Ο Θωμάς Κρασώνης προβιβάζεται στην κατηγορία Elite 1 Pro του EuroNASCAR για το 2022

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Ο Θωμάς Κρασώνης επελέγη από την ομάδα της Academy Motorsport/Alex Caffi Motorsport να προβιβαστεί στην κατηγορία Elite 1 / EuroNASCAR PRO για τη σεζόν του 2022.

Μετά την επιτυχημένη πορεία του κατά τη σεζόν του 2021, κατά την οποία κατάφερε να βαθμολογηθεί συχνά και να έρθει 13ος στη βαθμολογία, ο Θωμάς Κρασώνης θα συνεχίσει να αγωνίζεται με τα χρώματα της Academy Motorsport/Alex Caffi Motorsport, κάνοντας όμως το επόμενο βήμα.

Η ιταλική ομάδα έμεινε κατενθουσιασμένη από τις εμφανίσεις του την περυσινή σεζόν, και μετά από σχετικές συζητήσεις, αποφάσισε να προβιβάσει τον Έλληνα οδηγό στην κατηγορία the Elite 1 / EuroNASCAR PRO, την κορυφαία στο πρωτάθλημα του 2022 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series.

Αυτό σημαίνει πως ο 20χρονος οδηγός θα βρεθεί στο υψηλότερο επίπεδο ανταγωνισμού, με αντιπάλους του πρώην πρωταθλητές και νικητές στην κατηγορία.

Ο Federico Monti, επικεφαλής της of Academy Motorsport/Alex Caffi Motorsport, αναφέρει σχετικά:

«Με μεγάλη μας χαρά ανακοινώνουμε πως ο Θωμάς θα βρίσκεται στην ομάδα μας, οδηγώντας το αυτοκίνητό μας. Είναι ένας εξαιρετικός άνθρωπος και οδηγός. Ελπίζουμε το 2022 να είναι μία επιτυχημένη σεζόν για εκείνον και την of Academy Motorsport/Alex Caffi Motorsport. Θα συμμετάσχει στην κατηγορία ENPro και αυτό σίγουρα θα του δώσει την ευκαιρία να έχει ένα λαμπρό μέλλον.»

Ο Θωμάς Κρασώνης σημείωσε:

«Νιώθω πολύ χαρούμενος που η ομάδα με εμπιστεύεται για μια ακόμα χρόνια και πιστεύει στις ικανότητές μου. Πλέον θα έχω την ευκαιρία να αγωνιστώ στη μεγάλη κατηγορία, ανάμεσα σε επαγγελματίες οδηγούς κάτι που δεν μου δίνει απλά κίνητρο να δώσω το 1000% των δυνατοτήτων μου, αλλά αποτελεί ένα τεράστιο βήμα, ώστε να πετύχω το στόχο μου: να αγωνιστώ στο Αμερικανικό NASCAR.

«Θέλω τους ανθρώπους που με πιστεύουν να στέκονται δίπλα μου και παλεύουν και αυτοί μαζί με εμένα για να μπορέσω να πετύχω τους στόχους μου.

«Είμαι πολύ αισιόδοξος για το 2022 και ελπίζω να δικαιώσω την εμπιστοσύνη των ιδιοκτητών της ομάδας Federico Monti και Alex Caffi.»

Credits: NASCAR Whelen Euro Series / Stephane Azemard

Thomas Krasonis promoted to Elite 1 Pro for the 2022 EuroNASCAR season with Academy MotorSport

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Thomas Krasonis was chosen by Academy Motorsport/Alex Caffi Motorsport team to be promoted to the Elite 1 / EuroNASCAR PRO category for the 2022 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series.

After a successful 2021 season with the Academy Motorsport/Alex Caffi Motorsport outfit, during which he finished the season P13 of the classification, Thomas Krasonis will continue with the Italian squad, doing the next step for 2022.

The team was delighted with his performance from this past season, and after thoughtful consideration, decided to promote him to the Elite 1 / EuroNASCAR PRO category, the top flight of the championship.

This means that Krasonis is going to compete in the higher level, among professional drivers and champions.

Federico Monti, team principal of Academy Motorsport/Alex Caffi Motorsport states: ‘It is with great pleasure that we announce that Thomas will be in our team, driving our car, he is an amazing boy and amazing driver. We really hope 2022 will be a successful season for him and for Academy Motorsport / Alex Caffi Motorsport. He will be competing in ENpro and this for sure will give him many more opportunities for a brilliant future.”

Thomas Krasonis said: ‘I feel really happy that the team trusts me and believes in my abilities. From next year onwards, I will have the opportunity to race at the biggest category, amongst professional racing drivers, which gives me the motivation to push beyond my limits. It’s a big step in my career, one that will help me achieve my goal: to race at the NASCAR series in the US.

‘I want the full support of the people around me, and with them by my side I will achieve the goals I have set.

