Jens Beeusaert stepped up from the Recruitment Test and Rookie Challenge to become one of the fastest talents in OPEN – The Belgian is working hard to be in the front after the summer break
- Jens Beeusaert climbed the NASCAR Euro Series career ladder fast
- From the NASCAR Recruitment Test and the Rookie Challenge he made the step to OPEN competition
- The youngster wants to make the next step in the second half of the season
Every season, a breakout star completely resets what we expect from a rookie. This year, that star is Jens Beeusaert. Having only started his racing career in karts back in 2021 at the age of 14, the Belgian prodigy has experienced a meteoric rise.
After discovering the NASCAR Euro Series via an official Recruitment Test, he made his full car-racing debut this season. He immediately turned heads in Spain, surviving a grueling, record-breaking 17-driver field at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo to capture a tiebreaker podium in the Rookie Challenge.
“I discovered the NASCAR Euro Series thanks to the official NASCAR Recruitment Test,” Beeusaert noted, reflecting on his rapid arrival. “This is my first season of car racing. I only started racing and karting in 2021 when I was 14 years old.”
His performance at Valencia signaled the arrival of a major talent, prompting a rapid mid-season step up to the ultra-competitive OPEN division with Italian squad Club Competition. Transitions of this magnitude normally come with a steep learning curve, but Beeusaert made his presence felt instantly behind the wheel of his #19 Toyota Camry at Circuit Paul Ricard.
“The move from the Rookie Challenge to the OPEN class is definitely a big step up, but for me, the transition went quite smoothly,” Beeusaert said. “The experience I gained in the Rookie Challenge prepared me really well for making my debut in the OPEN championship this year at Paul Ricard.”
That initial track time proved to be the ultimate catalyst. Rather than merely logging laps to get comfortable, Beeusaert went straight on the attack and made an immediate impact in the Master Trophy, the sub-championship designed for the grid’s emerging stars.
“Because of the experience in the Rookie Challenge, I was able to immediately fight for the win in the Master Trophy, the class for talented drivers,” Beeusaert explained. “The Rookie Challenge definitely gave me a strong foundation to be able to be competitive straight away.”
This adaptation is even more remarkable when the sheer nature of a EuroNASCAR stock car is taken into consideration. With 400 horsepower, a five-speed sequential gearbox, and zero electronic driver aids like traction control or ABS, these V8 monsters are famously punishing. Yet, it is precisely this raw, old-school mechanical character that has captured the young rookie’s imagination.
“For me, it’s really the combination of the competition and the cars,” said Beeusaert. “The level of competition is extremely high and the racing is always really close, which makes it a lot of fun. The cars themselves are also amazing to drive. They’re challenging, but they allow for a lot of side-by-side racing and good battles on track, which is something I really enjoy and makes the races such a spectacle.”
That fearless approach to close-quarters racing paid off handsomely during the high-speed rounds in France and the UK. Trading paint with seasoned veterans at Brands Hatch Indy Circuit, the long-time home for the American SpeedFest, Beeusaert even managed to set the provisional fastest lap during Round 6, eventually coming home with a brilliant personal best of two eighth-place finishes.
With the grid now in the middle of its traditional summer break, the Club Competition driver isn’t resting on his laurels. To prepare for the second half of the calendar, he is executing a dual-pronged training regime designed to keep both his mind and body performing at an elite level.
“During the summer break, I’ll be practicing on the sim using the new Euro NASCAR V8GP car on iRacing to stay sharp even when there are no real races,” Beeusaert revealed. “It’s a great way to maintain the rhythm and stay in racing mode mentally.”
But simulation work is only half the battle when it comes to steering a heavy stock car through high-G corners. To combat the physical toll, Beeusaert is returning to his roots.
“On top of that, I’ll be driving shifter karts during the summer to stay physically sharp,” he added. “That combination helps me stay ready for the second half of the season, where I’m hoping to keep progressing and move further up the field.”
Given how quickly he has adapted from lightweight karts to the heavy iron of the NASCAR Euro Series, the rest of the OPEN class paddock should be on high alert when the engines fire back up at Autodrom Most for the NASCAR GP Czech Republic on 29-30 August.
Featured image by NASCAR Euro Series / Nina Weinbrenner
