Get ready for an exciting journey as we dive into the world of NASCAR Euro Series! The battle for pole positions at Zolder's NASCAR Euro Series Open and Pro Divisions is a thrilling tale of skill and strategy.
In the heart of Belgium, under the warm autumn sun, the NASCAR Whelen Euroseries concluded its season with a challenging qualifying round and an intense first race-heat over 75 kilometers. The former Belgian Grand Prix track at Zolder-Terlaemen set the stage for an unforgettable weekend.
But here's where it gets controversial... Reigning Euro Champion Vittorio Ghirelli and his PK-Motorsport Chevy Camaro dominated, securing the best starting spot in qualifying and the Superpole shoot-out. Despite his rivals' best efforts, Ghirelli set the benchmark. Frenchman Paul Jouffreau, Dutchman Bruno Mulders, and American SIM-Racer Garrett Lowe followed closely behind, with Swiss driver Thomas Toffel rounding out the top five.
Rette-Jones/Team Hendriks-Motorsport's Liam Hezemans secured a solid seventh position with his Ford Mustang, ahead of the Italian duo of Gianmarco Ercoli and Fabrizio Armetta. The last spot in the Superpole-Qualifying/Shootout went to German driver Julien Rehberg.
Despite having a reliable Chevrolet Camaro, Ryan Vargas, representing the German Marko Stipp-Team, started from 16th overall. "The car is fine, no issues, but there's always room for improvement," Vargas shared.
As the race over 75 kilometers or 21 laps began, chaos ensued after the start. Jouffreau and Mulders made heavy contact, ending their races prematurely. However, Ghirelli maintained control, taking the lead, followed by Toffel, Ercoli, Hezemans, and Rehberg.
And this is the part most people miss... After the Jouffreau-Mulders incident, a full-course yellow was called for several laps. At this point, Vargas and Lowe were running 13th and 14th, respectively. But the restart brought a twist: Hezemans out-braked Ercoli and kept him at bay.
"Unfortunately, Vittorio Ghirelli was too far ahead to launch an attack. So, I had to settle for second overall," Hezemans explained.
Ercoli secured a safe third place behind his compatriot Ghirelli and Hezemans. Julien Rehberg faced bad luck, dropping to sixth overall as he couldn't withstand the pressure from Thomas Krasonis and Sebastiaan Bleekemolen. Vargas had an acceptable race, finishing 13th, while Garrett Lowe got stuck in traffic during the restart, dropping to 18th.
The unluckiest driver of the day was Thomas Toffel. After making contact with Ghirelli at the start, he received a one-minute penalty from race control. His race ended in a disappointing 22nd place after a short pit stop. Besides the winner, Vittorio Ghirelli, local hero Marc Goossens received standing ovations from the crowd.
Goossens, who lives close to Zolder, had a last-minute deal with Italian team owner Fabrizio Armetta to race at Zolder. He stepped into the car without any prior testing and was rewarded with a solid ninth-place finish.
"Originally, I had planned to run the complete NASCAR Euroseries this year," Goossens said. "But an opportunity arose to work with Porsche-Belgium in managing the Porsche-Cup, an offer too good to refuse." Goossens, a Belgian veteran, has been involved in motorsports for nearly 30 years, coaching a confident Fernando Alonso to success in the FIA Formula 3000 Championship (now FIA Formula 2).
Now, here's a controversial twist... The future of the German Oschersleben Circuit hosting NASCAR Euroseries events is uncertain. Despite the success of the last three years' events and the desire of all involved to return, the chances of another NASCAR Euro round in the near future are slim. Rumors suggest that the German ADAC, the current owner and organizer of the DTM Series, has pressured Oschersleben and its staff to avoid hosting another NASCAR Euro round. The ADAC views the NASCAR Whelen Euroseries as their most dangerous and direct rival championship.
What do you think? Is the ADAC's decision justified, or should they embrace the competition? Share your thoughts in the comments!
