Claudio Cappelli and Max Lanza scored wins in the Challenger Trophy at their home NASCAR GP – The Italians made the tifosi proud in the special classification for elite amateurs
- Claudio Cappelli and Max Lanza won the Challenger Trophy battles
- Both drivers claimed their first Challenger Trophy wins in 2025
- Cappelli leads the class by six points from Lanza
Italian drivers made their home fans proud during the 2025 NASCAR GP Italy at Autodromo di Vallelunga. Two exciting PRO races in the NASCAR Euro Series resulted in solid performances for the Italians in not only the overall result, but also the Challenger Trophy classification for elite amateur drivers. Claudio Cappelli and Max Lanza each secured one class victory each at the challenging 4.085 kilometer circuit located close to Rome, a result that moved them up to first and second positions in the special classification’s standings.
Lanza got his turn to win in Round 3, driving consistently and avoiding mistakes in his #88 CAAL Racing Chevrolet Camaro to claim the top spot in 13th position ahead of Team Bleekemolen’s Michael Bleekemolen. Cappelli dropped out from the contention late in the race due to suspension problems, but he took the final podium position ahead of Davit Kajaia.
The Academy / Alex Caffi Motorsport driver bounced back in Round 4 with a dominating performance. The driver of the #5 Ford Mustang fought with PRO championship leader Paul Jouffreau and the 2023 EuroNASCAR champion Gianmarco Ercoli, eventually finishing the race in a strong seventh place. Lanza grabbed the runner-up spot with Kajaia securing third place despite mechanical problems on his car.
Cappelli now leads the overall classifications by six points from Lanza and is a further two points ahead of Kajaia. Michael Bleekemolen is fourth, 36 points behind after he chose to not compete in Round 4: The Dutchman handed over the keys to his #72 Toyota Camry to his OPEN teammate Bruno Mulders, giving the 17-year old driver his first debut in the PRO division. Kenko Miura, who scored a class win in Valencia, completes the top-5.
The elite amateurs will continue their battle in the next NASCAR GP at the UK. The 1.944 kilometer Brands Hatch Indy Circuit is set to host the American SpeedFest for the twelfth time, promising to bring more spectacle and American festival to the world of EuroNASCAR. Be sure to tune in to EuroNASCAR’s YouTube channel and TV channels around the world to watch the action live.
Featured image by NASCAR Euro Series / Nina Weinbrenner