‘I am very optimistic for the 2022 season and I hope I can justify the trust that the team owners, Federico Monti and Alex Caffi, have shown me.’

Photo Credits: NASCAR Whelen Euro Series / Stephane Azemard

EuroNASCAR Italy – Race 2: A final full of overtakes!

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Thomas Krasonis signs off this year’s EuroNASCAR championship with a solid P10 position at Vallelunga.

Having started from P16 for the second race of the weekend at Autodromo Vallelunga, Thomas had set a clear goal of passing as many cars as possible, to get a good points’ haul and improve his championship position.

And he did just that, right from the start.

He had a much cleaner and tactical race than Saturday, and managed to climb up 4 places by lap 10, sitting in P12.

Around that time, Tobias Dauenhauer did a mistake and went off track, and when he got back on it, he lost a lot of time, allowing Thomas to catch and pass him in a matter of seconds.

Lanza was attacking Thomas for the next couple of laps, pressuring the Greek driver into making a mistake. However, in a twist of irony, Lanza was the one who made an error, meaning Thomas was able to finish P11.

After the race, a penalty from one of the drivers who passed the checkered flag in front of him promoted him onto P10, for a solid top 10 result.

That was the end of a long season in the EuroNASCAR championship, which started on May 15 and finished 5 months later.

Thomas finishes in P13 in the final standings.

Last but not least, congratulations to Martin Dubek for the EuroNASCAR 2 title. Well deserved!

EuroNASCAR Italy – Race 1: P12 on a rollercoaster race for Thomas Krasonis

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Thomas Krasonis got P12 in Race 1 at Autodromo Vallelunga, in an up-and-down 60 km run with lots of overtakes and a Safety Car period.

This year’s EuroNASCAR championship ends at Vallelugna, outside Rome, and the goal was and is the same: a finishing position at the top 10.

Thomas started Race 1 from P16, and what was about to happen for the next 15 laps was an amazing rollercoaster of events.

He climbed up to P15 after the first couple of laps, and after that, he lost some ground battling it out with the other drivers. That meant he lost 3 positions, going back to P18 for the better part of the race.

However, with 5 laps remaining, #56 lost the control of his car, unable to continue, meaning that the Safety Car had to go out and set the pace while the track was cleared of the stationed car.

Thomas took advantage of the situation and got back to P15, just before the SC was deployed.

After it left the track, and with just 2 laps remaining, he managed to grab 3 more positions to finish in P12, securing a +6-finishing position on the results.

In a grid that is so competitive, with everyone trying to get every inch of advantage they can, this result is one to hold on.

Photo Credits: NASCAR Whelen Euro Series / Klemen Sofric

NASCAR GP Italy Preview – The grand finale!

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It’s been a long season, and it’s coming to its end at this weekend’s double race at Autodromo Vallelunga Piero Taruffi.

After a long EuroNASCAR season, Thomas Krasonis and Academy MotorSport will conclude the 2021 championship at the Vallelunga circuit.

Situated near Rome, the 4,085 km-track is a unique challenge for the big NASCAR cars – especially on the last 5 turns, on the most technical and slow part of the circuit.

Thomas sat down with us to talk about the last race of the season and his championship so far.

How well do you know the Vallelunga circuit?

‘I have raced at Vallelunga in the past, and recently I tested there with my car, so I can say that I know it pretty well. I feel comfortable driving in it.’

How do you evaluate your season so far?

‘I believe I could have a better position in the standings othen than P13, since I have finished in 3 races less than most other drivers. Nevertheless, I am happy that I am at a competitive level, and I gather experience for 2022.’

Finally, what would you like to improve upon after Zolder?

‘I would like to have better pace at Vallelunga, so I can have the chance to get a strong result, since it’s the last race of the season and I want to give it everything. I will approach this race with ease and I will try to be as close to the guys at the front as possible.’

The schedule for the race weekend (Local Italian Time):

Saturday, October 30

Qualifying – 10:25

Race 1 – 16:35

Sunday, October 31

Race 2 – 10:30

Strong weekend for Academy Motopsort / Alex Caffi Motosport in Belgium

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Federico Monti on the first step of the podium in Club Challenge, pole position and second step of the podium for Vladimiros Tziorzis in EN2.

Incredible mixed feelings in this penultimate round of the Nascar Whelen Euro Series in Zolder for the Italian team led by Federico Francesco Monti and F1 driver Alex Caffi.
Brilliant start of the race on Thursday with the victory of Federico Monti with his FJ # 2 in the Club Challenge which brings him just nine points from the leader of the category.
“Beautiful race, perfect set-up and maximum concentration on track, now everything is possible in Vallelunga in the last round of the season.”

