Vittorio Ghirelli and Thomas Krasonis absolutely shattered the Circuit Zolder track records during NASCAR Euro Series Finals practice – The PK Carsport duo laid down a serious marker as they head into the crucial double-points races
- Vittorio Ghirelli crushed the PRO track record in the second free practice session
- Thomas Krasonis set a new track record in the OPEN division
- The teams prepared for the last four double-point races of the 2025 season
The first day of running for PRO and OPEN contenders in the 2025 NASCAR Euro Series Finals was historic! PK Carsport made a statement after their drivers Vittorio Ghirelli and Thomas Krasonis broke the track records in practice. The Belgian team based in Hasselt used their knowledge of Circuit Zolder to perfection, giving them an extra edge heading to the important qualifying and races that will decide the champions of the official European NASCAR championship.
PRO: Vittorio Ghirelli on the charge
Vittorio Ghirelli showed why he’s one of the favorites to win the PRO title with his stunning free practice performance. Clocking a best lap time of 1:36.784, Ghirelli was not only the fastest, but he also beat the previous track records on both qualifying and race, set by Stienes Longin and Alon Day respectively in 2021! The Italian is on a mission to win back-to-back championships with the #24 Chevrolet Camaro and free practice’s results were proof of his determination to achieve this dream.
Paul Jouffreau, who is only four points behind Ghirelli in the standings, responded to the challenge with a second place result. The Frenchman is also in the hunt for the Junior Trophy, where he topped the classifications ahead of Liam Hezemans. Thomas Toffel delivered a strong performance in the THT by Race Art Technology machine in fourth position. The Swiss therefore topped the Challenger Trophy classifications for elite amateurs.
Thomas Krasonis completed both the overall top-5 positions and the Junior Trophy top-3. Fabrizio Armetta continued to be solid in sixth, while Gianmarco Ercoli in seventh will have his work cut out in preparation for Saturday’s important qualifying. Garrett Lowe, Martin Doubek and Davit Kajaia rounded out the top-10, with Kajaia finishing second fastest in the Challenger Trophy. Max Lanza chased the Georgian in 18th overall, which secured the Italian third position in Challenger Trophy.
OPEN: Thomas Krasonis flies on top
Thomas Krasonis was very fast in not only PRO, but also in OPEN. The Greek is the leading protagonist in OPEN’s championship battle and showed his speed right from the start, finishing practice at the top with a best lap time of 1:37.525. Like teammate Ghirelli in PRO, Krasonis also shattered the track record in his division.
The previous OPEN records were set in 2023, both achieved by Paul Jouffreau on his way to his maiden OPEN title. Could this be a good omen for Krasonis, who is aiming to become the first Greek NASCAR champion in history?
Gil Linster has always been fast at Circuit Zolder. The Luxembourger proved this with his second place result from the combined practice times. The Rette Jones Racing driver also topped the second timed session, beating the rapid young Dutchman Bruno Mulders. Mulders therefore led the Master Trophy classification for hungry and talented newcomers in OPEN. Sandro Tavartkiladze and Valentino Gambarotto trailed Mulders in fourth and fifth, which also meant they took the top-3 positions in the Master Trophy.
Thomas Toffel and Thomas Dombrowski ended their days in sixth and seventh. Martin Doubek, chasing for a possible third OPEN title, will have a tough road ahead after he finished eighth in practice. Behind the Czech driver, there was a fantastic scrap in Legend Trophy between its two main contenders: Claudio Cappelli and Melvin de Groot. Cappelli led the battle in ninth, but de Groot is only 0.127 seconds behind in tenth overall. Michael Bleekemolen round out the Legend Trophy classifications in 18th with Happinessa leading the charge in Lady Trophy in 21st position.
All data gathered from practice is going to be important for qualifying on Saturday, which will determine the starting positions for the first of the double points Finals races. With only two races to go in PRO and OPEN, the hunt is on to find the drivers and teams that will be crowned as champions of the official European NASCAR championship. Find out more on the qualifying and races that will be broadcast live on the official EuroNASCAR YouTube channel and TV channels around the world, with action starting with qualifying at 09:50 CEST.
Featured image by NASCAR Euro Series / Bart Dehaese
