NASCAR GP Italy Preview: All roads lead to Rome

On September 12-13 the 2020 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series season will finally kick off with a bang at the Autodromo di Vallelunga in Rome, Italy. The Italian track will host a NASCAR GP for the first time with four races – two of the EuroNASCAR PRO and two of the EuroNASCAR 2 championship – and an action-packed two-day program.

25 cars and 45 drivers figure in the Delphix / NSR American Festival of Rome entry list. Italy will be the most represented country with 15 drivers. 

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Located just north of Italy’s capital Rome, the The 4.085 km road course of Vallelunga is entitled to Formula 1 legend Piero Taruffi. It features a mix of high speed straights and technical corners that will squeeze the best out of all NWES drivers. The unique “Pure Racing” style of EuroNASCAR will be back on track. Who will bring home the first wins in the hunt for the NWES championship ring?

In EuroNASCAR PRO, Loris Hezemans is poised to defend the NWES title he won in a dominant fashion during the 2019 season. The youngest EuroNASCAR PRO champion in history will will return to Hendriks Motorsport to drive the #50 Ford Mustang. The competition will once again be fierce, thanks to an entry list featuring at least 10 drivers who won at least one NWES race, a Formula 1 champion and a plethora of world-class drivers.

Along the years, the EuroNASCAR 2 championship proved to be the most unpredictable of the two NWES categories and 2019 was no exception and the title was decided at Circuit Zolder in the very last corner of the final race. With champion Lasse Soerensen and runner-up Giorgio Maggi both headed to EuroNASCAR PRO, a new champion will be crowned at the end of the 2020 campaign. Young talents and gentlemen drivers from around the world will try to get their hands on the trophy for the delight of the fans. 

Despite the event being held without public due to the restrictions to contrast the spreading of the COVID-19 pandemic, fans will be able to enjoy the first edition of the Delphix / NSR American Festival Of Rome on the EuroNASCAR social media platforms. All four races will be streamed live on EuroNASCAR’s YouTube channel, Facebook page and Twitch profile as well as on Motorsport.tv. 

EuroNASCAR PRO

Villeneuve with a new team to the grid – Jacques Villeneuve will return to EuroNASCAR as a driver and team co-owner of Feed Vict Racing, the new organization he founded with Patrick Lemarie, Dario Caso and Onofrio Veneziani. The former Formula 1 champion will drive the #5 Chevrolet Camaro, while Patrick Lemarie will take over the wheel of the #6 car and Dario Caso will pilot the #8 Camaro. 

New General Tire tyres improve performance and durability – NASCAR Whelen Euro Series’ official partner General Tire will bring new slick and wet tires to the track in Vallelunga. The new evolution of the General Tire product will set a new benchmark both in performance and durability and make for an even more interesting season. 

Silly season shakeup among the top teams – Several top drivers changed seats in between 2019 and 2020. Alon Day went from CAAL Racing to PK Carsport, the Italian team signed Gianmarco Ercoli and Marc Goossens, while Nicolo Rocca moved from PK Carsport to DF1 Racing. Will they adapt quickly to a new environment and challenge for the win?

EuroNASCAR 2

13 rookies on track – With no less than 13 rookies on the grid, it’s almost impossible to predict who the front runners will be at the Autodromo di Vallelunga. Only three drivers – Nicholas Risitano, Vittorio Ghirelli and Guillaume Dumarey – in the entry list have a NWES win in their resume and experience may play a key role in the first part of the season.

ENES winner among the title candidates – EuroNASCAR Esports Series champion Andre Castro  switched colors for the 2020 season. The American joined DF1 Racing to drive the #22 Chevrolet Camaro. After falling short several times in 2019, the 21-year-old New York native will chase his first win and the title. 

Julia Landauer joins NWES – After racing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series and in the NASCAR Pinty’s Series and being selected for the 2016 NASCAR Next class, American NASCAR driver Julia Landauer will race full-time in EuroNASCAR 2 with PK Carsport with the ambition of becoming the first female NWES champion.

NWES PR