Bitter sweet weekend for Vladimiros Tziorzis in Ford Mustang # 1 who, after winning the pole position for Saturday’s race, had several issues during the race making it really difficult to maintain a good performance on track, caused by unexpected variations in the assembly of the carburetor made during tecnical checks, this affected his performance.

Great reaction of pride from the Cypriot driver entirely supported by his Team Academy Motosport / Alex Caffi Motosport, starting in fourth position on Sunday’s race, that was immediately affected by safety car, really a hard-fought race with no holds barred until the end, Vladimiros always managed to keep first positions and after a penalty on car #50 Tziorztis conquered the second step of the podium.

‘Really a difficult weekend with the mechanical issues that we had on Saturday, but the team has worked really well we solved the problems and we were ready for today’s race where there were some contacts, I got a puncture the team was able to change the tyre immediately so I managed to keep my original position, from then I had a consistent run and I was able to conquer third place then a penalty to Tobias left me the second step of the podium. I am already thinking about Vallelunga which I love and I won’t let anybody or anything interfere with my race there, everything is still very open and so we can really get important results.its important for the team, for me, my family and suporters.’

Great progress and consistency shown this weekend by Thomas Krasonis, who made a difficult comeback in both races that brought the young driver just out the top 10.

In the EN Pro, top 5 on Saturday for Patrick Lemarié in the FJ #5 after a pure racing competition and behind safety car for several laps. On Sunday unfortunately after a very clean run he finished at the end for some mechanical issues.

Press release from Academy Motopsort / Alex Caffi Motosport 

EuroNASCAR Belgium – Race 2: Points for Thomas Krasonis at Zolder

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Thomas Krasonis finished once again in the points at Race 2 of the NASCAR GP Belgium.

Thomas Krasonis leaves Circuit Zolder with a double point finishing result.

He started Sunday’s Race 2 from P18 and managed to repeat the feat from Saturday’s Race 1, and climb up the order as he went.

Two Safety Car periods disrupted the flow of the race, but Thomas never lost his focus and continued to push, as all the drivers are fighting towards the end of this exciting campaign.

In 15-lap race, he managed to get 5 positions and finish in P12, securing once again some valuable points to achieve his goal, which is to finish the season in the top 10 of the overall standings.

Next up is the NASCAR GP Italy, the final round of the season, at Autodromo di Vallelunga.

Credits: NASCAR Whelen Euro Series / Bart Dehaese

NASCAR GP Belgium Preview – Finishing in the top-10 the goal for Thomas Krasonis at Zolder

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Circuit Zolder hosts the penultimate round of the 2021 EuroNASCAR season, and Thomas Krasonis is ready for it.

At Heusden-Zolder lies a track that holds a lot of history, passion and despair.

Having opened its gates in 1963, the Circuit Terlamen (as its also known) is a 4.010 km and 10-turn track, which has hosted F1 Grand Prix, DTM races and GT endurance races.

And now, it’s the host of the NASCAR GP Belgium in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series – and a track that Thomas knows from his 2019 campaign in this championship.

After a difficult weekend last time out at Grobnik, Thomas Krasonis is ready to tackle Zolder, and get some valuable points for the drivers’ and teams’ standings.

As ever, a top-10 finish is the goal set by the Greek driver, who is going head on to face a new, but certainly not unknown challenge.

The schedule for the race weekend (Local Belgian Time):

Saturday, October 9

Qualifying – 10:40

Race 1 – 17:10

Sunday, October 10

Race 2 – 11:20

Photo Credits: NASCAR Whelen Euro Series / Klemen Sofric

EuroNASCAR Croatia – Race 2: More points for Thomas Krasonis out of Grobnik

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Thomas Krasonis got another batch of points out of Race 2 at NASCAR GP Croatia.

The grid for Sunday’s race was set from the fastest lap from Race 1, so Thomas started P17.

After the start, he made up one place, climbing up to P16, before going back down to P18.

He got his pace back, though, and started chasing the drivers in front of him, and managed to overtake both Valeri, and Lanza, to claim P16.

This means he got into the points once again, and leaves Croatia with two solid finishes.

You can watch the whole race in the link below:

 

EuroNASCAR Croatia – Race 1: Finish in the points from Thomas Krasonis 

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Thomas Krasonis finished Race 1 at Grobnik in a points’ awarding position, with an issue with the brakes. 

Race 1 at Grobnik offered a unique opportunity for Thomas Krasonis to get his season back into gear. 

After qualifying P18 for Saturday’s evening race, Thomas was prepped up for an all-important finish into the points, and he succeeded at his goal. 

He climbed up 4 places during the 14-lap race at Cavle, even though he had a brake problem for almost the half of the race. 

As the team said in a statement: ‘We discovered a problem in front left joint and changed the part. In race 1, Thomas had a brake issue, and as a result he did 7 laps with no brakes.’ 

Now, he will rest and get ready for Race 2 on Sunday Morning (10:30 local time).