Alexander Graff returns to full-time competition in 2022 following the announcement that SpeedHouse has signed the Swedish driver to compete in EuroNASCAR PRO this year.
Former V8 Thunder Cars champion Alexander Graff will be returning to full-time competition in NASCAR Whelen Euro Series this year after it was announced yesterday that the Swedish driver has been signed by SpeedHouse to compete in the EuroNASCAR PRO class this year.
“Lucas [Lasserre, SpeedHouse team owner] is one of my first and best friends in EuroNASCAR and it’s an amazing feeling to be part of his team,” said the 35-year old Swede to euronascar.com. “Racing, style and good time, could it be better? To have the opportunity to fight for victories is great and it’s amazing to be back with SpeedHouse.”
Graff made his EuroNASCAR debut in 2018 after a string of success in V8 Thunder Cars where he won the title in 2016 and scored a runner-up finish in 2015, 2017, and 2018. Competing for his V8 Thunder Cars team Memphis Racing in the then-Elite 1 division, Graff scored a best finish of 4th in the first race at Zolder and three other Top-10 finishes to finish 9th in the drivers standings.
He also helped carry the debuting Memphis team to finish third in the Teams Standings that year, finishing just behind RDV’s No. 3 team and Knauf Racing’s No. 37 team.
He returned to the series with Memphis the following year where he finished 11th in the drivers standings despite scoring a total of 6 Top-10 finishes, with his best finish being a 4th place at the second Brands Hatch race.
The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic and Memphis Racing’s exit from the series in 2020 forced Graff to sit on the sidelines for a while as he accepted a commentary job for the Scandinavian Touring Car Championship before he returned to the series last year.
Driving as a replacement driver for Ian Eric Wadén in DF1’s No. 44 car on the American SpeedFest round at Brands Hatch, he managed to bring home two Top-10 finishes despite an early spin in the second race.
Graff is aiming to score a victory this year as he aims to secure one of Tijey’s Titanium Ring that is awarded for the driver that scored the most points in a single race weekend for himself.
“I don’t have a Tijey Titanium Ring yet, so my goal is to be on top of the overall classification at the end of the season,” said Graff on his goals this year. “I know I have the pace and with Speedhouse I have the opportunity to make my dreams come true.”
SpeedHouse owner-driver Lucas Lasserre, who has competed alongside Graff on the Swede’s EuroNASCAR career so far, praises the talent that Graff will bring to his expanded team this year.
“To have a top driver as Alex is a great sign for our project,” said Lasserre to euronascar.com. “I know that Alex has the skills to put our car at the front. We had amazing battles in the past and it always went totally fair.”
“It’s an advantage to have a pure racer like him at SpeedHouse. He’s a nice guy, who has a good personality and always acts professional. In my global project it’s important to share the same values.”
Disclaimer: Unless noted on the photo, all photos are courtesy of NASCAR Whelen Euro Series / Bart Dehaese / Stephane Azemard.