Update: EuroNASCAR decide to partly switch back to the 2020 rules
The 2021 NWES season is in the starting blocks: Next weekend, both championships will kick off at Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Spain – EuroNASCAR has – Rule changes have been reversed to the 2020 rulebook
The NASCAR Whelen Euro Series (NWES) kicks off the new season next weekend at Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, Spain. Team FJ, the championship organizer, has announced changes to the format and points allocation ahead of the first races. After an open meeting with the team bosses, Team FJ decided to cross out some new rules out of the regulations.
Saturday morning qualifying will not be given significantly more weight than in the past, so no bonus points will be award. The qualifying sessions in both championships run over 30 minutes without Superpole.
New starting grids for the second races
The starting grid for the second race in each division is traditionally formed by the fastest lap from the first races. The series planned to applies success handicaps for the top-3 but this rule was also reversed to the 2020 regulations.
The format itself has not changed much: On Friday, two 30-minute free practice sessions are scheduled in both EuroNASCAR PRO and EuroNASCAR 2. If the Club Challenge – the regularity test – is included, there will be three 30-minute sessions on Friday in which the winner will be sought.
On Saturday morning, the qualifying sessions of EuroNASCAR PRO and EuroNASCAR 2 will take place. Two races follow on Saturday, one for each division, while the second rounds are scheduled for Sunday. EuroNASCAR PRO races have a distance of around 75 kilometers, while EuroNASCAR 2 runs cover around 60 kilometers.
Tires limited, new sequential gearbox option
To keep costs down, the drivers have 22 brand-new slicks from new tire supplier Hoosier at their disposal each season. At Valencia, Most, Hockenheim and Zolder, drivers get four new tires. At Brands Hatch, Vallelunga and Grobnik, there are only two new tires, so drivers have to fall back on used, registered tires from previous events. Test and rain tires are not limited.
The new optional sequential gearbox will make its debut in Valencia. Which drivers and teams will use the kit, which fits the current 4-speed H-shift gearbox, has not yet been determined. What is certain is that there will be a mix of drivers using the H-shift and the sequential kit. For the season opener at Circuit Ricardo Tormo, 2,000 spectators per day were admitted.
