A role model for women in motorsports: Arianna Casoli returns to Speedhouse - Speedway Digest

“I want to be respected as a female racer,” said Arianna Casoli, who will return to the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series in 2024 with French organization Speedhouse. The Italian will be competing in her ninth EuroNASCAR 2 season, once again driving the #14 Ford Mustang for Lucas Lasserre’s team. The 50-year-old is the most successful female driver in EuroNASCAR history and wants to be a role model for young girls looking to make their way to the top level of motorsports.

With a total of 91 starts since 2016, Casoli is a true veteran in Europe’s official NASCAR series. The Reggio Emilia native leads the all-time Lady Trophy wins list with 42 first-place finishes and has also brought home three Legend Trophy victories – the special class for drivers aged 40 and over. At home she has four Lady Trophies and one Legend Trophy for her overall wins in the EuroNASCAR 2 classes in which she has competed. In 2024, Casoli is looking to add more silverware to her trophy cabinet in both classes.

More importantly, the Italian wants to show that women can be successful, respected and an integral part of a racing paddock. Motorsport has long been a male-dominated sport, but for years more and more women have been climbing the ranks of international racing to compete at the highest levels. Casoli started racing late, but still developed the speed to compete for class wins and become a significant driver in EuroNASCAR.

“The NASCAR format and my team led by Lucas Lasserre are the reasons why I’m back,” said Casoli after signing her contract with Speedhouse. “We have a cool but professional spirit on the team. I want to be respected as a female driver and as a woman! Since I have been a part of the NASCAR paddock, I have received amazing feedback from my followers. They tell me that I’m an example to them and their children as a role model in an international racing series – both professionally and personally.”

A communications manager and graphic designer outside the track, she is not only fast behind the wheel. Casoli has a degree in architecture and has also worked as a theme park designer. She’s a brand image consultant and has been a graphic designer for 25 years. The famous gecko on her car was designed by her and it’s her signature logo, loved by her vast fan base around the world. Casoli will give everything to prove that racing is not just for men and boys, but also for fast girls and women. She wants to be an example that young female drivers can achieve their dreams and be successful in motorsport.

Lasserre added: “As a team owner, I’m happy to confirm Arianna Casoli for the 2024 season and beyond aboard the #14 Ford Mustang. This will be our third year together and I’m excited to have her with us. Ary [Casoli’s nickname] is an integral part of the team and an important element for us. Our goals are to win our second Legend Trophy title and our fifth Lady Trophy overall. We also want to make progress in the EuroNASCAR 2 overall standings.”

“We support Ary’s commitment as a female driver competing in a male-dominated championship,” said Lasserre. “Arianna has a wealth of experience in EuroNASCAR and will bring a great atmosphere to the team with her smile. I will use all my experience to personally coach Ary and achieve all our goals. Ary, you are Speedhouse!” Lasserre has been part of EuroNASCAR since the series’ inception in 2009 and the arrival of NASCAR in 2012.

Casoli said: “I had a tough end to the 2023 season as I had problems with my right shoulder. I had to work hard to recover in a short amount of time during the off-season. I can’t wait to get back behind the wheel of a NASCAR car. Being a part of Speedhouse is more than just racing. Motorsports is passion, it’s engineering, it’s marketing, it’s communication, it’s achieving goals. We can only do that when the right people are together. That’s why I’m so proud of the Speedhouse team. I never grew up wanting to be a racer, but I accept the challenge to get better. I love getting a dose of pure racing and pushing a race car to its limits. “

Speedhouse also confirmed the comeback of Austria’s Andreas Kuchelbacher. The 2017 Club Challenge Champion will return to the regularity test in pursuit of his second title. The 44-year-old loves “the atmosphere and the old-school pure racing” of EuroNASCAR. The entrepreneur has plenty of experience behind the wheel of a 400-horsepower V8 beast with no electronic aids, and he wants to be the most consistent driver in the 2024 Club Challenge season, which consists of five rounds across Europe. “I want to win my second title after 2017,” he said.

The 2024 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series season kicks off on April 13-14 at Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, Spain. All races will be broadcast live on EuroNASCAR’s YouTube channel and numerous TV channels from all around the world.

NWES PR