Brands Hatch - ELITE 2 Saturday Race - WHELEN 75
Denis Dupont wins four-way battle
Belgian rookie gets his maiden win at Tours Speedway
Tours Speedway, France - Rookie Denis Dupont (#32 RCP - Marc VDS Toyota Camry) won a hard fought WHELEN 75 at the Tours Speedway to climb the top of the podium for the first time ever in his young career. The 21-year old Belgian also gave Racing Clup Partners - Marc VDS Racing the team’s first NASCAR Whelen Euro Series win at the end of a four-way battle agains Marsilio Canuti (#77 DF-1 Racing by B66 Chevrolet SS), Maxime Dumarey (#24 PK Carsport Chevrolet SS) and debutant Stienes Longin (#11 PK Carsport Chevrolet SS). The race ended under yellow after one green-white-checkered attempt.
Photo Credits: NASCAR Whelen Euro Series / Stephane Azemard
“It's beautiful to win a NASCAR race,” said the winner. “I didn't want to set any specific goal, but I knew the car was great on speed and a top result was possible".
Dupont started from the fourth position on the grid and quickly moved up to second, but had to surrender his position to Canuti in restart on lap 21. The Italian then jumped to the lead with a pass on the poleman Dumarey, but went wide fighting oversteer with 25 laps to go. Dupont took advantage of the situation and went from third to first in a couple of laps.
Longin – who was taking part in his first NASCAR race ever – joined the battle and moved to third, while Canuti climbed back to second in the final stages of the WHELEN 75 by taking advantage of a restart on lap 65. One more yellow flag – the 6th of the day – on lap 74, due to a contact between Didier Bec (#8 RDV Compétition Ford Mustang) and Erika Monforte (#88 Euro Kart Racing Team Chevrolet Camaro) led to a green-white-checkered finish, but the first attempt was stopped when Francesca Linossi (#66 DF-1 Racing by B66 Chevrolet SS) and Alex Fabiano (#83 Brazil Team Chevrolet SS) got together in turn 3.
The long time needed to clean up the track forced the Race Control to end the race under the yellow flag.
Dupont crossed the finish line first and also won the Rookie Cup classification, followed by Canuti and Dumarey. Longin took fourth position ahead of Thomas Ferrando (#22 Overdrive-Buffalo Chevrolet Camaro) who completed a huge comeback from the 24th spot on the grid. Marçal Melo (#82 Brazil Team Chevrolet SS) was sixth and won the Gentleman Trophy classification, while Eric Van De Vyver (#17 VdeV Sport Toyota Camry) was first in the Legend Trophy thanks to his 16th place under the checkered flag. Nathalie Maillet (#46 RCP - Marc VDS Toyota Camry) was 14th and first in the Ladies Cup.
Dumarey is now leading the ELITE 2 championship standings ahead of Ferrando.
The second ELITE 2 race of the weekend, the TOURS EVENEMENTS 75 will take place on Sunday, July 6th at 16:30 CET (10:30 ET) with Denis Dupont in pole position.
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NASCAR Whelen Euro Series
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