Indian star Advait Deodhar 2nd in Challenger Trophy

Valencia (Spain) 7 May 2023: Valencia, 8 May 2023: Indian racing star Advait Deodhar secured a podium in the Challenger Trophy classification for bronze and silver drivers in the EuroNASCAR PRO, finishing second behind Riccardo Romagnoli. In the overall classification, the Euro-based Deodhar, finished P10 within points for a very impressive debut in the top class.

Kenko Miura came third and overall 11th. The Indian rounded out the top-10 positions. Provisionally, Lucas Lasserre exits the Spanish round of the championship as the championship leader with 71 points. Doubek is in second with 64 points with the aid of bonus points for most positions gained that he secured in Race 2, while Goossens sits in third with 63 points.

Advait Deodhar won the Elite Club championship in 2018 in his debut year and has been competing in EuroNASCAR since then. He took part in the NASCAR2 last year, made an impressive debut in elite Pro-Division at NASCAR Whelen European Series Round 1 here on Saturday.

One driver who stood out from the rest was Indian racing ace Advait Deodhar, who promoted himself to Elite Pro division this year, driving for Academy Motorsports team. Advait had virtually no practice time, going into the race weekend, which made his performance even more impressive.

The NASCAR Whelen European Series made its much-awaited return to Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, Spain, and it did not disappoint. The first round of the Elite Pro division saw some exhilarating racing and a mix of fortune for many drivers.

Deodhar salvages P16 in Race 1

Starting from P14 in Race 1 on Saturday, Advait had a decent start but was forced to go wide in Turn 1 and lost a few positions. However, he managed to gain back some places as the race progressed. His battle with Thomas in car number 46 was intense, and he eventually settled for P16.

“The qualifying time for Race 2 on Sunday was based on the quickest lap time from Race 1. Advait was determined to do better in Race 2, starting from P14 again. The start of the race was as expected, with drivers going all out to gain positions,” said Anish Gohil, his spotter.

“An incident in turn one forced half of the grid to go wide but Advait managed to move up to P12. With four laps remaining, another incident involving leading cars of Gimmy and Hezemans forced the safety car out again. Doing everything right at the restart, Advait managed to finish in P10, securing championship points of the season and a top 10 finish,” he added.

It was a step in the right direction for Advait, who will be looking to build on this performance going forward.

The next round of the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series is in the UK at Brands Hatch, which is Advait’s home race. Also it a memorable venue for the Indian, as he secured his first career win in NASCAR at the same venue.

Academy Motorsports have shown great pace at the track, and Advait and the team are determined to perform well at NASCAR GP UK. Overall, the first round of the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series was a fantastic event, with some great racing and performances from all drivers.

“Advait Deodhar’s debut in the Elite Pro division was a promising start, and we look forward to seeing him and Academy Motorsports in action again at Brands Hatch,” Gohil concluded.

In the overall classification, the Euro-based Deodhar, finished P10 within points. Kenko Miura came third and overall 11th. The Indian rounded out the top-10 positions. Provisionally, Lucas Lasserre exits the Spanish round of the championship as the championship leader with 71 points. Doubek is in second with 64 points with the aid of bonus points for most positions gained that he secured in Race 2, while Goossens sits in third with 63 points.

The Race report

The season opener of the 2023 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series season ended with a big bang and it was Lucas Lasserre who won EuroNASCAR PRO Round 2 in a tremendous battle against Martin Doubek. The Speedhouse Racing driver grabbed his first victory since 2018 and gave Speedhouse the team’s second win in EuroNASCAR PRO since its debut in 2017. The Frenchman took advantage from a clash between Gianmarco Ercoli and Liam Hezemans late in the race to take the lead and capture the checkered flag.

The owner, engineer and driver coach of Speedhouse didn’t plan to jump into the #64 Ford Mustang in 2023, but with the cockpit free, the Biarritz resident decided to take the wheel at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, Spain. Lasserre has been involved in the series since its foundation in 2009 and is one of the most experienced drivers on the grid. It took all his cleverness to put the #64 in Victory Lane: the Frenchman took the lead on restart – the second of the race – on lap 17, beating Vladimiros Tziortzis into turn 2 after the Cypriot had kept the lead in turn 1. Lasserre then defended first place and turned the NASCAR GP Spain into a huge party for Speedhouse.

On to Brands Hatch – June 17 and 18

The 2023 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series will make its next stop on June 17-18 at Circuit Brands Hatch in the UK. Four action-packed races will highlight the 10th edition of the popular American SpeedFest at the Indy layout of the legendary race track close to London. Qualifying and all races will be broadcast live on EuroNASCAR’s YouTube channel, Motorsport.tv and several TV services from all around the world.

Editor’s Note: With inputs from Official press release from EuroNASCAR /ANDRÉ WIEGOLD / REZA MAULANA / GIAN LUCA GUIGLIA