NASCAR GP Croatia Preview: NWES ready to rock Automotodrom Grobnik for the first time

On November 14-15 the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series will visit Automotodrom Grobnik and the Croatian Riviera for Rounds 5 & 6 of the 2020 season. 45 drivers and 22 teams entered the first ever NASCAR GP Croatia. Four exciting and thrilling races – two in each championship – will represent the turning point of the 2020 season.

An action-packed 3-day-program featuring EuroNASCAR PRO, EuroNASCAR 2 and Club Challenge – the regularity-based challenge of EuroNASCAR – will highlight the weekend at the 4.168 kilometer, 18-turn road course. Located in the North of Croatia close to the beautiful city of Rijeka, Automotodrom Grobnik will put drivers and teams to the test and provide door-to-door battles across the field.

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In EuroNASCAR PRO two-time champion Alon Day leads the championship after delivering his first win of the season at Circuit Zolder. The Israeli and his PK Carsport team finished four times inside the top-5 in four races and collected 142 points. The Monster Energy athlete is poised to consolidate his points lead and keep the red Whelen banner on the windshield of the #24 Camaro. 

It will not be easy for Day against a competition that’s stronger than ever before. Junior Trophy leader Lasse Soerensen, who grabbed his first EuroNASCAR PRO win at Zolder in what was only his third start among in the top category of NWES, leads the chase to the 2-time champion. The DF1 Racing driver from Denmark has a 10-point gap to fill to grab the championship lead. Gianmarco Ercoli is third just one point further back, while reigning EuroNASCAR PRO champion Loris Hezemans sits in fourth ahead of Stienes Longin and Francesco Sini, who are tied at -23 from Day. 

Despite not having won a EuroNASCAR 2 race yet in the 2020 season, Vittorio Ghirelli leads the overall standings with 133 points in the most unpredictable NWES championship. The Italian convinced with his strong consistency at the wheel of the #18 Hendriks Motorsport Ford Mustang. Vallelunga double winner Tobias Dauenhauer is second only 2 points shy of his teammate and in the lead in the Rookie Trophy classification. 

With four top-10 results in his pockets, Feed Vict Racing’s Alessandro Brigatti is third with a gap of only 3 points from the championship leader, while Vladimiros Tziortzis from Cyprus and Guillaume Dumarey from Belgium round out the top-5. As the top-20 in EuroNASCAR 2 is separated by only 78 points, the battle for the title is exciting as always in the NWES championship for young talents and gentlemen drivers.

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 NASCAR GP Croatia 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 and Kreator TV. 

EuroNASCAR PRO 

Niko Pulic makes NWES debut – The multiple Hillclimb champion, a motorsport legend in Croatia, will make his NWES debut at the wheel of the #1 Alex Caffi Motorsport – Race Art Technology Ford Mustang at his home track of Grobnik. 

Wilfried Boucenna set for comeback – The 2009 champion will be back on the grid for Rounds 5 & 6 of the 2020 NWES season. Boucenna will take the wheel of the #46 Marko Stipp Motorsport Chevrolet Camaro, competing in EuroNASCAR PRO for the first time since 2018 . 

Simon Pilate to make EuroNASCAR PRO debut – At just 18 years of age and with only four races in his resume, FeedVict Racing’s Simon Pilate will have the unique opportunity to prove himself among the best drivers in Europe by pulling double duties at Grobnik.

EuroNASCAR 2 

Four rookies inside the top-10 – The EuroNASCAR 2 championship proves again to be the most unpredictable NWES championship with four rookies inside the top-10 – all still in the hunt for the title. Dauenhauer leads the Rookie Trophy ahead of Tziortzis in fourth, Julia Landauer in ninth and Andreas Jochimsen in tenth. 

Martin Doubek hungry for more  – The Czech won both races at Circuit Zolder and stepped atop the podium for the first time in his career. Despite not racing at his home track of Most in 2020, Doubek is ready to add another win to his records and close the gap to the top after missing Rounds 1 & 2 at Autodromo di Vallelunga. 

Close battle for the Legend Trophy – After grabbing her best ever NWES result at Circuit Zolder with a fifth place, Arianna Casoli is leading the Legend and Lady Trophy in sixth place overall. Eric Quintal is second in the special classification for drivers aged 40+ only 4 points shy of the Italian CAAL Racing driver.

NWES PR