Bruno Costa, Federico Monti and Andreas Kuchelbacher will compete in the 2024 EuroNASCAR Club Challenge season with Lux Motorsport, Academy Motorsport, and SpeedHouse Racing respectively.
Recent developments have seen the confirmation of three more entries in EuroNASCAR Club Challenge for 2024. Bruno Costa, Federico Monti, and Andreas Kuchelbacher independently revealed their plans to compete in NASCAR Whelen Euro Series’ regularity-based division.
Costa will be joining fellow debutants Lux Motorsport while Monti continues to race with his self-owned team Academy Motorsport. Kuchelbacher, the inaugural champion in the division, will return to SpeedHouse Racing.
Out of the three, Costa’s ride was the first to be revealed. Lux Motorsport announced the signing of the UK-based Brazilian on 17 March 2024, a few weeks after he and Lux shared the track together during the 2024 Drivers Recruitment Program.
“I’m delighted to announce that I’ll be joining Lux Motorsport for the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series Club Challenge,” said Costa, who moved to the UK in 2017.
“It’s particularly exciting for me because I previously shared garages with the team during my time as a race mechanic back when Jack was in the Fiesta Junior Championship. Now, I am excited to reunite with them, but this time in the driver’s seat.”
“The pure driving style of the V8 EuroNASCAR will really suit me, and I’m looking forward to the journey ahead, starting at Circuito Ricardo Tormo Valencia in a few weeks time.”
Federico Monti’s entry was the next to be revealed. While he has yet to officially announce his entry, pictures from Academy’s pre-season test at Umbria on 26 March showcased his name on the side window of the No. 1 Ford Mustang.
His name on the green-cladded Mustang was listed on a yellow box, a visual indicator for EuroNASCAR Club Challenge competitors.
It all but confirms Monti’s intention to return to the division for a fifth consecutive season. Academy also used the opportunity to tease a driver that will accompany Monti in either EuroNASCAR PRO and EuroNASCAR 2, with an announcement expected to come soon.
The following day, 27 March, was the date where Kuchelbacher’s entry with SpeedHouse was announced. The Austrian broke the news via social media, courtesy of a newspaper article that he shared through Facebook’s Reels.
Kuchelbacher did not take part in any motorsport activity in 2023, but he admitted that he “always miss something” during the sabbatical. According to the 45-year old from Großhöflein, the choice to return was made after SpeedHouse came to offer him a spot in the team.
This will not be Kuchelbacher’s first rodeo with SpeedHouse as he had already raced for the team in 2019. He finished third that year, just nine points shy of champion Alain Mosqueron.
“The last few months have been packed with work, but somehow I always miss something,” said Kuchelbacher. “I absolutely wanted to get back into the racing circuit.”
“It’s like skiing, you don’t forget it. Plus, I know the car like the back of my hand and have driven thousands of kilometers in it.”
Disclaimer: Credits for all photos are listed underneath each image.