The 2025 NASCAR Euro Series season is set to conclude in Belgium on October 11-12. Four thrilling races are scheduled for the weekend, with two in each championship – PRO and OPEN – deciding the drivers’ champions at the end of a demanding, action-packed season of NASCAR racing across Europe.
The coveted Endurance Teams Championship will also be on the line, alongside various division trophies. Thursday kicks off the event with a parade and the decider in the Rookie Challenge, the regularity-based time-attack series.
Circuit Zolder, a staple on the European NASCAR calendar since 2015, is set to host the NASCAR Euro Series Finals for the eighth time. This legendary 4.011-kilometer track boasts high-speed straights, challenging chicanes, demanding corners, and several opportunities for drivers to make their move.
With double points on the line, every pass, every bump, and every heroic save could dramatically shake up the championship standings. Get ready for some of the most thrilling races of the year as drivers battle it out for points and the prestigious Tijey championship trophy!
The 2025 NASCAR Euro Series playoffs kicked off with a bang at Germany’s Motorsport Arena Oschersleben! Points leaders Gianmarco Ercoli and Vittorio Ghirelli, deadlocked in a tie, tangled on Saturday in turn 1, triggering a massive “Big One” pile-up. While both drivers minimized the damage, Paul Jouffreau officially entered the championship hunt.
Ghirelli, however, roared back on Sunday to take victory, reclaiming the championship lead, though the margins remain razor-thin.
The 2024 champion and PK Carsport’s star, Ghirelli, is currently leading the overall standings, holding a slim four-point advantage over Jouffreau. Jouffreau is also dominating the Junior Trophy for drivers aged 25 and under.
Sitting in third, the 2023 champion Ercoli is just 18 points back from the championship leader. While it looks like a three-way fight for the championship, don’t count out some other strong contenders lurking in the shadows: Garrett Lowe, the phenomenal rookie, is fourth overall and second in the Junior Trophy, with Thomas Krasonis rounding out the top-3 in that special classification and cracking the overall top-5.
Claudio Cappelli, the top Challenger Trophy driver among the elite amateurs in the PRO class, currently sits in tenth place.
The Italian ace holds a comfortable 42-point lead over Davit Kajaia, who’s running 16th overall. Thomas Toffel rounds out the Challenger Trophy top-3 in 18th. While Cappelli has a bit of breathing room, mistakes are simply not an option with double points on the line.
The dedicated roofer and metal music enthusiast will be pushing his machine to the absolute limit, aiming to claim his very first overall PRO class victory.
Thomas Krasonis carries the bullseye on his back in the OPEN championship. With five race wins in the #13 PK Carsport Chevrolet, the Greek sensation has built himself a comfortable lead over two-time OPEN champion Martin Doubek, who trails by 35 points.
Krasonis has been a part of the series since 2019, bringing plenty of experience to the track. But is the 23-year-old ready to handle the pressure and make the final push to become the first Greek driver to hoist a major European motorsports championship trophy?
Doubek is ready to leave it all on the track, aiming to dethrone Krasonis and turn his season around. The Hendriks Motorsport driver has three wins under his belt and the experience of two championship battles. This Czech racer has that killer instinct, and his team knows Circuit Zolder like the back of their hand.
Could this be the winning combination to pull off a major upset and secure his unprecedented third NASCAR Euro Series OPEN title?
Bruno Mulders, just 17 years old, grabbed his first-ever NASCAR victory in Germany and now sits third in the overall standings, leading the charge for the Master Trophy. The young Dutchman could be a dark horse contender for the championship if Krasonis and Doubek stumble.
Mulders will also be fighting to hold off Thomas Dombrowski, who’s also making a strong bid for the special classification win. Sandro Tavartkiladze, currently third in the Master Trophy and fifth overall, is also eyeing a shot at that class victory.
Melvin de Groot is gunning for his third Legend Trophy win for drivers aged 45 and over, holding a strong 25-point lead over defending class champion Claudio Cappelli.
While there’s immense respect between these two veterans, expect them to battle tooth and nail on the track for that top step of the podium. Meanwhile, Happinessa is set to take home the Lady Trophy, as the German racer is the only regular female competitor in the OPEN championship.
In a format reminiscent of the Tour de France or rally racing, the Endurance Teams Championship will be decided in the final kilometer. Each race per weekend counts as a stage for every car. The team that completes the most laps in the least amount of time scores 40 points per event – with a massive 80 points up for grabs in the double-point playoffs.
After five events, the #24 PK Carsport Chevrolet sits atop the standings thanks to the impressive performances of Vittorio Ghirelli in PRO and Thomas Dombrowski in OPEN, who have collectively racked up a grand total of 202 points.
The #69 Team Bleekemolen Toyota Camry sits second with Sebastiaan Bleekemolen and Melvin de Groot behind the wheel. The Dutch squad is just nine points behind PK Carsport. Third in the standings is the #99 Bremotion Chevrolet of Garrett Lowe and Dominique Schaak, a mere one point ahead of reigning Endurance Teams champion RDV Competition’s #3 Ford, piloted by Paul Jouffreau and Patrick Schober. Rounding out the top-5, separated by only 28 points, is Alumitec Racing’s #11 Ford with Gianmarco Ercoli and Valentino Gambarotto.
Jose Penalta is the man to beat in the 2025 Rookie Challenge. The Spainard has been the most consistent driver in the time-attack regularity test scoring four overall wins in four events so far. Will the Speedhouse driver have another perfect day and grab the crown in the best division to prepare for competitive racing in PRO and OPEN? There are some drivers who want to push him off the throne.
Maxim van Laere is running second, 24 points behind Penalta, lurking in the dark, ready to score big and potentially overtake the leader in the overall standings.
Nuno Caetano is close behind in third, just ahead of former Rookie Challenge winner Andreas Kuchelbacher and Davide Frulio, who round out the top-5. The battle is heating up, and the challenge will be decided this Thursday, right before the famous parade into the heart of Zolder.