NASCAR GP Czech Republic at the Autodrom Most created highlight reel moments from its first edition in 2019 – More memories will be made when the 2026 edition goes to green on 29-30 August
- NASCAR Euro Series will return to the Czech Republic on 29-30 August
- NASCAR GP Czech Republic delivered fantastic events in every year
- The moments from Autodrom Most helped to establish new stars of European NASCAR
Autodrom Most is set to welcome the NASCAR Euro Series on 29-30 August 2026 for the seventh edition of the NASCAR GP Czech Republic. The 4.212 kilometer track overlooked by the historic Hnevin Castle is highly anticipated by not only the competitors, who are eager to get back in business for the last round of the regular season at the end of the summer break, but also by the fans for the highlight reels that it created every year.
The memories were created right from NASCAR Euro Series’ first visit to the Czech Republic in 2019. Competitors were faced with a circuit unlike any other: Autodrom Most featured 21 corners that combined both fast sweepers and slow technical sections. A careful act of balancing between the two distinctly different track characteristics is needed to maximize the results, something that Loris Hezemans found out the hard way: The Dutchman was denied the chance to become the first NASCAR winner at Czechia when he missed his shift and blew his engine. It ultimately didn’t stop Hezemans on his way to his first V8GP title, but it did hand over the win to his Italian rival Nicolo Rocca.
Worldwide pandemic prevented NASCAR Euro Series from racing at Most in 2020, but all hell broke loose when European NASCAR returned in 2021. Rain began to fall shortly after the V8GP drivers started their first race and it only intensified as the laps ticked down. This necessitated the drivers to change their tires from slicks to wet weather rubber mid-race, creating a situation that has never been seen before or since.
This unforeseen situation gave the spotlight to one of racing’s most important personnels: The team mechanics. Faced with this extremely rare occasion, they beautifully danced their way through a busy pit road and raced against the clock to put all four wet tires so that they could send out their drivers without losing too much time against their rivals.
NASCAR GP Czech Republic has also given plenty of spotlight to the new blood of talent. Their success at Autodrom Most helped to pave their path to become stars of the V8GP division. This is best exemplified by Paul Jouffreau, who put his name on the map when he secured one of the biggest upsets in 2023.
In a mixed weather race, the then 19-year old Frenchman gambled on the slicks and fended off Vittorio Ghirelli to become the youngest winner of V8GP. The win set the stage for not only his rise to the top of V8GP, but also marked the beginning of his on-track rivalry with Ghirelli that helped define NASCAR Euro Series racing in the years that followed.
Two years later, another driver gained the attention of the sport’s top echelons with his performance: Jordan O’Brien took advantage of an early incident in the first OPEN race to storm his way to the lead in the underdog Club Competition machine. He saw the checkered flag first in a hard fought duel with Thomas Krasonis, but a penalty denied a dream first victory for the Las Vegas native. Despite this heartbreak, his result caught the eyes of Hendriks Motorsport, who signed O’Brien to V8GP in 2026. The American has since established himself as one of the primary contenders for the overall title and will be one of the drivers to watch in this year’s NASCAR GP.
There have also been years where it’s the veterans who got to entertain the fans with their stunning drives. Sebastiaan Bleekemolen made his breakthrough in European NASCAR when he visited the Victory Lane in 2022, a win that confirmed his and Team Bleekemolen’s status as part of the sport’s elite. Local star Martin Doubek has scored two wins at his home ground, but the second one in 2024 was notable for his three-way duel with Melvin de Groot and Patrick Schober. The home hero outfoxed his OPEN rivals with not only meticulous car control, but also the support from the loyal Czech fans that cheered Doubek in every part of the circuit.
Doubek’s win cemented his path to his second title, etching the Litomstyl native in the history books as the first driver to win two overall championships in the OPEN division. His triumphs helped to foster a dedicated Czech fanbase and bring NASCAR to the mainstream. Czech president Petr Pavel paid the paddock a visit in 2025 to not only celebrate the achievements of his fellow countryman, but also to acknowledge NASCAR’s rapid ascent as one of the major motorsport divisions in Europe.
The growth of NASCAR racing in the Czech Republic will only continue once the NASCAR GP Czech Republic starts on 29-30 August. What memories will pure racing create in the last round of the 2026 regular season? Don’t miss out on the chance to experience the roar of V8 thunders live by purchasing attendance tickets from the official Autodrom Most website. If you can’t attend the American festival, then stay tuned to nascar.eu/watch where you can find out the broadcasting partners that will bring all the action to your TV screens.
Featured image by NASCAR Euro Series / Bart Dehaese
