World of EuroNASCAR takes a look at how EuroNASCAR categorizes its drivers after Alberto Naska publicly revealed the rules of the sport’s driver grade system.
Note: This article was updated on 18 October 2025 to match the current division names and terminologies, accurate as of the 2025 EuroNASCAR Finals at Circuit Zolder.
NASCAR Euro Series consists of two divisions: EuroNASCAR PRO and EuroNASCAR OPEN. The division in which a driver is allowed to compete is dependent on what driver grade that they have been given to by the organizers.
For many years, it is known that drivers with Gold rating are only allowed to compete in EuroNASCAR PRO – i.e. not allowed to become a “Buschwhacker” – while drivers that have been given a Silver and Bronze rating are eligible to race in both classes.
The system behind this driver rating system, however, was a mystery. Unlike FIA’s Driver Categorization, information regarding EuroNASCAR’s driver grade is strictly confidential to those working within the series.
That is, until Alberto Naska revealed it on his “The Crash that Nobody Wanted to Happen” video. Originally published on 27 June on his main channel before an English version was uploaded on 28 June, the video was the first time in which fans got to see how the EuroNASCAR driver grading system works.
In the video, Naska showcased an official Sporting Note from the NASCAR Euro Series that was originally released on 30 May 2023. The Sporting Note contains an addendum to Article 4.3 of the Sporting Regulations, clarifying and amending the driver grading system listed in the regulations.
According to the amended Article 4.3 of the Sporting Regulations:
- All drivers’ entries are submitted to a competency council to determine their categorization.
- Drivers will be evaluated initially on their record of achievements (age + career record), then on their overall performance during EuroNASCAR events over the last 5 years.
- Driver Classification will be reviewed every year before the start of a new season.
- Driver categorization list to be published before the first event of the season and stay valid for the season.
- New drivers to be added on the list before participating in their first event.
So what do we learn from this Sporting Note? To start, we learned that everyone who is scheduled to compete in the opening round of the season will have their entries submitted to a competency council that works with EuroNASCAR.
This competency council evaluates a driver based on their overall career record first, ensuring that everyone will receive a fair evaluation. If a driver have competed in EuroNASCAR at some point during the past five seasons, then their past results will be evaluated afterwards.
Each driver will then receive their driver grade based on the evaluation’s results. The list of everyone’s categorization will then be published before the season begins.
This list is valid for the whole season and can only change at the start of a new year. It meant that a driver will not be able to have their grades upgraded or downgraded mid-season.
Any driver that makes their first appearance after the season opener will follow the same evaluation process from the competency council. Once their driver grade is determined, NASCAR Euro Series will publish an amended categorization list to include the new entrants.
We know that EuroNASCAR has three driver grades available, but how does the council determine if a driver is qualified to a certain grade?
The Sporting Note revealed the criteria’s needed for a driver to be qualified in a certain grade. As of the 2025 season, the grades are referred to as Grade A, Grade B, and Grade C.
A driver is categorized as a Group A driver if they have achieved the following:
- Are currently considered as a Gold or Platinum driver in the FIA Drivers Categorization.
- Have become a champion, an overall season top-5 finisher, or a race winner in EuroNASCAR PRO.
- Have finished inside the top-5 in a NASCAR national series race (Cup, Xfinity, Trucks).
- Are a champion in NASCAR’s regional and/or international series (ARCA, ARCA East, ARCA West, Modified, Canada, Mexico, and Brasil).
- Have achieved a comparable level of performance to Grade A drivers and/or any additional criteria deemed worthy of consideration by the council.
For drivers to be categorized as a Group B driver, they need to achieve the following:
- Are currently considered as a Silver driver in the FIA Drivers Categorization.
- Have become a champion or an overall season podium finisher in EuroNASCAR OPEN.
- Have finished inside the top-3 in any race of NASCAR’s regional and/or international series (ARCA, ARCA East, ARCA West, Modified, Pinty’s, Mexico, and Brasil).
- Have achieved a comparable level of performance to Grade B drivers and/or any additional criteria deemed worthy of consideration by the council.
Any driver who has not achieved any of the points above is automatically considered as a Grade C driver by the competency council.
Based on these qualification points, we have determined that a total of 16 (sixteen) drivers in the 2025 season have received a grade higher than Grade C. Eight drivers are currently categorized as a Group A driver, all based of their previous achievements in the series:
- Vittorio Ghirelli and Gianmarco Ercoli, who both have been crowned as NASCAR Euro Series champions.
- Paul Jouffreau, Liam Hezemans and Marc Goossens; all being former race winners and overall season top-5 finishers in EuroNASCAR PRO.
- Sebastiaan Bleekemolen, who has won a race in EuroNASCAR PRO.
- Giorgio Maggi, who finished fifth in the 2022 NASCAR Euro Series season.
- Yvan Muller, who was qualified to Grade A for his past achievements in touring car racing.
The remaining eight drivers are currently categorized as a Group B driver:
- Ulysse Delsaux and Martin Doubek are qualified as they were champions in EuroNASCAR OPEN.
- Vladimiros Tziortzis, Gil Linster, Patrick Schober and Thomas Krasonis are qualified for having finished inside the top-3 in the EuroNASCAR OPEN overall standings.
- Max Marzorati and Michal Makeš, both holders of an FIA Silver rating.
Out of these drivers, one will have their categorization changed for the 2026 season. Thomas Krasonis will be promoted to Grade A next year thanks to his victory in the season opening EuroNASCAR PRO round at Valencia.
The driver classification list for the 2026 season will be determined once the season contenders have been announced, starting with those competing in the season opener at Valencia on 18-19 April 2026.
Disclaimer: Credits for all photos are listed underneath each image.