EuroNASCAR OPEN – Youngest and Oldest Drivers
The list of the youngest and oldest drivers in EuroNASCAR’s junior division, EuroNASCAR 2.
A total of 279 drivers have made at least one (1) entry in a race of NASCAR Euro Series’ junior division EuroNASCAR OPEN since the first season under NASCAR’s official sanctioning in 2012.
A driver is considered to have entered a race if they attempted to compete in at least one official session, while a driver is considered to have started if the driver was to take the green flag at the start of a race.
Listed below are the youngest and oldest drivers to have officially started a race in the EuroNASCAR OPEN division of the NASCAR Euro Series.
Only drivers whose birthday dates are known are eligible for this list. The all-time starts list excludes races that are not considered as part of the official championship calendar, such as the 2012 exhibition race at Tours and the two Trofeo Angelo Caffi tournaments.
NOTE : The list shown below are correct as of the end of the 2024 Valencia NASCAR Fest at Circuit Ricardo Tormo. Drivers shown in “bold” are drivers that have competed in at least one (1) EuroNASCAR 2 race of the 2024 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series season.
For more information on the EuroNASCAR OPEN drivers, see here.
Credits: NASCAR Euro Series / Bart Dehaese
YOUNGEST DRIVERS – TOP 25
Two drivers shared the honor of being the youngest driver to have started a race in EuroNASCAR 2: Leonardo Colavita and Mario Ercoli. Both Colavita and Ercoli were 16 years and 3 days old when they made their debuts.
Colavita was the first to do so, having made his first appearance in the first race of the 2021 Fracasso NASCAR GP Croatia at Automotodrom Grobnik. Two years later, Ercoli tied the record with his first start in the 2023 NASCAR GP Germany at Motorsport Arena Oschersleben.
They beat the previous record set by Arthur Lehouck, who started the first race of the 2015 Tours Motor Show at the age of 16 years and 21 days old.
The table below will be listing the 25 youngest drivers to have started a race in EuroNASCAR’s junior division. Only the driver’s first start is listed.
| RANK | DRIVER | AGE AT FIRST START | FIRST START |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 🇮🇹 Leonardo Colavita | 16 years, 3 days | 2021 Fracasso NASCAR GP Croatia, Race 1 |
| 🇮🇹 Mario Ercoli | 2023 NASCAR GP Germany, Race 1 | ||
| 3. | 🇫🇷 Arthur Lehouck | 16 years, 21 days | 2015 Tours Motor Show, Race 1 |
| 4. | 🇬🇧 Ben Creanor | 16 years, 30 days | 2019 Valencia NASCAR Fest, Race 1 |
| 5. | 🇫🇷 Evan Pichard Arnaud | 16 years, 64 days | 2017 Valencia NASCAR Fest, Race 1 |
| 6. | 🇫🇷 Ulysse Delsaux | 16 years, 202 days | 2014 Valencia NASCAR Fest, Race 1 |
| 7. | 🇫🇷 Thomas Ferrando | 16 years, 222 days | 2014 Valencia NASCAR Fest, Race 1 |
| 8. | 🇫🇷 Paul Guiod | 16 years, 223 days | 2016 Valencia NASCAR Fest, Race 1 |
| 9. | 🇦🇺 Max Mason | 16 years, 233 days | 2023 Valencia NASCAR Fest, Race 2 |
| 10. | 🇫🇷 Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer | 16 years, 252 days | 2017 American Fan Fest, Race 1 |
| 11. | 🇮🇹 Gabriele Volpato | 16 years, 303 days | 2013 Nogaro 200, Race 1 |
| 12. | 🇫🇮 Veeti Rajala | 17 years, 15 days | 2024 Valencia NASCAR Fest, Race 1 |
| 13. | 🇫🇷 Florian Venturi | 17 years, 35 days | 2018 Valencia NASCAR Fest, Race 1 |
| 14. | 🇬🇷 Thomas Krasonis | 17 years, 166 days | 2019 Valencia NASCAR Fest, Race 1 |
| 15. | 🇮🇹 Giovanni Altoe | 17 years, 169 days | 2015 Magione American Style, Race 1 |
| 16. | 🇮🇱 Naveh Talor | 17 years, 216 days | 2019 Valencia NASCAR Fest, Race 1 |
| 17. | 🇦🇹 Patrick Schober | 17 years, 288 days | 2022 Valencia NASCAR Fest, Race 1 |
| 18. | 🇧🇪 Neal van Vaerenbergh | 17 years, 291 days | 2014 Valencia NASCAR Fest, Race 1 |
| 19. | 🇦🇪 Aliyyah Koloc | 17 years, 317 days | 2022 Valencia NASCAR Fest, Race 1 |
| 20. | 🇮🇹 Francesco Garisto | 18 years, 46 days | 2020 American Festival of Rome, Race 1 |
| 21. | 🇮🇹 Alessandro Brigatti | 18 years, 77 days | 2019 Valencia NASCAR Fest, Race 1 |
| 22. | 🇪🇸 Zihara Esteban | 18 years, 110 days | 2013 Nogaro 200, Race 1 |
| 23. | 🇧🇪 Simon Pilate | 18 years, 162 days | 2020 American Festival of Rome, Race 1 |
| 24. | 🇫🇷 Paul Jouffreau | 18 years, 166 days | 2022 Valencia NASCAR Fest, Race 1 |
| 25. | 🇮🇹 Riccardo Geltrude | 18 years, 219 days | 2016 Valencia NASCAR Fest, Race 1 |
Credits: NASCAR Euro Series / Bart Dehaese
OLDEST DRIVERS – TOP 25
Michael Bleekemolen is currently the oldest driver to start a race in EuroNASCAR 2. Bleekemolen was 74 years and 197 days old when he raced Team Bleekemolen’s No. 72 Toyota in the second race of the 2024 Valencia NASCAR Fest at Circuit Ricardo Tormo.
