Free Practice: Loris Hezemans and Giorgio Maggi set the pace in Practice
Loris Hezemans strengthened his championship ambitions in Free Practice at the Hockenheimring by setting the fastest lap in both ELITE 1 sessions, while his teammate Giorgio Maggi was quickest overall in the ELITE 2 Division.
Hezemans, who won the last two ELITE 1 races of the regular season and sits a close second in points behind Stienes Longin, clocked a 1:32.527 lap around the iconic German track. The Dutchman impressed by topping the charts in both sessions at the wheel of the #50 Hendriks Motorsport Ford Mustang.
In the combined results Nicolo Rocca ended up second with a small gap of only 0.057 seconds from Hezemans. The Italian sits third in the ELITE 1 Division championship only eight points behind Longin, who was third quickest in practice on the #11 PK Carsport Chevrolet Camaro.
Reigning champion Alon Day was fourth, having clocked a 1:32.800 lap in Friday’s Final Practice. The Israeli comes into the Semi Finals with the clear intention of becoming the first driver to win three NWES championships in a row. Ander Vilarino rounded out the top-5 at the wheel of his #48 Racing Engineering Ford Mustang.
Memphis Racing’s Alexander Graff was sixth ahead of Thomas Ferrando, Lucas Lasserre, Romain Iannetta and Salvador Tineo Arroyo, who completed the top-10. Mishumotor’s Daniel Keilwitz ended up 13th in his debut at the wheel of a Euro NASCAR V8 beast ahead of Jacques Villeneuve and the #32 Go Fas Racing Chevrolet Camaro.
Maggi makes a statement
ELITE 2 Division points leader Giorgio Maggi set the fastest lap time in the ELITE 2 Division in First Practice by lapping the Hockenheimring in 1:33.741. Leading the championship by 9 markers ahead of Vittorio Ghirelli, the Swiss driver reinforced his title ambitions and made it a perfect start to the weekend for Hendriks Motorsport. Pulling double duties in Germany again, Maggi’s teammate Martin Doubek was second by a mere 0.200 seconds.
Newcomer Hugo De Sadeleer ended up third in his first ever outing in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series for Racing Engineering. The Swiss was just 0.055 seconds slower than Doubek. Ghirelli followed in fourth by clocking a 1:34.065 lap on 3.692 km of the Hockenheimring. De Sadeleer’s teammate Myatt Snider closed the top-5 in his debut at the German track.
Pierluigi Veronesi was sixth ahead of championship contender Lasse Soerensen, Andre Castro, Jesse Vartiainen and Advait Deodhar, who rounded out the top-10. Nicholas Risitano crashed in First Practice, going off the track at the last corner and triggering a red flag that ended the session.
Qualifying and all the races from the NASCAR GP Germany will be streamed live on Fanschoice.tv, the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series Youtube channel and Facebook page, on Motorsport.tv and on a vast network of websites and social media profiles.
Photo Credits: NASCAR Whelen Euro Series / Stephane Azemard
