The 2023 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series season saw a new driver add his name to the winner’s list, opening a new chapter in the championship’s history: Paul Jouffreau. The 19-year-old joined RDV Competition in the winter to compete in EuroNASCAR 2, but an early end to Frederic Gabillon’s season paved the way for Jouffreau to compete in both NWES championships. At the Autodromo di Vallelunga in Italy, the Blaye native scored his first EuroNASCAR 2 victory to become the 43rd driver to win in the second NWES division. He also earned a Pole Position in his first EuroNASCAR PRO outing.
Jouffreau made the jump straight from karting to the NWES 400 hp V8 beast and earned his first podium in his debut season with Speedhouse in 2022. During the winter, the Frenchman moved to RDV Competition and started the 2023 season in strong fashion. In four races, he finished on the podium three times and had a perfect streak of top-5 finishes. In Italy, a second place in Saturday’s race and a win in a chaotic Sunday race finally propelled him into title contention in EuroNASCAR 2. The additional track time in EuroNASCAR PRO, which resulted in two top-5 finishes and a podium, helped him accelerate his progress, but he had already laid the groundwork for success in the United Kingdom in June.
“It’s like a dream,” Jouffreau said in EuroNASCAR’s Extended Highlights about leading laps for the first time in the rain at Brands Hatch. “It took me some time to explain the feelings I have, but it was amazing! We made a little mistake with the set-up, because we would have needed to have more rain for it. I think we had ten laps where I was in front and 14 laps of fighting with Vladimiros and it was amazing!”
With his first laps in the lead collected in the UK and his confidence boosted by an outstanding performance in his first race in the rain, Jouffreau set his sails straight for Victory Lane. But the 19-year-old Frenchman remains humble and keeps his feet on the ground, praising the good work of RDV Competition and the progress they have made. The French powerhouse is led by NWES veteran Franck Violas, who has a wealth of experience in building up a successful EuroNASCAR program and turning a V8 beast into a winning piece of steel and composite.
“It’s the trust we have together,” Jouffreau explained of the magic behind his success in the #3 RDV Competition Ford Mustang and the chemistry between himself and chief engineer Claude Galopin. “The first time I worked with the team manager and the chief engineer, there was a flow and a rhythm between us. We don’t have to talk a lot to know what we need. The work is really efficient. It’s a big confidence boost for the rest of the season if we can improve every time we meet.”
Eight top-5 finishes, six podiums and one win in eight races across both championships: Jouffreau is one of the top drivers in the 2023 NWES season, and because of his young age, there’s a lot more potential waiting to be unleashed. The 19-year-old is third in the standings behind Vladimiros Tziortzis and Alberto Naska, just 17 points behind the championship leader.
After the summer break, Jouffreau will be back in action at the Autodrom Most on August 26-27. Qualifying and all races will be broadcast live on EuroNASCAR’s YouTube channel, Motorsport.tv and various TV services around the world.
Featured image by NASCAR Whelen Euro Series / Bart Dehaese
