Gil Linster accepts the challenge of competing in both V8GP and OPEN at Vallelunga – Nicolas Maunoir and Marc-Antoine D’Amour are set for maiden outings with Team Bleekemolen
- Gil Linster joins the V8GP division with Rette Jones Racing by Hendriks
- Schedule clash prevents Logan Bearden from competing in Italy
- Team Bleekemolen adds the talented duo of Nicolas Maunoir and Marc-Antoine D’Amour
The NASCAR GP Italy signaled the start of the home stretch in the intense 2026 NASCAR Euro Series season. Drivers and teams will be tested to their limit as they try to maximize the four Playoffs races that award double points, all while the roar of the tifosi’s will be felt from the grandstands at Autodromo di Vallelunga. Plenty of competitors have prepared themselves for the Playoffs drama with their participation in the regular season, but for some, the NASCAR GP Italy will be a dive into the unknown.
Gil Linster has accumulated plenty of Playoffs experience through his long career in the OPEN division. The Hendriks Motorsport driver is one of OPEN’s primary title protagonists, but his return to Italy will be more than just a title hunt. The 32-year old is embarking on his first double duty weekend as he steps in to not only his usual #50 Ford Mustang, but also the #30 Ford Mustang entered by partner team Rette Jones Racing.
Rette Jones Racing by Hendriks normally featured the pair of Logan Bearden in V8GP and Happinessa in OPEN, but Bearden will be absent in Italy due to a clash with the Texan’s commitments in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. With the #30 team still fighting for the Endurance Teams Championship, Hendriks offered Linster the opportunity to make his V8GP debut and the Luxembourger took it with both hands. While Linster will be considered as a non-championship contender for his V8GP appearance, his contribution for the #30 team will keep them in the chase for the Endurance Teams title.
While Hendriks Motorsport opted to give their long-time veteran his first V8GP opportunity, Team Bleekemolen will have a new pair of rookies joining their ranks. Swiss racer Nicolas Maunoir will bring his wealthy experience in both drifting and sports car racing to the elite cast of V8GP, where he is set for his debut in the #72 Toyota Camry. Michael Bleekemolen, who raced the #72 in the Czech Republic, will instead move to the Dutch team’s new #75 Toyota Camry squad that will feature another debutant: Canadian Marc-Antoine D’Amour, who will make his first steps in the OPEN division. Both debutants entered the Playoffs as non-championship drivers.
The NASCAR GP Italy also welcomes back Kenko Miura, who is fresh from his oval debut in the United States with Akinori Performance. The Japanese will continue his pursuit for silverware in both V8GP and OPEN with Team Japan Needs 24. Sven van Laere and Beitske Visser completed the list of changes with van Laere’s V8GP debut with CAAL Racing and Visser’s move to Team Bleekemolen.
All of the returns will spice up the exciting Playoffs Semi-Final weekend even further, for which fans can secure their free tickets action firsthand at the circuit. If you are unable to make it to the Autodromo di Vallelunga, then be sure to check out www.nascar.eu/watch to catch every session live on their preferred broadcast platform.
Featured image by NASCAR Euro Series / Bart Dehaese
