For the fourth time in its history, the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series heads to Autodrom Most for the NASCAR GP Czech Republic. The Most NASCAR Fest will offer a host of off-track attractions for racing enthusiasts and the entire family and a colorful racing schedule on track. Four European NASCAR races – two in each championship – will highlight the exciting program. After the summer break, drivers will intensify their approach to earn important points towards the 2023 championship battles and tempers may flare as the season hits its crucial time. The 4.212-kilometer track guarantees spectacular door-to-door battles, and tens of thousands of fans at the track and at home are expecting an epic event close to the Czech-German border.
The 21-turn Autodrom Most features a rich history in motor racing since it opened its gate back in 1983 but the city was already known for hosting car and bike races even before it broke ground for today’s circuit back in 1978. Since then dozens of auto, truck and motorbike championships visited the race track for championship rounds but Autodrom Most is also very popular among race car makers for testing and development as the unique layout offers plenty of diversion with fast, flowing parts and a technical slow sector. The race track also offers plenty of excitement for drivers and the fans with many overtaking possibilities.
Vittorio Ghirelli and Sebastiaan Bleekemolen are the only two drivers boasting a EuroNASCAR PRO win at Autodrom Most, while Tobias Dauenhauer and Alberto Naska both feature two wins at the Czech track in EuroNASCAR 2.
EuroNASCAR PRO
The reigning King of Brands Hatch and Vallelunga race winner, Gianmarco Ercoli, visits the track as the championship leader. With two wins in the United Kingdom and another victory in Italy under his belt, the CAAL Racing driver is eager to extend his championship lead and build up a comfortable cushion before the two worst results of the regular season are dropped at the end of the NASCAR GP Germany. Despite his three race wins, the Rome-native driver is only twelve points ahead of Valencia race winner and Speedhouse driver-owner Lucas Lasserre, who recharged his batteries during summer break to strike back and challenge Ercoli for the prestigious EuroNASCAR PRO title.
Another title contender sits in third place, just 25 points behind Ercoli: Anthony Kumpen. The two-time champion and PK Carsport team manager will be back in the #24 Chevrolet Camaro to fight for his first win of the season. So far, the Belgian has impressed with his consistency, scoring three top-5 and five top-10 finishes in six races. After getting his first win of the season with Team Bleekemolen in Italy, Vittorio Ghirelli sits in fourth ahead of CAAL Racing’s Marc Goossens, another experienced driver, who rounds out the top-5.
Five points separate Speedhouse’s Ulysse Delsaux and Academy / Alex Caffi Motorsports’ Vladimiros Tziortzis in sixth and seventh. The Frenchman and Cypriot fight for glory in the Junior Trophy dedicated to drivers aged 25 and under, but both want to make the next step and join the overall championship battle. Fabrizio Armetta shares eleventh place with Giorgio Maggi and leads the Challenger Trophy ranks for elite amateur drivers in EuroNASCAR PRO. The Italian driver for The Club Motorsports has a comfortable lead over Riccardo Romagnoli and Max Lanza but cannot afford any mistake if he wants to keep the lead.
EuroNASCAR 2
The domination of Vladimiros Tziortzis got its first crack in Italy, where Alberto Naska and Paul Jouffreau split the weekend wins at Autodromo di Vallelunga but still, the Cypriot driving the #5 Academy / Alex Caffi Motorsport EuroNASCAR FJ is leading the EuroNASCAR 2 standings. After collecting four race wins in a row at the beginning of the season, Tziortzis is 13 points ahead of Naska and 17 points ahead of Jouffreau, who scored his maiden NASCAR win at the race track close to Rome. After grabbing his first podium finish of the season, Gil Linster is fourth and hungry for more in a season that is highlighting his strong consistency with Hendriks Motorsport.
The best Rookie Trophy driver so far is Thomas Dombrowski in fifth overall. The Frenchman took five out of six possible wins in the special classification for newcomers in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series second division. The Team Bleekemolen driver is ahead of Marko Stipp Motorsport drivers Nick Schneider and Jack Davidson who sit in tenth and eleventh respectively. Claudio Cappelli leads the Legend Trophy standings for drivers aged 40 and over ahead of 73-year-old Michael Bleekemolen and Riccardo Romagnoli, while the best female driver on the grid is Arianna Casoli in 15th.
On Friday, the Club Challenge will be back in action for Round 3 of the 2023 NWES season. Ten drivers are entered for the regularity test, with two champions on the grid – Gordon Barnes and Alain Mosqueron – looking to win a record-breaking third title. Barnes made it to Victory Lane in Italy but still has a lot of work to do to defend his title after he struggled at the season opener in Spain. All of the action from the Most NASCAR Fest, August 26-27, will be broadcast live on EuroNASCAR’s YouTube channel, Motorsport.tv and various TV services around the world. Qualifying and all races will be broadcast live on Saturday and Sunday.
EuroNASCAR PRO
Local hero to pull double duty – Czech’s favorite and 2021 EuroNASCAR 2 champion Martin Doubek will drive the #7 Hendriks Motorsport Ford Mustang in both championships.
Michaela Dorcikova’s comeback – The Slovakian, who’s living in the Czech Republic, joins Academy / Alex Caffi Motorsport in EuroNASCAR PRO to form an all-female team.
Yevgen Sokolovskiy is back – Marko Stipp Motorsport will field two cars once again and the Ukrainian will return at the wheel of the #48 Chevrolet Camaro.
EuroNASCAR 2
Alina Loibnegger joins Bremotion – After racing the first half of the season in EuroNASCAR PRO with Racingfuel Motorsport, the Austrian will join Bremotion from Germany at Autodrom Most and return to EuroNASCAR 2.
Stefani Mogorovic set for NASCAR debut – 20-year Croatian driver Stefani Mogorovic will make her debut after testing the NWES car earlier in 2023 and will face Arianna Casoli and Alina Loibnegger in the Lady Trophy.
Matthias Hauer returns – Being a crucial part of Speedhouse’s program, the German will return to the action to fight for the Legend Trophy win.
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