When Alberto Naska joined the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series with CAAL Racing for the 2022 season, the famous content creator was overjoyed to pursue his lifelong dream of competing in an international auto racing championship. The Italian has been preparing as hard as possible to be competitive after making the switch from bike to auto racing, and has also made starts in various national racing series to gain important experience. In 2022, at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo, Naska surprised everyone and stated he was a contender not only for the Rookie Trophy but also for the overall EuroNASCAR 2 victory. He then lost the title battle to Liam Hezemans on the final weekend of the season, but still left his mark.
One year later, in 2023, Naska returned to Valencia, Spain, but the role he is playing in the current season is completely different from the one he had a year ago. With the experience and five race wins on his tally, Naska is considered the hottest title contender in the 2023 EuroNASCAR 2 Championship. He also switched to CAAL Racing’s #54 Camaro, which he shares with one of the top drivers in NWES history: Gianmarco Ercoli. From the pursuer chasing his dreams, Naska has become the man to beat and his thousands of fans expect him to visit Victory Lane multiple times in 2023.
But how does Naska feel about his new role in the championship and the high expectations the fans have of him? “Now I have the experience that I didn’t have last year, so I have some advantage this season,” he said at Circuit Ricardo Tormo. “But the other guys have had the same experience, so it’s basically the same as last year. The incredible thing I have seen is that the EuroNASCAR 2 drivers I battled with last year are now fighting for the top spots in EuroNASCAR PRO. This means that the level in EuroNASCAR 2 is very high – at least in the front rows.”
Changing his attitude or behavior isn’t something Naska wants to do. He is hungry for wins and wants to be the best. “My mindset is always the same. I want to win, I aim for the win. Even if I start 30th or I’m one of the slowest on track, my way is to go for the top. That is the winning mentality!” At the Circuit Ricardo Tormo, Naska was on pace to score important points on a track that doesn’t suit the combination between the 32-year-old’s driving style and CAAL Racing’s setup.
Nevertheless, Naska finished second in both races and is now second in the overall standings with 70 points, ten points behind Vladimiros Tziortzis, who pulled double duty in Valencia and didn’t confirm he will race the rest of the EuroNASCAR 2 season. Naska has what it takes to become a EuroNASCAR Champion and with the experience he has gained, the support of his amazing fans from all over the world and the knowledge of CAAL Racing – one of the powerhouses of EuroNASCAR – he will do his best to avenge last year’s defeat and rise to the top of the standings.
Naska will be back in action when the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series returns to the Indy Circuit of Brands Hatch, UK on June 17-18. Qualifying and all races will be broadcast live on EuroNASCAR’s YouTube channel, Motorsport.tv and various TV services around the world. Keep an eye out for the #54 Chevrolet Camaro in EuroNASCAR 2, as the Italian has already scored a win at the legendary track near the United Kingdom’s capital city of London.
Featured image by NASCAR Whelen Euro Series / Bart Dehaese
