Garrett Lowe scored his maiden NASCAR Euro Series Junior Trophy win in V8GP at Circuit Ricardo Tormo – Rookie Giovanni Cartechini is the leading Challenger Trophy driver
- Garrett Lowe leads the Junior Trophy ranks after two V8GP at Valencia
- The American scored his maiden win in the special classification
- Giovanni Cartechini was the best Challenger Trophy driver in Spain
Garrett Lowe’s weekend in the NASCAR Euro Series was a remarkable comeback story. Despite technical issues during Qualifying, the American driver in the #99 BS+BREMOTION Chevrolet Camaro impressively fought his way into the top-10 in Saturday’s first V8GP race. Sunday saw Lowe battling reigning champion Vittorio Ghirelli for the lead, ultimately securing a second-place finish and, crucially, winning the Junior Trophy for drivers aged 25 and under for the first time. Meanwhile, Giovanni Cartechnini led the Challenger Trophy for elite amateur V8GP drivers after earning the most points across the two NASCAR GP held in Spain.
Lowe executed a remarkable drive in Saturday’s race, climbing from 24th on the grid to secure a seventh-place finish. This impressive gain earned the Charlotte native the four bonus points for the most positions recovered. In the Junior Trophy standings, he claimed third place, trailing only Paul Jouffreau (2nd) and Jack Davidson (5th). His strong performance continued on Sunday, where a fast lap time during the race qualified the hybrid racer to start third for the NASCAR GP Spain. He capitalized on a race of attrition – seeing leaders like Gianmarco Ercoli, Paul Jouffreau, and Jordan O’Brien fall victim to technical issues – to cross the finish line in second place, right behind the reigning champion, Ghirelli.
Lowe, the 24-year-old American driver, is a significant contender for the V8GP title this season, building on his successful 2025 rookie season, which saw him score his first podium results. He has demonstrated a smooth transition from sim to real-world racing. His recent maiden Junior Trophy win puts him second in the overall classification, just five points behind the Italian driving the #24 Chevrolet. Furthermore, Lowe leads the Junior Trophy class standings, ahead of Davidson in fourth and Thomas Krasonis in seventh. Keep an eye on this rising star.
The 2026 Challenger Trophy kicked off with Japanese sensation Kenko Miura taking the first class win on Saturday. He finished the race 12th overall, ahead of Carthechini and former Formula One driver Alex Caffi. Sunday’s race saw a reversal of fortune, with Carthechini claiming the Challenger Trophy victory, finishing 14th overall. He beat Caffi and Speedhouse rookie Brad Ranson. Thanks to his consistent performance, including a class win, Carthechini now leads the Challenger Trophy standings. Notably, Carthechini, who is a main sponsor of the CAAL Racing team, is competing in his very first NASCAR season.
The legendary Circuit Paul Ricard in Le Castellet, France, will host the next stop of the 2026 NASCAR Euro Series season: the two NASCAR GP France on May 23-24. Anticipate fierce competition throughout the field, especially among the drivers vying for the Junior and Challenger Trophy titles.
Featured image by NASCAR Euro Series / Nina Weinbrenner
