Claudio Remigio Cappelli clinched his first Legend Trophy title in EuroNASCAR 2 – The Italian won three of four playoffs races to beat Melvin de Groot – Arianna Casoli won the Lady Trophy
The NASCAR Whelen Euro Series playoffs mark the crucial part of the season with double points on the line. Claudio Remigio Cappelli was in top form, scoring a total of three EuroNASCAR 2 race wins in four playoff races to win the Legend Trophy ahead of favorite Melvin de Groot. The Academy / Caffi Motorsport driver was under pressure in the final race of the season when Thomas Toffel challenged him for the win, but the Italian kept his cool to take the checkered flag and win the Legend Trophy for drivers 40 and older. It was the first major title of the Robecco d’Oglio native’s EuroNASCAR career.
Cappelli had to win the final race as de Groot kept the pressure on in the top-10 in the final race of the season. The 49-year-old was attacked several times by Thomas Toffel in the closing laps of the 2024 season, but he held on to take his third playoff victory in four double points races. With another visit to Victory Lane, Cappelli finished fifth overall in the EuroNASCAR 2 standings, nine points ahead of de Groot, who finished eighth in a very tight competition within the division’s top-10. Seven class wins and those three overall victories highlighted a strong season for the Italian roof maker from the Cremona region.
De Groot had to settle for second, but the Dutch giant again showed a strong pace at the wheel of his Team Bleekemolen Toyota Camry. The driver from Aerdenhout had set his sights high when he eyed to break Jerry de Weerdt’s record of three consecutive overall victories in the Legend Trophy, but came up short at the end of an exciting season. With 18 class wins, the 47-year-old became the winningest driver in the Legend Trophy history, while the Dutchman took a total of four class wins in 2024. The 75-year-old Michael Bleekemolen completed the podium in the special classification in twelfth place and was once again the oldest driver on the grid in EuroNASCAR.
Arianna Casoli followed in fourth, but the Italian also set records in the 2024 season. The Reggio Emilia native clinched her fifth Lady Trophy title ahead of Luli Del Castello with nine class wins in 2024. The Speedhouse driver now has 102 EuroNASCAR 2 races and 48 class wins under her belt. Roberto Benedetti rounded out the top 5 in the Legend Trophy ahead of Kenko Miura, Sven van Laere, Giovanni Faraonio, Gordon Barnes, Alain Gran, Eric Quintal, Federico Monti and Miguel Gomes.
With the 2024 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series in the books, EuroNASCAR’s gentleman drivers are working on their programs for the upcoming season. Many drivers have their sights set on hoisting the trophy in 2025. EuroNASCAR 2 is the home of young talent and gentleman drivers, and the trophy battles always promise to excite the fans. Cappelli and de Groot, who is seeking his first NASCAR win, are two great examples of Legend Trophy drivers who are capable of competing for the overall win and even the EuroNASCAR 2 title.
Featured image by NASCAR Whelen Euro Series / Nina Weinbrenner
