
Hezemans returns to site of first podium – Junior Trophy leader Loris Hezemans will return to the track that marked a turning point in his 2018 season. After a troubled first event at Valencia and a crash on Saturday, the Dutchman earned his first podium finish at Franciacorta on Sunday, starting an impressive comeback.
Tuomaala off to a great start – With a win – the third of his career – and a third place at Valencia, Henri Tuomaala is leading the Challenger Trophy by two points over defending champion Kenko Miura. The Finnish drivers will race at Franciacorta for the first time.
ELITE 2 DIVISION
Lasse Sorensen enters NWES – 22-year-old Lasse Sorensen will debut in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series at the wheel of the #66 Dexwet-Df1 Racing Chevrolet Camaro. The Danish driver won the French Formula 4 Championship in 2014.
12 different countries in the top-15 – No less than twelve different countries and three continents are represented in the top-15 of the ELITE 2 Division standings, testifying the ever growing popularity of Euro NASCAR among drivers from all over the world.
Schultis leads a tight Legend Trophy – Mirco Schultis and Jerry De Weerdt split the first weekend of the season in Valencia and the German leads the Legend Trophy classification by four points on the Belgian. Michael Bleekemolen closely follows after collecting two podium finishes in his NASCAR debut.
