Kris Richard: “Simple NWES cars are a lot of fun”
Kris Richard made his EuroNASCAR debut with Marko Stipp Motorsport at the Autodromo di Vallelunga – He fell in love with the characteristics of the cars
You take a V8 engine, rear-wheel drive, a manual four-speed H-pattern gearbox and no electronic driving aids and you get a racing car that is great fun according to touring car specialist Kris Richard. The Swiss made his debut in the championship at the 2020 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series (NWES) season opener at the Autodromo di Vallelunga for Marko Stipp Motorsport.
“It was very interesting”, Richard told ‘Leadlap.net’ about his first NWES weekend. “It’s amazing how much fun it is to drive cars that are so simply constructed. The costs are kept relatively low in the series compared to other categories.”
Richard also praised the competition in the EuroNASCAR 2 championship, which is “very strong” and “tight”, according to the Swiss. “It was great fun,” was the conclusion of the 25-year-old, who drove the #48 Chevrolet Camaro for Marko Stipp Motorsport.
In the first race, Richard finished in a solid sixth place, a result he is “satisfied” with. The German team impressed with a strong performance before the start of the first race: During practice there was an engine failure, which meant that the V8 had to be replaced. Despite the short time to get the car in shape, the Camaro was competitive.
“I didn’t know the car or the team, so I can be quite satisfied with sixth place,” said Richard, who ended up 3rd in the Rookie Trophy. In the second race he was involved in a crash with the US American Julia Landauer. “That was annoying of course. I had to retire shortly before the end of the race because of the collision. That’s just the way it is, you can’t change that.”
But the NWES got the talented racing driver hooked: “I want to race again in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series,” Richard confirmed. “But I don’t know if I can make it this year.” Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, racing drivers are having a hard time getting their budgets together through sponsors.
“I had much better cards last year,” he explained. That’s why Richard wants to wait and see how things develop next year and then attack again in the official European NASCAR series. He has definitely made a good first impression.
