Get ready for an exciting journey as we dive into the world of NASCAR Euro Series! The battle for pole positions in the Open and Pro Divisions at Zolder was nothing short of thrilling.
In the heart of Belgium, under the warm autumn sun, the NASCAR Whelen Euroseries concluded its season with a captivating challenge. The former Belgian Grand Prix track, Zolder-Terlaemen, witnessed an intense qualifying session and the first race-heat over 75 kilometers.
But here's where it gets controversial... Reigning Euro Champion Vittorio Ghirelli and his PK-Motorsport Chevy Camaro dominated, setting the pace in qualifying and the Superpole shootout. Despite his rivals' best efforts, Ghirelli secured the prime starting spot, followed by a strong showing from Frenchman Paul Jouffreau, Dutchman Bruno Mulders, and American SIM-racer Garrett Lowe. Swiss driver Thomas Toffel rounded out the top five.
Liam Hezemans, representing Rette-Jones/Team Hendriks-Motorsport, secured a solid seventh position with his Ford Mustang. The Italian duo of Gianmarco Ercoli and Fabrizio Armetta followed closely, while German Julien Rehberg claimed the last spot in the Superpole Qualifying/Shootout.
Despite a seemingly flawless Chevrolet Camaro, Ryan Vargas found himself starting from 16th overall. "The car is fine, no issues," Vargas commented, "but there's always room for improvement."
As the race commenced over 75 kilometers or 21 laps, chaos ensued shortly 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.
A full-course yellow flag was deployed for several laps due to the Jouffreau-Mulders incident. At this point, Vargas and Lowe were running 13th and 14th, respectively. The restart brought a change in fortunes as Hezemans out-braked Ercoli and kept him at bay. "Unfortunately, Ghirelli was too far ahead to launch an attack, so I had to settle for second," Hezemans explained.
Ercoli secured a safe third-place finish behind his compatriot Ghirelli and Hezemans. Julien Rehberg encountered 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 Lowe got caught in traffic during the restart, dropping to 18th.
The unluckiest driver of the day was Swiss driver Thomas Toffel. Contact with Ghirelli at the start resulted in a one-minute penalty from race control. After a brief pit stop, Toffel's race ended in a disappointing 22nd place overall.
Local hero Marc Goossens received standing ovations from the crowd. Goossens, who lives near Zolder, had a last-minute deal with Italian team owner Fabrizio Armetta to race at Zolder. He jumped into the car without any prior testing and was rewarded with a ninth-place finish.
"Originally, I had planned to run the complete NASCAR Euroseries this year," Goossens said. "But an opportunity arose to be involved with Porsche-Belgium in managing the Porsche Cup, an offer too good to refuse." Goossens, a veteran of nearly 30 years, played a crucial role in helping Fernando Alonso move up to Formula 1, coaching him to success in the FIA Formula 3000 Championship (now FIA Formula 2).
And this is the part most people miss... The future of the NASCAR Euroseries at the German Oschersleben Circuit is uncertain. Despite the series' success over the last three years and the desire of all involved to return, the chances of hosting another NASCAR Euro round in the near future are slim. Rumors suggest that the German ADAC, currently the 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.
So, what do you think? Will we see a return to Oschersleben, or is this the end of an era? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
