A total of 13 drivers participated in the NASCAR Euro Series Drivers Recruitment Test at the Cremona Circuit in Italy – All new drivers had a blast testing a V8 beast
- 13 drivers from five different countries took part in the DRT in Italy
- The test took place at the Cremona Circuit
- Everyone was impressed by the car and the organization
The NASCAR Euro Series – in collaboration with Sharks Team – hosted two days of Drivers Recruitment Tests for the 2025 season at the Cremona Circuit in Italy. The track, located between Milan and Parma, offered a perfect mix of technical corners and high-speed straights to explore the pure power of a 400-horsepower V8 machine with the new Samsonas sequential gearbox. All drivers were impressed with the performance and drivability of the EuroNASCAR car and the organization by TEAM FJ, the owner and promoter of the NASCAR Euro Series.
In addition to the twelve new drivers, Legend Trophy champion and race winner Claudio Cappelli was on site to test the sequential gearbox and coach the participants. The Italian, who boasts extensive experience with the car, shared his knowledge with the other drivers to get them up to speed in a short period of time. At the same time, Cappelli has been preparing for the 2025 NASCAR Euro Series season, which kicks off April 12-13 at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, Spain. Cappelli will compete in both the PRO and OPEN divisions with Academy / Alex Caffi Motorsports.
Claudio Cappelli: “I’m here at the Cremona Circuit with the NASCAR Euro Series and it was the first time I tried the upgraded car with the new sequential gearbox. I think it is very cool! It’s nice to use and nice to drive. I think we will improve our lap times a lot with this new feature. Of course I want to defend the Legend Trophy in 2025 and improve race by race.”
“But that is the minimum goal, to be honest. We will continue our way with Academy / Caffi Motorsport. We want to keep the momentum and be successful in both divisions – PRO and OPEN. I will use the PRO to get more track time and gain important experience. The car has improved a lot over the winter and I’m looking forward to the start of the season. Of course I would like to win the OPEN title, but I want to stay humble.”
One of the drivers was Michele Locatelli, who got his first taste of driving a EuroNASCAR car. “It was the first time I drove the car,” he said. “It was an incredible experience, I’ve never driven a car like this before. It’s very interesting because it has a lot of power and you really have to tame the car and practice to get the most out of it. It’s very different from what I’ve driven in the past. The feeling was very good and I enjoyed it a lot.”
Alessandro Bollini was already familiar with the EuroNASCAR world, having competed in Legends Cars races as part of the NASCAR Euro Series support program. Now it was his turn to test. “This car is a lot of fun,” he said. “This car really transmits the feeling of the back end and the front end of the car crystal clear. I love this car. For me, the transition from a Legends car to a EuroNASCAR car was pretty easy, they are similar, but the main difference for me was the tires. It’s harder for me to handle a slick tire. My goal is to compete in the 2025 Rookie Challenge and gain more experience with this car.”
Two Georgian drivers traveled to Cremona to test a EuroNASCAR car. Sandro Tavartkiladze shared his thoughts with TEAM FJ. “I’m from Georgia and it was my first time in a EuroNASCAR car,” he said. “It was very different from what I used to drive. I drive open cars and this V8 beast is a lot heavier. I’ve had to adjust my driving style, but I’m confident I’ll be able to put down good lap times in this car.”
Fog, cold weather and humid air made the second test day in Italy a tough challenge for the drivers, but Michele Baronio still had a lot of fun. The Italian has tested a EuroNASCAR car in the past. “Unfortunately the weather conditions were not as good as yesterday, but we managed to drive the car. It’s great! I drove it last year with the H-pattern and with the new gearbox it is definitely much easier and faster.”
Nuno Caetano from Portugal was enthusiastic after his stint in the EuroNASCAR car and is working on a program for next season. “I was here to try out EuroNASCAR and I have to say I’m very impressed,” he said. “I thought I was going to drive a boat, but actually this car is really powerful and fun to drive. This experience has really made me want to come back!”
Drivers from all over the world can find more information about the Recruitment Tests by visiting https://www.nascar.eu/recruitment/
Featured image by Toscano Marketing / Vieri Lombardi
