Speedhouse signed Brad Ranson and Henri Timonen for the #33 Ford Mustang – Both drivers will make their debuts in the NASCAR Euro Series
- Speedhouse signed Brad Ranson for the V8GP championship
- Henri Timonen will join the team in the OPEN division
- Both drivers will make their debuts in the NASCAR Euro Series
The thunder of heavy V8s is about to return to the European stage, and the Speedhouse garage is buzzing with a distinct international flair in the NASCAR Euro Series. Team Principal Lucas Lasserre has officially announced another piece of his roster for the 2026 season, bringing together the hard-charging Canadian veteran in V8GP, Brad Ranson, and a Finnish multi-sport specialist in OPEN, Henri Timonen, to take on the most competitive circuits in Europe.
With the season opener on the horizon, the French-based outfit is signaling that they have found the perfect balance of “positive energy” and “pure performance.”
In the top-flight V8GP class, the spotlight falls on Canada’s own Ranson. The 29-year old, who will be steering the #33 entry, arrives with a reputation for precision and a schedule that would make most drivers dizzy. By pulling double duty in both the European series and the NASCAR Canada Series, Ranson is positioning himself as one of the most active wheelmen in the sport.
Team owner Lasserre, a man who knows exactly what it takes to win championships, was immediately struck by Ranson’s demeanor during the winter evaluation.
“I met Brad during our Winter Camp in the last January,” Lasserre said. “He is totally in line with the Speedhouse mindset, my vision of sports – positive, relaxed but serious, totally focused. And I am therefore happy to have him among us. There was a good feeling between us and his management.”
For Ranson, the move to Speedhouse represents a chance to learn from the best while tackling a car that demands total respect from the driver. “I am super excited to join Speedhouse,” Ranson noted. “I met Lucas during a test day, and it couldn’t be a better fit to join a team led by a two-time champion. The car is raw, powerful but balanced to drive and I’m looking forward to competing against the best in Europe and to bring Speedhouse to podiums!”
While Ranson brings the asphalt expertise, the team’s OPEN championship entry features a driver who is used to having his hands full behind the wheel. Finland’s Timonen is making the jump from the world of rally and extreme sports to the door-to-door intensity of circuit racing.
The 26-year-old background reads like an adrenaline junkie’s resume, featuring everything from snowmobiles and motocross to jet skis. Lasserre believes this diverse experience is exactly what will help the Finn master the “sliding trajectories” of a high-horsepower racer.
“Henri is a pure sportsman,” Lasserre explained. “He has a sense of the trajectories of sliding and the coordination of his movements. I am certain that with all of my technical staff, we will give him all the necessary tools to have a great season. I am convinced that our Speedhouse process is efficient and strong to build a strong racer.”
Timonen, managed by rally veteran Tapio Laukkanen, is under no illusions about the size of the task ahead, but he is greeting the challenge with Finnish “Sisu” – a unique brand of stoic determination.
“Moving from rally to the wheel of a NASCAR car is a huge and exhilarating challenge that I’ve been looking forward to with great interest,” Timonen said. “This series offers a completely new kind of speed, intense wheel-to-wheel racing, and fresh experiences that I can’t wait to dive into. I am really happy to jump on the Speedhouse Ford Mustang.”
As the green flag draws near, the 2026 season marks a high-stakes evolution for the Speedhouse organization. By pairing Ranson’s North American precision with Timonen’s fearless Nordic rally instincts, Lasserre has built a squad capable of disrupting the status quo. In a championship defined by grit and raw horsepower, this international duo is ready to prove that while their paths to the grid were worlds apart, their destination is exactly the same: the front of the pack.
Featured image by Speedhouse
