Following the NASCAR GP Spain, two Legend Trophy drivers – Claudio Cappelli and Melvin de Groot – are placed in the top-5 of the NASCAR Euro Series OPEN standings – Maxim van Laere currently leads the Master Trophy, while Happinessa is the current Lady Trophy leader
- In the overall OPEN standings, Claudio Cappelli is currently third, a position that also puts him in the lead for the Legend Trophy.
- In eighth place overall, Maxim van Laere took the lead in the Master Trophy standings
- Leading the Lady Trophy is Happinessa, who is currently positioned in 11th place
The 2026 NASCAR Euro Series season roared to life at Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, Spain, delivering thrilling action, particularly in the special classifications, which captivated the 22,000 spectators. Claudio Cappelli made a strong statement, not only securing the lead in the Legend Trophy for drivers aged 45 and older but also positioning himself as a contender for the overall title, currently sitting third in the OPEN standings. In the Master Trophy, Maxim van Laere – in his OPEN debut – took the top spot among the championship’s aspiring drivers, finishing eighth overall. Meanwhile, Happinessa claimed the lead in the Lady Trophy, achieving an 11th place overall finish.
Starting 17th on Saturday, Cappelli delivered a powerful performance in the first race, battling intensely with Melvin de Groot – another Legend Trophy competitor – to climb to third place and secure a podium finish and grab the bonus points for the most positions gained. De Groot finished the first race in fourth. Cappelli, the Italian roofer for CAAL Racing, maintained his strong form on Sunday by finishing sixth overall, again leading the special classification. This consistent performance propelled him to third in the overall standings, giving him an eight-point lead over de Groot, who races for Team Bleekemolen. Giovanni Faraonio currently holds third place in the class, sitting in ninth overall.
Maxim van Laere established a significant lead in the Master Trophy on Saturday with victories over both Valentino Gambarotto and Henri Timonen. However, Sandro Tavartkiladze responded strongly on Sunday, taking a class win. The Sunday podium saw Florian Richard and van Laere join the Georgian winner. In the overall standings, van Laere holds eighth place, with Dominique Schaak and Gambarotto completing the top three in the Master Trophy ranking.
Happinessa kicked off the weekend with a strong performance, securing a personal best eighth place overall and the Lady Trophy win on Saturday. The Rette Jones Racing by Hendriks driver overcame Beitske Visser, who finished despite a broken power steering unit and therefore the brutal race conditions. Marian Davitidze rounded out the top-3 in her NASCAR debut. On Sunday, Visser demonstrated her potential with a tenth-place overall finish. Happinessa and Davitidze, meanwhile, were locked in a race-long battle for 17th and 18th position. Happinessa managed to hold the class lead, classified 11th overall, just one point ahead of Visser. Davitidze completed the Lady Trophy rankings.
The iconic 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 Legend, Master and Lady Trophy titles.
Featured image by NASCAR Euro Series / Nina Weinbrenner
