Photo Credit: NASCAR Whelen Euro Series / Stephane Azemard
Vilarino Takes Title Back, Wave Of New Talents Emerges
In its fourth season under the NASCAR banner – the first with a calendar completely made of NASCAR-centered events – the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series confirmed itself as one of the best championships in Europe by delivering a unique mix of close racing and american-themed entertainment to an ever-growing fan base.
Ander Vilarino (#2 TFT-Banco Santander Chevrolet SS) won his third title in four years with the largest gap of his record-setting career, but it was all but easy for the Spaniard, as he had to face a stronger-than-ever opposition in what he defined a “battle of generations”.
In both the NWES Division six different drivers won at least one race with Vilarino, Alon Day and Nicolò Rocca taking three in ELITE 1, while in ELITE 2 Division Champion Gianmarco Ercoli (#9 Double-T by MRT Nocentini Chevrolet SS) won four times – two of which in the Zolder Finals – against three for Thomas Ferrando (#37 Knauf Racing Team Ford Mustang) and two for Philipp Lietz (#67 GDL Racing Ford Mustang), who drove the #67 GDL Racing Ford Mustang to the win in the Teams Championship.
Top Driver
Ander Vilarino – the Spaniard took to his crown back at the end of a hard-fought season and a “battle of generations” that lasted until the penultimate race of the season. Three wins, 10 top-5s and 12 top-10s was Ander Vilarino’s (#2 TFT-Banco Santander Chevrolet SS) impressive score in a year that brought the NWES winningest driver’s total up to 20 career wins in 48 races. Despite the widest margin in his three title seasons, Vilarino had to give his best to return to the top of the standings and savor the sweetests of his many successes. His speed on track once again went hand-in-hand with his greatness as an ambassador for NASCAR in Europe. Chapeau, Champ!
WATCH:
ANDER VILARINO 2015 NWES CHAMPION VIDEO
ANDER VILARINO 2015 NASCAR NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS SPEECH
Gianmarco Ercoli (Special Performance) – What a clutch performance by the Italian! In the close battle for the ELITE 2 Division title, all the contenders hit some troubles during the season and after leading the standings early, Gianmarco Ercoli entered the Zolder Finals fourth in points, 18 lengths behind Philipp Lietz. Ercoli took faith in his own hands in Belgium, delivering a perfect weekend – pole position, two wins and two fastest laps – when he needed it most and won the title by 20 points. The 20-year-old Rome-native is ready to take on the big boys in the ELITE 1 Division.
Top Team
CAAL Racing – In its second second complete season in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series, the Italian team won 7 races out of 12 and took the pole position in all six events in the ELITE 1 Division with its trio of aces – Eddie Cheever III (#51 CAAL Racing Chevrolet SS), Alon Day (#54 CAAL Racing Chevrolet SS) and Nicolò Rocca (#56 CAAL Racing Chevrolet SS) – monopolizing the Junior “Jerome Sarran” Trophy, which ended up in the Israeli’s hands. CAAL Racing completed its excellent season with one win and the fifth place in the ELITE 2 standings with Spanish rookie Salvador Tineo Arroyo, plus the second place in the Lady Cup with Carole Perrin.
TFT (Special Performance) – The team led by Tony Pereira added French veteran Romain Iannetta to its roster and completed another extraordinary season at the highest level of NASCAR in Europe, with both its cars finishing all the races. The French squad brought Vilarino to the third title in four years, while Iannetta finished third in the championship standings – the best result in his career – and returned to Victory Lane after a three-year absence. 4 wins, 18 top-5s and 22 top-10s is TFT’s final score in the ELITE 1 Division, while Leonard Vernet finished third in the Legend Trophy in the ELITE 2 Division.
Top Comeback Driver Of The Year
Romain Iannetta – After posting just one top-10 in 2014 and moving to TFT for 2015, the French veteran put up a strong season at the wheel of the #7 Chevrolet SS, collecting one win, eight top-5s and 10 top-10s en route to the third place in the championship. No doubt about the highlight of Iannetta’s season: his fantastic win – the first since 2012 and the second in his career – in the ELITE 1 Saturday race at Brands Hatch, UK ranks among the best races ever in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series history.
Top Breakthrough Performances
Alon Day & Nicolò Rocca – Despite two different backgrounds, Day and Rocca were the biggest revelations of the 2015 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series season. The two young CAAL Racing drivers, together with their teammate Eddie Cheever III, proved to be Vilarino’s strongest opponents by winning three races each. Rocca scored four poles and won three races in the first four events – thus winning the Race And Win Pole Award – while Day strongly emerged in the playoffs, posting two poles and three wins in four races and literally dominating the Zolder Finals to end up second in points and first in the Junior “Jerome Sarran Trophy”.
Florian Renauer & Stienes Longin (Special Performances) – Respectively 22 and 24 years old, Florian Renauer (#5 Dexwet Renauer Team Ford Mustang) and Stienes Longin (#11 PK Carsport Chevrolet SS) both found their way to Victory Lane in their first full-time NASCAR Whelen Euro Series season, showing great potential and a strong personality that will surely grant them a bright future in NWES. Renauer also won the ELITE 2 Race and Win Pole Award and finished second with his #5 Dexwet Renauer Team Ford Mustang in the Teams Championship, while Longin won the Rookie Cup.
Nexteer Road To Daytona Performance Of The Year
Anthony Kumpen – The 2014 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series Champion made his K&N Pro Series debut in February at the New Smyrna Speedway in the context of the Nexteer Road To Daytona Program – the path designed by NASCAR Whelen Euro Series and Nexteer to provide European drivers with the best chances to compete at NASCAR’s highest levels in the US – smoothly moving to bigger tracks during the season to become the first NWES driver to race on an oval in NASCAR XFINITY Series. In three NXS appearances, the Belgian gained valuable experience, completed faultless races and earned the chance to enter the 2016 XFINITY Series season opener at Daytona International Speedway.
Best Races
Brands Hatch ELITE 1 Round 5 – The Brands Hatch American Speedfest is universally regarded as one of the crown jewels of the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series calendar and the British short track never disappoints its fans. The ELITE 1 Round 5 had everything one could desire: Rocca took the lead from the pole and looked dominant, but went wide and had to furiously charge back. Romain Iannetta climbed from the eighth on the grid to fourth in one lap, then swiftly dispatched all the opponents to take the lead in front of a tight group and defend it in a late restart from the assaults of Gabillon, Vilarino and Cheever. Definitely one for the ages!
Tours Speedway ELITE 2 Round 8 (Special Performance) – The last ELITE 2 race of the Tours Speedway weekend saw a spectacular and fair three-way battle for the lead between Gianmarco Ercoli, Thomas Ferrando and Ulysse Delsaux. Ercoli led from flag to flag, but had to defend his position in a total of five restarts – one of which was a Green-White Checkered finish – and the three drivers spent most of the race inches from each other on the French short track. The Italian never lost his nerves, won the duel against Ferrando to score his second race of the season, while Delsaux had the better hand for second place and his first career podium finish. There’s a long and intense rivalry waiting for rising stars Ercoli and Ferrando and 2015 was just the first exciting round.
