NWES: Whelen Euro Elite 1: Vilarino Keeps Streak Going

Second Win Of 2015, Fith At Brands Hatch

Ander Vilarino (#2 TFT-Banco Santander Chevrolet SS) won a thrilling ELITE 1 Round 6 at Brands Hatch in the contest of the third edition of the American SpeedFest, scoring his second win of the season, the 19th of his NASCAR career and keeping alive a streak of wins on the British track that dates back to 2012.

The Spaniard started from the third spot on the grid and dived past polesitter and teammate Romain Iannetta (#7 TFT Chevrolet SS) at the Druids corner on lap 16 of 30 after overtaking reigning champion Anthony Kumpen (#24 PK Carsport Chevrolet SS) for second. The Spaniard then defended his lead on a late restart and Iannetta and him gave team TFT their first one-two finish of the season.

“I’m over the moon! Today we finish first and second. I win the race and Romain finsh second, yesterday he won and I finished third. It’s a great week-end for the TFT team. We had some engine problems during the whole weekend and the guys did a fantastic job; I dedicate this vctory to the team, to my wife and to Olivia Duval, who was with me in Brands Hatch last year and today is her birthday,” said Vilarino.

After slipping from third to fifth in the early stages of the race, Alon Day (#54 CAAL Racing Chevrolet SS) inherited third place when Kumpen and Eddie Cheever III (#51 CAAL Racing Chevrolet SS) got together in turn 5 on lap 15 and finished third to climb on the podium for the first time in his NASCAR career, also leading the Junior “Jerome Sarran Trophy classification”. Cheever vas penalized for the contact and ended up 9th under the checkered flag.

Florian Renauer (#5 Dexwet Renauer Team Ford Mustang) ended up fourth ahead of Kumpen, who completed the top-5 ahead of his teammate Bert Longin (#11 PK Carsport Chevrolet SS) after announcing that he will compete in four NASCAR races in the US this year, making his debut in the NASCAR XFINITY Series.

Jeffrey Earnhardt (#55 Whelen / Amai.fr Chevrolet Camaro) finished seventh in his second EuroNASCAR race at the end of a solid race that saw him clib up to fifth before surrendering some positions in the last restart. Philipp Lietz (#67 GDL Racing Ford Mustang) was eight and led the Challenger Trophy classification. Freddy Nordström (#44 GDL Racing Ford Mustang) finished 10th, right behind Cheever.

A frantic start led to a yellow flag on lap 2, caused by a contact between Frederic Gabillon (#3 Tepac RDV Compétition Ford Mustang) and Nicolò Rocca (#56 CAAL Racing Chevrolet SS) that resulted in a drivethrough penalty for the Frenchman.

he race was also interrupted with a red flag, following a contact that left Michela Cerruti (#9 Double T by MRT Nocentini Chevrolet Camaro) and Wilfried Boucenna (#77 DF1 Racing Chevrolet SS) out of the race. Fabrizio Armetta (#9 Double T by MRT Nocentini Chevrolet SS) was excluded from the race for causing the accident.

Vilarino gains some ground on Cheever (#51 CAAL Racing Chevrolet SS) in the standings and will enter the Tours Speedway event later this month with a good advantage on the Italian. Iannetta moves up to third, ahead of Kumpen.