Who will be the next champion and will be offered the ring ? (© Euro-Racecar NASCAR)
News & Notes – Nogaro 200
Who will be the next champion?
BLOIS, France – The 2013 Euro-Racecar NASCAR Touring Series season kicks off on 30th March (to 1st April), at the ‘Coupe de Pâques’ meeting on the Nogaro circuit in what is its second year as the official NASCAR Series in Europe. This championship is undergoing incredible expansion on the international scene and has attracted entries of more than 50 drivers representing 11 nationalities! They are all determined to succeed Ander Vilarino, the 2012 Elite champion, and Simon Escallier winner of the Open Division.
While overall the current situation is pretty difficult for motor sport in Europe, the Euro-Racecar NASCAR Series has attracted a field of 26 cars entered by 12 teams from France, Italy, Belgium and Luxembourg. Around half the drivers are foreign, mainly from Europe, but also from distant countries like Australia, India (first appearance in the NASCAR European Series) and the Philippines. This shows just how attractive the Euro-Racecar NASCAR Touring Series is as its events train drivers and European teams to race in the US NASCAR Championships.
Among this season’s entries, Ander Vilarino (#2 TFT-Banco Santander), the 2012 champion, starts as favourite to clinch his second title in the Elite division. After enjoying all the plaudits due to his rank at the NASCAR Night of Champions Touring Awards in Charlotte and when he raced in the UNOH Battle At The Beach in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series at Daytona, the Spaniard’s motivation is at an all-time high! The main threat could come from his fellow-countryman Javier Villa (#9 Scorpus Racing), 3rd in 2012 and now part of the Scorpus Racing squad or Frenchman Romain Iannetta (#28 RDV Compétition), 5th in last year’s classification.
Other championship regulars are also in with a chance like Willy Boucenna (#17 Pole Position 81), the 2009 Champion 2009, Carole Perrin (#42 Autosport 42), Anthony Garbarino (#3 TFT-Alpes Carrelage), Freddy Nordström (#6 Rapido Racing by Still) and Vincent Gonneau (#15 Gonneau Racing). They will have to fight off several newcomers who have nothing to envy them in terms of speed like Frenchman Frédéric Gabillon (#5 Rapido Racing by Still), Franco-Swiss Yann Zimmer (#64 Gonneau Racing by OverDrive), Brit Stuart Gough (#68 T-Engineering), Sailesh Bolisetti from India (#18 Scorpus Racing / Forza Motorsport). Others, in particular French drivers Anthony Gandon (#7 TFT-Leclerc) and Guillaume Rousseau (#13 Bull Racing Team), will race in both divisions and their main aim will be to win the Open.
In the latter division the list of entries is living proof of the intensity that will reign in the pack With the cancellation of the endurance race at each meeting the latter will now do battle on a level playing field. Swiss Joaquin Gabarron (#5 Rapido Racing by Still) Australian Josh Burdon (#18 Scorpus Racing / Forza Motorsport) and Frenchman Franck Violas, who all raced in 2012, will go head-to-head to succeed Simon Escallier. Or maybe the winner will come from the drivers making their debut in 2013 in the Euro-Racecar NASCAR. Among the podium contenders are women drivers Zihara Esteban (#19 Scorpus Racing) and Caty Caly (#42 Autosport 42), Frenchman Julien Goupy (#6 Rapido Racing by Still), Italians Nicolo Rocca (#19 Scorpus Racing), Gabriele Volpato (#64 Gonneau Racing by OverDrive) and Enzo Pastor from the Philippines (#3 TFT-Alpes).
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