Gianmarco Ercoli and Thomas Toffel delivered standout performances in changing conditions to claim their first Strom Watches Pole Awards of the 2025 season – Both drivers will lead the field at Brands Hatch, aiming to convert their front-row starts into NASCAR Euro Series glory
- Gianmarco Ercoli grabs the Italian’s first Strom Watches Pole Award in 2025
- Thomas Toffel recovers from his Italy woes in perfect style
- Track conditions created an unpredictable session in PRO and OPEN
The 2025 NASCAR GP UK roared to life on Saturday with an unpredictable qualifying session that delivered big surprises and standout performances. In challenging conditions, Gianmarco Ercoli and Thomas Toffel rose to the occasion, each claiming their first Strom Watches Pole Award of the season. For Ercoli, it marked a long-awaited return to the top spot – his first pole since the 2023 NASCAR GP Italy – while Toffel made headlines by securing his maiden career Strom Watches Pole Award in the OPEN division. Both drivers earned the best seat in the house for Sunday’s races, with thousands of passionate NASCAR fans expected to pack the grandstands at Brands Hatch’s legendary Indy Circuit.
Qualifying for the 2025 American SpeedFest XII came with a twist. With the weather throwing curveballs, race control opted for a revised format, placing all drivers in each division into a single 20-minute session. In PRO, the top-10 drivers advanced to a high-stakes Superpole, where strategy was key: each driver had five consecutive flying laps to lay down their best time. With track evolution playing a major role, timing the run perfectly was crucial – and the teams that nailed it found themselves on the front rows for one of the most anticipated race weekends of the year.
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PRO: Gianmarco Ercoli masters the unpredictable conditions
Brands Hatch has always held a special place in Gianmarco Ercoli’s heart – it was here in 2018 that he made history as the first former OPEN champion to win a PRO race in the NASCAR Euro Series. Fast forward to 2025, the Italian is once again chasing glory at the iconic UK circuit. Staying laser-focused, Ercoli even declined to participate in video production on Friday, not wanting to tempt fate ahead of Sunday. That focus paid off in style: the Alumitec Racing driver laid down a blistering lap of 48.526 in Superpole to earn the Strom Watches Pole Award in PRO, staking his claim as a true contender for the crown and possibly the next King of Brands Hatch.
“For the crown, I wait until Sunday,” said Ercoli, tempering his expectations for now. “It was an incredible qualifying. The team did a great job and we’re back on top. With this qualifying format, the grid really got mixed up. I’m happy to be back on pole – this circuit always delivers big emotions.”
Behind him, reigning champion Vittorio Ghirelli delivered a heroic performance to secure second place, just 0.421 seconds off Ercoli’s time – a result made even more remarkable by the circumstances. On Friday, his teammate Thomas Dombrowski was involved in a horrifying crash in OPEN practice that saw the #24 Chevrolet Camaro flip three times at Paddock Hill Bend. With the car nearly destroyed, the PK Carsport crew pulled off a miracle overnight, rebuilding the machine from the ground up. Ghirelli repaid their tireless efforts with a statement qualifying run that put him on the front row.
Liam Hezemans, who topped free practice, will roll off third in his #30 Rette Jones Racing Ford Mustang. Local hero Jack Davidson used his home track knowledge to place fourth in his Lux Motorsport Chevrolet, while Bruno Mulders continued his breakout season with a strong fifth place for Team Bleekemolen. The trio also led the way in the Junior Trophy standings, showcasing the next generation of NASCAR Euro Series talent.
There was drama for Paul Jouffreau, who initially qualified sixth but was demoted to 11th on the grid after contact with Garrett Lowe earned him a penalty. That handed Thomas Krasonis sixth place, followed by Sebastiaan Bleekemolen, Fabrizio Armetta, Claudio Cappelli – fastest among the Challenger Trophy competitors – and Thomas Toffel, who completed the top-10.
OPEN: Redemption for Thomas Toffel
Thomas Toffel’s 2025 season bounced back in spectacular fashion at Brands Hatch after a tough setback in Italy. Following his involvement in the major crash during Round 3 that derailed his title hopes and cost him valuable points, M Racing put in the work to bring the #34 Chevrolet Camaro back on track. The Swiss driver repaid their efforts in the best possible way: by claiming his maiden Strom Watches Pole Award in dominant style.
Toffel bided his time in the OPEN qualifying session, waiting until the final moments to lay down a flyer. His lap of 49.155 seconds put him at the top of the charts, edging out fellow veteran Martin Doubek by just 0.064 seconds. With clean air ahead and confidence back on his side, the 34-year-old heads into Sunday’s showdown with the best shot yet at scoring his first win of the season.
“I wasn’t too confident during PRO qualifying because it was still a bit too wet,” said Toffel. “I was hoping for better conditions in OPEN – and they came. I felt 100 percent confident and was able to put in a strong lap. Big thanks to the whole M Racing team for giving me an amazing car this morning.”
Thomas Krasonis saw his impressive streak of four consecutive pole positions come to an end at Brands Hatch, but the Greek talent remained in striking distance with a strong third-place starting spot. Melvin de Groot impressed once again by qualifying fourth overall and leading the Legend Trophy field, while one of the biggest surprises came from Jordan O’Brien. The American rookie continued to turn heads, clocking the fifth-fastest time to emerge as the fastest Master Trophy competitor.
Claudio Cappelli, second in the Legend Trophy standings, will line up just ahead of Valentino Gambarotto and Matthew Ellis, who completed the top-3 in the Master Trophy. Patrick Schober and Thomas Dombrowski rounded out the top-10, while Roberto Benedetti will have work to do after qualifying behind both de Groot and Cappelli in the battle for Legend Trophy honors. There was also joy in the Lady Trophy camp, as Happinessa placed her rebuilt #77 Bremotion Chevrolet 21st on the grid as the sole female contender.
British NASCAR fans are in for a treat on Saturday, as the Round 5 races promise to deliver more of the same high-octane action seen in qualifying. PRO will hit the track first at 13:55 CEST, followed by OPEN at 17:25 CEST. Both races – and the entire 12th edition of the American SpeedFest at Brands Hatch – will be broadcast live on EuroNASCAR’s YouTube channel and TV networks worldwide.
Featured image by NASCAR Euro Series / Bart Dehaese
