Yesterday’s Elite 2 race at the Autodromo Di Franciacorta, Brescia in Italy, the second round of the 2019 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series saw Myatt Snider take an excellent second place which included an incredible three-wide overtaking manoeuvre that saw the young American gain two places at once. For today’s 24-lap race he lined up in fifth place on the grid (based on the fastest laps in yesterday’s race) and Eric Clement, who had to miss yesterday’s race as the car couldn’t be repaired in time following damage in the Elite 1 race, was starting from last place on the grid.

Myatt lost a position to Ghirelli into the first corner to lie sixth but the Racing Engineering driver was pressing the Italian hard to try and regain the place. By lap seven he was just 0.5 seconds behind Ghirelli, but he had to be careful as Longin was only 0.7 seconds behind him and over the next few laps Myatt was sitting right on the bumper of Ghirelli who was in turn trying to pass Sorensen in fourth. As the race reached the hallway point Myatt began to fall away a little as he was suffering from oversteer as his tyres began to wear. With seven laps to go Myatt had adapted his driving to his worn tyres and he was gradually able to pull away from Longin and he began to close the gap to Ghirelli in fifth but with the laps running out he had to settle for sixth at the chequered flag.

Eric had a spin in corner seven on the opening lap as he got used to the car in racing conditions but he soon gained several positions to lie twenty-fifth but on lap six he pitted with some minor front bodywork damage before quickly returning to the track still in twenty-fifth although he was now setting some competitive lap times. As the race progressed, he moved up to twenty-third before having to pit again at the end of the race but was still classified in twenty-third.

Yesterday’s Elite 1 race was disappointing for the two Racing Engineering drivers with both Ander Vilariño and Romain Iannetta retiring with accident damage. For today’s 29-lap race Ander was starting from tenth on the grid and Romain from twenty-first.

Ander held his position from the start and he finished the opening lap still in tenth sitting right on the tail of Sedgwick and on lap seven a clean overtaking manoeuvre saw the Spanish driver up to ninth and chasing Ferrara. The front of the field from second to tenth was very close and on lap eleven Ander passed Ferrara to lie eighth. At the halfway point of the race the Racing Engineering car was right behind Rocca and the retirement of Goosens and another overtake moved him up to sixth with ten laps to go. By lap twenty-two Ander had closed up to Longin and Rocca and he was lapping faster than his two rivals and on lap twenty-five Ander and Rocca were side-by-side through several corners with both men giving his rival room but Rocca had the advantage and Ander had to drop behind the Italian. Ander continued to press Rocca but he was unable to find a way past and he took the chequered flag in sixth.

Romain had a fantastic opening lap gaining places all round the circuit to cross the finishing line in sixteenth and by lap five he was part of a big group of seven cars separated by less than five seconds. The French driver continued to make progress and on lap eleven he moved into fourteenth place and one lap later it was thirteenth when Ferrando ran wide. Two retirements promoted Romain to eleventh despite damage to the front right wing of his car and he was running side-by-side with Delsaux and he was soon ahead and on lap twenty he was ninth as Goosens retired. As the race entered its final laps Romain was just 0.2 seconds behind Lasserre but, like his teammate, there wasn’t enough time left and he finished ninth.

Today was a much better day for the Racing Engineering team with three cars finishing in the top nine and Romain in particular driving a great race to move up from twenty-first to ninth on a track that is not easy to pass on.

The next round of the 2019 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series will be in three weeks’ time at Brands Hatch in England.

Team Comments:

Alfonso de Orléans-Borbón - President of Racing Engineering: "Excellent second Elite 1 race considering we have never been here before, especially after yesterday’s two DNFs. Having both drivers in the top 9 and a solid drive from Myatt in the morning Elite 2 race, allowed us a to add important points in the championship. It’s been a tough weekend for everyone, not only with the engine change, differential change and chassis repairs. I think considering all this, we actually did quite well. But more important, I have to thank the boys for the tremendous work they’ve done, that without them it would not have been possible."

Ander Vilariño: “Given how hard the weekend has been for us, this sixth position is not bad. There was a moment in the race when I thought that we'd finish fourth but then it got a bit harder and I didn't want to risk the whole race for just one point. Yesterday we had a very bad result so today we had to score some good points. At the end of the regular season we can drop a result and I hope it will be yesterday’s one. I think that the team made a great job today, we showed a better level and now we are going to Brands Hatch, a track were Romain and I usually go well.”

Romain Iannetta: "I started 21st and finished in 9th, so I can say this was quite an exciting race. I had a good start and overtook a lot of other cars, Lasserre blocked me quite a bit when I was already in 9th, and I lost a lot of time behind him, but was not able to pass. The car was very good at the start of the race, but the balance changed a bit towards the middle of the race. I think we made an improvement on the car from yesterday to today and I am positive that at Brands Hatch I will finally be able to fight for the top positions.”

Myatt Snider: "A solid race for our Ford Performance Racing Engineering Mustang. We tried something with the set up to see if we could gain some lap time on track. It didn’t pan out for us, but we made the most of it, brought the car home in one piece and continued our march forward in the Elite 2 championship. We’ll look to continue gaining points in Brands Hatch."