The NASCAR Whelen Euro Series returns this week for the seventh and final round of the 2019 season, the American Festival NASCAR Finals at Circuit Zolder. On 30 September, NASCAR Whelen Euro Series released the preliminary Entry List for Zolder that features 30 teams and 60 drivers from all three classes that are scheduled to take part in the 2019 season finale.
There’s going to be a minimal amount of changes in the team’s side after Hockenheim saw plenty of team changes when compared to Venray. Braxx Racing is scheduled to be fielding two cars again for the team’s home race after the team only fielded the No. 90 Chevrolet Camaro for Scott Jeffs and Callum Cripps in the previous round at Hockenheim.
Both Marc Goossens and Alex Sedgwick are scheduled to be returning to drive the No. 78 Ford Mustang and the No. 90 Chevrolet Camaro in the Elite 1 class, while Scott Jeffs will be returning to Elite 2 after making his Elite 1 debut at Hockenheim. Jeffs will be having a new teammate for this weekend, as veteran GT driver and former Renault Clio Cup Benelux champion Sven van Laere is scheduled to make his Euro Series debut in the No. 78 Mustang for Zolder.
Two of the three new entries that made their debut at Hockenheim – Marko Stipp-DF1’s No. 22 team and CAAL’s returning No. 56 team – are likely to not making a return for Zolder as they’re not listed in the preliminary Entry List.
In the Elite 1 class, 29 drivers are scheduled to compete in Zolder with only one team – Alex Caffi’s No. 1 team – did not have a driver listed in the preliminary Entry List.
Apart from Marc Goossens and Alex Sedgwick’s scheduled return, there will be a minimal amount of changes in the drivers scheduled to race in Elite 1 for Zolder. Elite 2 sensation Lasse Sørensen, who continued to impress in his first season in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series after he scored his fifth victory of the season at Hockenheim, is scheduled to be making his return to the Elite 1 class in a double duty participation for the Danish driver.
Sørensen had previously pulled the double duty task at Brands Hatch. While his first Elite 1 race was cut short due to a broken half shaft that forced him to retire in the first lap, he proved his talents when he scored a Top 10 finish from 28th on the grid in the Sunday race at Brands Hatch.
Mirco Schultis is also listed to be doing the double duty for Zolder in the No. 70 Mishumotors Camaro. Schultis was initially listed to be doing the double duty at Venray, but he and Mishumotors would ultimately didn’t take part in the only oval race week of the season.
Lorenzo Marcucci and Guillaume Deflandre will be returning to compete at Zolder after they made their Elite 1 debut in The Club’s No. 41 Camaro and Dexwet-DF1’s No. 99 Camaro respectively at Hockenheim. Both Marcucci and Deflandre are scheduled to be staying in their respective rides for Zolder.
In the Elite 2 class, 26 drivers are scheduled to compete in Zolder with four teams – RDV, Go Fas, and PK Carsport’s No. 11 team – not listing a driver in the preliminary Entry List.
Just like in Elite 1, there will be a minimal amount of changes in the driver scheduled to race in Elite 2 for Zolder. As previously mentioned, Sven van Laere is set to make his Euro Series debut for Braxx Racing in the No. 78 team while Scott Jeffs is going to be returning to Elite 2 after he raced in Elite 1 at Hockenheim.
Hugo de Sadeleer’s impressive performance at Hockenheim proved to be enough for Racing Engineering to call him again to race in the No. 88 Ford Mustang for Zolder, while Janne Koikkalainen is also set to be returning to Memphis Racing’s No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro once again.
In the Elite Club division, 10 drivers are listed to be participating at Zolder. Alessio Bacci will be switching teams as he will be driving Alex Caffi Motorsport’s No. 2 Camaro instead of Racers Motorsport’s No. 9 Mustang, while Jerome Mure is scheduled to be making his Elite Club debut with RDV’s No. 3 SS – the first and only time this season that RDV is scheduled to be competing in either Elite 2 or Elite Club.
Giovanni Trione, Andreas Kuchelbacher, Alina Loibnegger, Magnus Wallen, Callum Cripps, and Alain Mosqueron are going to be returning to their respective Elite Club seats. Racing Engineering also once again lists Myatt Snider and Hugo de Sadeleer to compete in Elite Club, although both drivers are highly unlikely to compete in Elite Club for this weekend.
Disclaimer: Unless noted, all photos used in this article are courtesy of NASCAR Whelen Euro Series / Stephane Azemard.