Ander Vilarino (#2 TFT-Banco Santander Chevrolet SS) closed the week-end with an overall fifth place under the checkered flag and a solid season that saw him conquered his third NASCAR Whelen Euro Series Title in four years in front of a massive crowd at Circuit Zolder.
“It was a perfect season for me. I have to thank all my sponsors and especially my crew for the hard work they did,” said the Spaniard, who will receive the Champion’s Ring December 12 in Charlotte, NC in the context of the NASCAR Night of Champions Touring Series Awards. “It feels very nice to be a three-time NASCAR champion. We had to work very hard to accomplish this important result. The competition was very tough this year and I have to congratulate Alon Day for sweeping this weekend. He’s been very fast.”
Alon Day (#54 CAAL Racing Chevrolet SS) took another dominant win and swept the American Festival Circuit Zolder NASCAR Finals weekend, bringing home the Junior “Jerome Sarran” Trophy – and therefore the Rookie Of The Year Award, the second in a row for CAAL Racing – closing his first NASCAR season second in points.
“We had simply a perfect weekend. It’s not easy winning two races in the same weekend, so I’m really glad I took both races here in Zolder,” commented the Israeli driver, who won three of the last four ELITE 1 races. “The car was really good and I have to thank my team for their hard work. Without them nothing of this would have been possible. It was an amazing weekend and I’m already looking forward to next year,” said Day.
After the enthusiastic Belgian fans visited the grid for the grid walk, the ELITE 1 Final 2 saw Alon Day start from the pole and quickly build a good margin on a trio of drivers fighting for the second position. Eddie Cheever III (#51 CAAL Racing Toyota Camry), Anthony Kumpen (#24 PK Carsport Chevrolet SS) and Frederic Gabillon (#3 Tepac RDV Compétition Ford Mustang) animated the 16-lap race with a tight battle and it was Cheever to have the better hand on the Belgian and the Frenchman.
Vilarino stayed in fifth place for most of the race after starting from the seventh spot of the grid and ended up sixth under the checkered flag, behind his teammate Romain Iannetta (#7 TFT Chevrolet SS), who finished third in points edging Kumpen. Florian Renauer (#5 Dexwet Renauer Team Ford Mustang) got the third place in the Junior ‘Sarran Trophy” thanks to the seventh position in the race, ahead of Philipp Lietz (#67 GDL Racing Ford Mustang), who won the Challenger Trophy both in race and in the season. The #67 GDL Racing Ford Mustang also won the Teams Championship. Martin Doubek (#15 Dexwet Renauer Team Ford Mustang) started 13th and scored his first NASCAR top-10, closing the Final 2 in tenth place.
Thanks to 3 wins, 9 Top5s and 12 Top10s in 12 races, Vilarino conquered his third title in four years, confirming himself as the winningest driver in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series. Alon Day ended his first NASCAR season second in points, with a 35 points gap from the lead, ahaed of Brands Hatch winner Romain Iannetta. 2014 NWES Champion Kumpen was fourth, while the former Junior “Jerome Sarran” Trophy and Pole And Win Award Eddie Cheever III closed the Top5 in points. Six different drivers won at least one race during the season.
The 2016 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series season will start on April 22-24 in Spain, with the third edition of the Valencia American Fest.
NASCAR PR
