UPDATE: The article is updated on 24 June 2019 to reflect on Braxx Racing’s withdrawal for Most.
UPDATE 2: The article is further updated on 26 June 2019 to reflect confirmation of Eric Filgueiras’ absence for Most as well as the addition of Advait Deodhar to the Entry List.
The NASCAR Whelen Euro Series returns to action this week for the inaugural NASCAR GP of Czech Republic, thev Autodrom Most NASCAR Show at Autodrom Most. This will be the first officially sanctioned NASCAR race that will be held in Czech Republic. Today, it has been known that the initial Entry List for Most has been revealed, with 31 teams and 54 drivers already confirmed their intentions to participate at Most.
42 Racing by FS Motorsport, who missed the previous round at Brands Hatch, is scheduled to make a return for Most with Luigi Ferrara returning to the 42 Racing seat in the Elite 1 class, while Bernardo Maffei is scheduled to make his NASCAR Whelen Euro Series debut in the Elite 2 class for 42 Racing.
Two out of the 33 teams – Marko Stipp Motorsport’s No. 10 team and Speedhouse 64 – are missing in the initial Entry List for Most. For the MSM’s No. 10 team, it came as no surprise that the team have decided to not enter at Most given that the team has not entered any drivers since the season opening round at Valencia.
In Speedhouse 64’s case, initially there was a conflict on whether the team will compete at Most or not. In the official Entry List page, Speedhouse 64 are listed in the Entry List while the official PDF file didn’t list the French team in the Entry List. The Instagram post from Eric Filgueiras which confirms that he won’t compete at Most seems to be the confirmation that Speedhouse 64 will not take part at Most, given that Salvador Tineo Arroyo – the No. 64 team’s Elite 1 driver – will take over Filgueiras’ seat in the No. 70 Mishumotors team.
Two teams would pull out from the Entry List on 24 June. In a statement released by Alex Sedgwick on 24 June, it is revealed that Braxx Racing will withdraw from Most due to a combination of reasons. Braxx Racing’s withdrawal meant that there will only be 29 teams and 50 drivers that will be ready to take part for the Autodrom Most NASCAR Show. More info on Braxx’s withdrawal can be found in this link.
In the Elite 1 class, 28 drivers have confirmed plans to race at Autodrom Most. Only one team – The Club Motorsport – did not have a driver listed yet in the Elite 1 class.
The biggest change in the Elite 1 class would be the return of Christophe Bouchut, who will become Alex Caffi Motorsport’s No. 1 team’s 4th driver in as many rounds this season. Earlier in the year, Bouchut had left Dexwet-DF1 Racing after the Saturday race at Franciacorta, citing safety reasons and loss of desire to compete in the series as the cause of leave with the team. Whatever happened between Franciacorta and Most, Bouchut has regained enough of his desire to compete in the series to make a return for Most in the No. 1 Mustang.
With Speedhouse 64 not entering Most, Salvador Tineo Arroyo will move to compete for the Mishumotors No. 70 team at Most, replacing Eric Filgueiras who drove for the No. 70 team at Franciacorta and Brands Hatch.
Interestingly, in the initial Entry List page, Tineo is listed as the Elite 1 driver of both the Mishumotors No. 70 team and the Speedhouse 64 No. 64 team in the midst of uncertainty on whether Speedhouse 64 entering Most or not. This dilemma was solved on 25 June when Eric Filgueiras posted in his Instagram account that he will not race at Most, which confirms that Tineo will indeed move to Mishumotors’ No. 70 team for Most.
The only other change in the Elite 1 Entry List from Brands Hatch and Most will be the return of Luigi Ferrara and Martin Doubek. Ferrara had not taken part in Brands Hatch due to 42 Racing’s absence, while Doubek was forced to miss Brands Hatch due to an injury sustained during the second round of the season at Franciacorta.
Braxx Racing’s withdrawal meant that both Marc Goossens – already unavailable before Most, as explained in Alex Sedgwick’s statement – and Alex Sedgwick will be absent for the upcoming round at Most.
In the Elite 2 class, 26 drivers have been confirmed to take part in the inaugural Euro Series race at Autodrom Most. Apart from RDV Competition, one teams – Racers Motorsport’s No. 19 team – did not have a driver listed in the Elite 2 Entry List yet.
Two of the Braxx Racing cars would withdraw their entry after being listed in the initial Entry List, while CAAL Racing’s No. 31 team was able to find a driver to race with the team after being initially listed as not having a driver in the Elite 2 Entry List.
There have been some notable shake-ups in the Entry List for Most. A notable one is the musical chairs between Racers Motorsport and PK Carsport. Vittorio Ghirelli, currently second in the Elite 2 Drivers Championship, will move to PK Carsport to replace Freddy Nordstrom in the PK Carsport No. 11 Camaro for Most. Ghirelli will be the No. 11 team’s third Elite 2 driver this season.
Replacing Ghirelli in the No. 9 Racers seat will be Alessandro Brigatti, who will be transferred from the team’s No. 19 seat to the No. 9 team. Brigatti had achieved his best Euro Series performance last time out in Brands Hatch, scoring a double Top 10 finish as well as scoring his first Top 5 finish of his Euro Series career with a 5th place finish in Race 1. There has been no confirmation on who will be replacing Brigatti in the Racers No. 19 team for Most.
Speaking of musical chairs, Advait Deodhar is initially not listed in the Entry List just yet for Most. Last time out at Brands Hatch, Deodhar scored his first podium finish of his career with a 2nd place finish on Race 1 driving for CAAL Racing’s No. 31 team – his third team in three races this season. This podium finish, in addition with a 6th place finish on Race 2, propelled him to third place in the Drivers Championship.
It is known that Deodhar had funding issues this season – he only had the funds to compete for the first three rounds – and after a considerable struggle to find funding for Most, ultimately on 25 June Deodhar was able to secure enough funding to continue his Elite 2 Championship challenge for Most, in time for his final deadline day of confirmation on whether he will compete at Most or not. He will stay with CAAL Racing’s No. 31 team for Most.
Martin Doubek and Max Lanza – both withdrawing from Brands Hatch due to driver injury and personal reasons respectively – are scheduled to return to the seat of Hendriks Motorsport’s No. 7 Mustang and The Club Motorsport’s No. 41 Camaro for Most, while Bernardo Maffei will be the sole debutant across both classes for this weekend in 42 Racing by FS Motorsport’s No. 42 Mustang.
Braxx’s withdrawal would meant that Jerry de Weerdt and Scott Jeffs wouldn’t be able to take part in the upcoming round at Most and thus effectively marked the end of their title challenge for this season.
Three drivers – Martin Doubek, Lasse Sørensen, and Eric de Doncker – are scheduled to do the double duty this week.
The NASCAR Whelen Euro Series will hit the track for Round 7 and Round 8 of the 2019 season on 29 June and 30 June respectively. All races for this season are going to be aired live on FansChoice.tv, Motorsport.tv, and the official Facebook page and YouTube channel of the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series.
Unless noted, all photos used in this article are courtesy of NASCAR Whelen Euro Series / Stephane Azemard.