Justin Kunz is going to be racing with DF1 Racing for a third season in 2021 after it was announced yesterday that Kunz has signed a new contract extension that will see him race the No. 99 Hama Trucks Chevrolet Camaro in the EuroNASCAR PRO class for another year.
Justin Kunz will be staying in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series after it was announced yesterday that he has signed a contract extension with his current team DF1 Racing.
Kunz, who is scheduled to enter his third year of competition with DF1, will continue to race DF1’s No. 99 Chevrolet Camaro in the EuroNASCAR PRO class while primary sponsor Hama Trucks also signed a new contract extension that will see the Austrian truck rental agency sponsor the No. 99 car once again.
“We are very delighted that Justin extended his contract with us. He became an integral part of our team. We see his development as a driver and the decision to move up to EuroNASCAR PRO was the right one for Justin,” said DF1’s Head of Motorsport Norbert Walchhofer in the official announcement.
The No. 99 Hama Trucks Camaro will feature the purple scheme that made its debut during last year’s Valencia Super Speedweek doubleheader. Team sponsor Grapos Softdrinks, who had announced their own contract extension earlier this week, is also set to be featured in the No. 99 car as a secondary sponsor along with United Arab Emirates airliner Emirates.
“This is my third year with DF1 Racing. Everyone knows that joining a new team means that first you have to get to know each other, learn how people work, build up friendships and so on. Now everybody knows each other, how everyone works, how to treat each other. I’m sure that this season will be really good,” said Kunz in the official announcement.
Kunz, the 23-year old driver from Appenweier that has built a reputation as a series veteran with 5 full seasons under his belt, enjoyed a solid season in 2020 as he scored 5 Top-10 finishes, including a career-best 6th place finish at Rijeka, on his way to a 10th place finish in the overall standings and a third place finish in the Junior Trophy.
For both Kunz and Walchhofer, winning the Junior Trophy will be the ideal target to achieve in the upcoming 2021 season.
“Due to the simulator and the ENES the practice is something completely different, despite the situation with COVID-19. Our goal is the Junior Trophy and we want to further improve. I’m in the right team for that. I’m really looking forward to the new season and I’m highly motivated,” said Kunz.
“Only three Junior Trophy drivers managed to be in the Top-10 in the overall standings in 2020. Justin was one of them, the other one [Lasse Sorensen, who finished 2nd in the overall standings] also was a DF1 Tiger. In the new season our goal with Justin is the title in the Junior Trophy of the EuroNASCAR PRO and we hope we will see him on the podium on a regular basis”, said Walchhofer.
Disclaimer: Unless noted, all photos used in this article are courtesy of NASCAR Whelen Euro Series / DF1 Racing.