For the fourth time: Barry Maessen wins the 2021 V8OS EuroCup at Venray
Local hero Barry Maessen has struck again in the V8 Oval Series at Raceway Venray – The Dutchman won the EuroCup for the fourth time in his career
Barry Maessen was unbeatable in the EuroCup race of the V8 Oval Series at Raceway Venray. The Dutchman won the title for the fourth time in his career, beating Jentsen Adriaenssens and Ralph Verberkt in a race that will go down in the history of the series for its excitement. The top 3 were separated by just half a second after 40 laps.
Maessen had already shown in the first championship race that the #14 car is a perfect fit on the about 800-meter oval with up to 25 degrees of banking. The Dutchman won the first race of the day, which unlike the EuroCup counted as part of the championship, ahead of Verberkt and returnee Frank Wouters, who surprisingly returned to the championship in his legendary #6 car.
Photos: Raceway Venray on September 26
The second race was the EuroCup race, which promised no points in the overall standings, but baited with a huge trophy as a prize. Everything else is history: Maessen defeated Adriaenssens and Verberkt in 40 laps and secured the trophy for the fourth time.
Jeroen van Eerd finished fourth ahead of Wouters, while Philipp Bachor from Germany settled for sixth. Jeroen Hermans, Darragh Adriaenssens, Stephan Driessen and Hans-Jürgen Hummen completed the top 10, while Job Rutten was eleventh. Tony Sempels and Jeffrey Hageman did not finish the race. Maurice Verstappen, who entered his ASCAR for the first time in Venray, had an accident due to brake failure already in practice and therefore had to retire.
After the EuroCup round it was the turn of returnee Wouters. The experienced V8 Oval Series veteran, who last competed in Stockcar F1, drove as if he had never been away and won the two remaining championship rounds. As a result, Wouters secured first place in the day’s standings ahead of Maessen and Verberkt.
For Bachor it was a day to forget: The Wattenscheider struggled with technical problems and was disqualified in the second run because his car was too low. Hummen consistently drove 20s times and thus posted a solid race day. The season finale of the V8 Oval Series will be held at Venray Raceway on October 24, 2021.
