EuroNASCAR OPEN title hopeful Claudio Remigio Cappelli joins Italian powerhouse CAAL Racing to race the No. 54 Camaro in the upcoming 2026 season.
A new destination awaits Claudio Remigio Cappelli for the 2026 NASCAR Euro Series season. After two successful years with Academy Motorsport, Cappelli will make the switch to fellow Italian squad CAAL Racing for the upcoming season.
Cappelli’s signing with CAAL was announced on 21 January. Cappelli will be focusing his efforts solely in EuroNASCAR OPEN for 2026, with the announcement stating that Cappelli’s EuroNASCAR PRO teammate “remains a mystery for now”.
CAAL will also revive their iconic No. 54 team for 2026, with Cappelli being announced as the revived No. 54 Chevrolet’s first confirmed driver.
This No. 54 team is expected to be considered as a brand new entry for CAAL. The old No. 54 team was shut down following its take over by Alumitec Racing to form the No. 11 Ford Mustang in 2025.
“It’s a new team, a new car, and a rush of new enthusiasm,” said Cappell to nascar.eu. “But the people here are all old friends, and that makes this the perfect way to approach the 2026 NASCAR Euro Series season with CAAL Racing.”
Cappelli’s roofing company Cremona Gronde is expected to be the primary sponsor for the No. 54 Chevrolet in 2026.
Sharks Team Motorsport will also continue to partner Cappelli on his new journey with CAAL. The Italian organization had been partnering Cappelli throughout his stints with MK1 Racing Italia, Race Art Technology and Academy Motorsport.
CAAL team boss Luca Canneori welcomed Cappelli’s arrival and expressed his confidence in Cappelli’s ability to become a championship contender in EuroNASCAR OPEN.
“We are thrilled to welcome Claudio to our team,” said Canneori to nascar.eu. “He has shown very strong performance over the years, and we are confident that together we will be fighting for the championship.”
Cappelli experienced a turbulent season in 2025. The 50-year old only finished inside the top-10 twice during the regular season, but four top-10 finishes in the Playoffs promoted him to eighth in the final standings.
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