All three trophy leaders in the NASCAR Euro Series OPEN division will spend the summer break locked in the overall top-10 – Claudio Cappelli, Maxim van Laere, and Beitske Visser are in the spotlight
- Claudio Cappelli leads Melvin de Groot in the battle for the Legend Trophy
- Maxim van Laere tops the Master Trophy in front of Dominique Schaak
- Beitske Visser is the fastest Lady Trophy driver, besting Happinessa
Three special classifications within the NASCAR Euro Series OPEN championship are delivering edge-of-your-seat battles across the entire grid, showcasing a thrilling mix of veteran gentleman drivers, rising stars, and elite talent.
In the Legend Trophy for drivers aged 45 and over, Claudio Cappelli holds the point lead over his arch-rival Melvin de Groot. Meanwhile, OPEN rookie Maxim van Laere has captured the upper hand in the Master Trophy against experienced racer Dominique Schaak. In the Lady Trophy, NASCAR newcomer Beitske Visser sits atop the standings ahead of reigning class champion Happinessa as the series heads into the summer break.
It’s not just a battle of ages, but a rivalry for the ages. Cappelli and de Groot have been the main protagonists in the Legend Trophy for several seasons now. Their duel continued in the NASCAR GP UK, where Cappelli took both class wins from de Groot in the tricky conditions at Brands Hatch. After three action-packed events, they head into the summer break separated by a mere 16 points. Andre Lortie sits in a strong third place in the class rankings, while Francesco Leogrande, Giovanni Faraonio, Kenko Miura, Federico Monti, and Michael Bleekemolen round out the highly competitive special classification.
The Master Trophy is designed to spotlight young talent and up-and-coming drivers, and one rookie has been the benchmark all season long: Maxim van Laere. The son of gentleman driver Sven van Laere entered the OPEN championship on a tear, spending the summer break inside the top-10 of the overall standings and firmly on top of his class rankings. Van Laere holds a 20-point advantage over Schaak. Florian Richard currently runs third, followed by a hungry pack consisting of Ossi Pohjanharju, NASCAR GP UK double Master Trophy winner Sandro Tavartkiladze, Henri Timonen, Valentino Gambarotto, Jens Beeusaert, and Olivier Deschamps.
With Robin Bleekemolen joining the OPEN division grid for the very first time at Brands Hatch, the number of Lady Trophy contenders has risen to four. The Dutch driver swept the weekend, winning both races in her class debut. However, Visser remains the dominant female driver of 2026. The Dutch holds a spot in the overall top-10 and maintains a 22-point cushion over reigning Lady Trophy champion Happinessa. Mariam Davitidze follows in third, while Bleekemolen ranks fourth – considering she has just two races on her tally compared to the six races completed by the rest of the field.
When the garage doors reopen after the summer break, the regular season will reach its thrilling conclusion at the Autodrom Most in Czechia on August 29-30. Following the checkered flag, drivers will drop their worst single result of the season before gridlock tightens for the high-stakes, double-points playoffs at Vallelunga (Italy) and Zolder (Belgium). Keep your eyes glued to these trophy contenders. They aren’t just fighting for class glory – they are trading paint and highlighting the incredible battles from the front of the pack to the deep midfield in the deepest, most competitive NASCAR Euro Series grid in history.
Featured by NASCAR Euro Series / Nina Weinbrenner