He beat the previous record set by Filippo Vita, who started the second race of the 2018 Valencia NASCAR Fest at the age of 65 years and 112 days old. Bleekemolen will extend this record further as he’s currently an active driver in the series.
The table below will be listing the 25 oldest drivers to have started a race in EuroNASCAR’s junior division. Only the driver’s last start is listed.
| RANK | DRIVER | AGE AT LAST START | LAST START |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 🇳🇱 Michael Bleekemolen | 74 years, 195 days | 2024 Valencia NASCAR Fest, Race 2 |
| 2. | 🇩🇪 Frank Riedel | 67 years, 26 days | 2020 Fracasso NASCAR GP Croatia, Race 2 |
| 3. | 🇮🇹 Filippo Vita | 65 years, 112 days | 2018 Valencia NASCAR Fest, Race 2 |
| 4. | 🇬🇧 Nigel Vaulkhard | 64 years, 194 days | 2012 Spa 200, Race 2 |
| 5. | 🇫🇷 Jérôme Laurin | 63 years, 61 days | 2014 Nürburgring 200, Race 2 |
| 6. | 🇮🇹 Leonardo Baccarellii | 62 years, 77 days | 2015 American Festival NASCAR Finals, Race 2 |
| 7. | 🇬🇧 Tiff Needell | 61 years, 349 days | 2013 Le Mans Finals, Race 2 |
| 8. | 🇦🇹 Willy Gruber | 61 years, 309 days | 2016 American Festival NASCAR Finals, Race 2 |
| 9. | 🇧🇪 Eric de Doncker | 61 years, 217 days | 2023 EuroNASCAR Finals, Race 2 |
| 10. | 🇫🇷 Eric van der Vyver | 61 years, 13 days | 2015 Autospeedway American Style, Race 2 |
| 11. | 🇮🇹 Dario Caso | 60 years, 272 days | 2023 Valencia NASCAR Fest, Race 2 |
| 12. | 🇲🇨 Mauro Serra | 60 years, 179 days | 2016 American Speed Weekend Semi-Finals, Race 1 |
| 13. | 🇮🇹 Riccardo Romagnoli | 60 years, 96 days | 2023 EuroNASCAR Finals, Race 1 |
| 14. | 🇫🇷 Alain Grand | 59 years, 301 days | 2012 Le Mans Finals, Race 2 |
| 🇫🇷 Eric Quintal | 2024 Valencia NASCAR Fest, Race 2 | ||
| 16. | 🇮🇹 Marco Rocca | 58 years, 319 days | 2013 Nogaro 200, Race 2 |
| 17. | 🇮🇹 Marco Spinelli | 58 years, 285 days | 2017 American NASCAR Weekend, Race 2 |
| 18. | 🇫🇷 Didier Bec | 58 years, 133 days | 2021 Valencia NASCAR Fest, Race 2 |
| 19. | 🇩🇪 Matthias Hauer | 57 years, 154 days | 2023 EuroNASCAR Finals, Race 2 |
| 20. | 🇨🇭 Léonard Vernet | 56 years, 94 days | 2015 American Festival NASCAR Finals, Race 2 |
| 21. | 🇫🇷 Philippe Baudinière | 56 years, 95 days | 2014 Knauf/Michelin 75, Race 2 |
| 22. | 🇫🇮 Ian Eric Wadén | 55 years, 314 days | 2021 NASCAR GP Belgium, Race 2 |
| 23. | 🇬🇧 Shaun Hollamby | 55 years, 212 days | 2021 American SpeedFest VIII, Race 2 |
| 24. | 🇧🇪 Marc Duez | 55 years, 54 days | 2012 Spa 200, Race 2 |
| 25. | 🇫🇷 Jack Gaudin | 55 years, 49 days | 2015 American SpeedFest III, Race 2 |
Disclaimer: Information taken for this page are taken from data that are verified through Racing Reference, DriverDB, Speedsport Magazine and NASCAR Euro Series. Main photo is from NASCAR Euro Series / Nina Weinbrenner. Credits for all other photos are listed underneath each image.
Last Updated: 13 December 2024