Vinnie Meskelis ended his promising debut V8GP season with a major piece of silverware – The American with Brazilian roots relished the opportunity to compete in the top division of NASCAR Euro Series
- Vinnie Meskelis proved his speed with an inspiring duel against Paul Jouffreau in Belgium
- The Team Bleekemolen driver maximized a campaign that was kickstarted by the NASCAR Recruitment Test
- He proudly flies the flags of both America and Brazil on the Finals podium
V8GP, the top division of the NASCAR Euro Series, established a reputation as one of the best places for young talent to sharpen their skills. The challenge of mastering a 400 horsepower machine that delivered all of the power with no driving aids rapidly accelerated their growth as a driver, while the Junior Trophy provided them with an intense battleground that pushed them beyond their limits. As a result, many drivers from around the world wanted to give the official European NASCAR championship a try, leading to an ever rising presence that caught the attention of Vinnie Meskelis.
As a young driver looking for opportunities in a global stage, Meskelis was attracted to the allure of pure racing after finding information about the NASCAR Recruitment Test on social media. He enrolled himself to the Recruitment pipeline and experienced the pure growl of the V8 engines at Circuits de Vendee, the official NASCAR Euro Series test track. His flair behind the wheel was spectacular, and it didn’t take long for a senior figure to pay a closer look at the American driver who proudly carries his Brazilian roots to the track: European touring car legend and V8GP race winner Sebastiaan Bleekemolen.
Sensing the potential of the 20-year old, Bleekemolen provided Meskelis with a chance to go straight to V8GP with his family outfit Team Bleekemolen. An opportunity like this doesn’t come often and usually comes with a lot of pressure attached to it, but Meskelis immediately proved his elite status with a top-6 result in his very first qualifying at Spain. He faced a setback with an opening lap incident on Round 1 that forced him to start from the back in Round 2, but the driver of the #76 Toyota Camry was unfazed: Meskelis sliced his way through the field like butter and crossed the line in seventh at the end of the 18-lap thriller.
A maiden Junior Trophy podium was secured in the next round at Paul Ricard in France, followed by more silverwares in the UK and Czechia. Mechanical gremlins at the start of the double points Playoffs in Italy cost Meskelis a lot of ground against his Junior Trophy rivals, but he struck back with vengeance in Belgium. A return to the class podium on the first Finals race was followed by an epic drive in Finals 2, where he took the battle to Paul Jouffreau down to the wire.
The American-Brazilian came up short, but it was a statement result: His first overall podium and a new best finish of second, just 0.375 seconds away from the Frenchman that clinched his third consecutive Junior Trophy crown. This brought Meskelis’ tally of class podiums up to six – a noble achievement for a youngster in his first season of NASCAR Euro Series racing. The Dallas native is still waiting for his first Junior Trophy and overall victory, a feat that will come in due time for one of the most promising NASCAR Recruitment Test graduates.
“We heard about the NASCAR Euro Series in December of last year through social media,” Meskelis said. “I heard about the young drivers Recruitment Test, so I filled out an application and then I got invited! I had a really great showing at the Test and they provided me with the opportunity to race full time. It’s a very unique opportunity and it felt like the best option for us to do. The season has been amazing and it’s a very good foundation for my career!”
Featured image by NASCAR Euro Series / Bart Dehaese
