Thomas Krasonis poured out his emotions after he finally completed his six-year journey to become EuroNASCAR champions with his 2025 OPEN triumph.
The 2025 EuroNASCAR Finals marked a momentous achievement for Thomas Krasonis. Krasonis was crowned as the new EuroNASCAR OPEN champion at Circuit Zolder, becoming the first Greek driver to become a NASCAR champion in history.
This triumph was the culmination of a six-year long journey for Krasonis, who had come a long way since his debut in 2019. A then-17 year old Krasonis joined the series that year as an upstart driver for Alex Caffi Motorsport in Elite 2 – present-day EuroNASCAR OPEN.
He was already a history maker, as his debut in Valencia marked the first time a Greek driver has ever competed in the NASCAR Euro Series. A top-10 result soon followed at Brands Hatch, showcasing his potential as a stock car racing talent.
But this Krasonis was a far cry from the Krasonis that fans witnessed in the 2025 season.
Krasonis had occasional top-10 finishes, but he did not to score a top-5 finish in his first four years – he missed 2020 due to the pandemic – and was not in the discussion of becoming the next breakthrough EuroNASCAR star.
Yet, despite these struggles, it’s also clear that Krasonis had a large determination that drove him forward.
Krasonis has an ambitious goal of reaching the NASCAR Cup Series, prompting him to make the jump to EuroNASCAR PRO in 2022 with Academy Motorsport – the continuation of the Alex Caffi team that he joined in 2019.
Krasonis then set his sights on competing in the United States in 2023. A deal for ARCA and NASCAR Trucks was on the cards, but in the end he opted to stay in EuroNASCAR and signed a full-time deal with Marko Stipp Motorsport instead.
This ambition caught the attention of four-time EuroNASCAR champion Alon Day, who joined Krasonis’ camp as his driver coach starting from 2024. Krasonis then decided to do the double duty with MSM so that he can gain as much experience as possible.
The results showed almost immediately. Krasonis secured his first top-5 finish in just his second EuroNASCAR OPEN race as Day’s protege. Double top-5’s followed in Vallelunga and at Brands Hatch, Krasonis scored his first podium and pole position.
The progress continued as the season progressed and Krasonis ended his 2024 season third in the OPEN standings. He also finished eighth overall in EuroNASCAR PRO, a six place improvement from where he finished in 2023.
It demonstrated Krasonis’ hidden potential, one that was unlocked through his partnership with EuroNASCAR’s greatest driver.
To make things sweeter, a meet-up with another EuroNASCAR great – Anthony Kumpen, champion as driver and team owner with PK Carsport – led Krasonis to make the jump to PK in the off-season.
With Day’s guidance, Kumpen’s expertise as team boss and Krasonis’ own talent, the stage was set for the Greek’s championship winning campaign in 2025.
Krasonis was highly emotional when he crossed the finish line in the season finale at Zolder to clinch his 2025 EuroNASCAR OPEN title. For Krasonis, it was a dream come true, one that he never dared to even think was possible when he first joined EuroNASCAR in 2019.
He expressed his emotions through a post on his official website, where he delivered his gratitude to everyone that has supported him in his EuroNASCAR journey.
“Six years ago, when my father, my late uncle Thomas [Sr.], and I came up with the idea of participating in the NASCAR Euro Series, I never dared to think that one day I would be European champion,” said Krasonis. “Now, it’s a reality!”
“It all starts with family. Because before Thomas the driver, before the first victories, before the first successes, there was the son, the grandson, the nephew, the brother Thomas. So, family was, is, and will always be my support.”
“Then there were some of my father’s friends who believed in what we were doing. And, of course, in recent years, Costamare Inc., the first company that believed in me and in the project we presented.”
“They wanted to be the one to contribute to the creation of the first Greek champion who would have the potential to compete at an international level. Also Dodoni, who has been with me since the end of last season, as well as the Medical Center Group.”
“Of course, there’s my team PK Carsport, which gave me an incredible car all year long. I thank them for trusting me because it’s not easy for a champion team to trust a new driver and open the door for him.”
“I think my performance proved to them that I’m here to stay. And of course, I want to thank my trainer, Paul Timpas, who has done a tremendous job over the last two years in helping me develop my athletic physique.”
“Finally, there’s my coach Alon Day. He’s a born champion, one who has made me what I am today.”
Day also expressed his happiness in seeing his protege Krasonis becoming a EuroNASCAR champion just like himself.
Day considers this as his most difficult achievement just yet, more than all four championships that he won as a driver in the series.
“I’m very happy for Thomas!” said Day. “He did an amazing job this year. He was completely dedicated to what he was doing, and his hard work paid off.”
“I honestly have no words! I’m very grateful to PK Carsport for the opportunity they gave us. They trusted Thomas almost without knowing him and, as a top team, they did everything they could to always provide him with the best car. And he responded, which makes me very proud.”
“This is just the beginning. The best is yet to come. It is undoubtedly much more difficult to win the title as a coach because I don’t control the car. I’m more nervous than I was as a driver when I won titles!”
Disclaimer: Credits for all photos are listed underneath each image.