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Gabillon finds his way back to NASCAR Euro victory lane

Takes win at Nurburgring after early crash takes out leaders.

Frédéric Gabillon

Frédéric Gabillon

Jean-Philippe Legrand

The 2013 championship runner-up Frederic Gabillon (#12 Still Racing Chevrolet Camaro) found his way to Victory Lane for the first time this season by taking the lead on lap 3 of the ELITE 1 Sunday Race and driving away from his rivals to score his fifth career NASCAR win. He is the sixth different driver to win a NASCAR Whelen Euro Series ELITE 1 race in 2014. Gabillon's last victory came in the 2013 Le Mans Finals, when he swept the weekend to finish second in the championship.

The Frenchman took advantage of a contact between Ander Vilarino (#2 TFT-Banco Santander Chevrolet SS) and Borja Garcia (#1 Ford Autolix Competition Ford Mustang) that sent the championship leader spinning into the barriers and ended his race and triggered the only safety car period of the race. The Spanish duo was battling for the lead since the start of the race and the accident let Gabillon through, but once the Still Racing driver was in front imposing a very fast pace, Garcia had to settle for second, crossing the finish line 2.937 seconds behind.

“It was tough because the track was very slippery. I'm sorry for Ander, I've been unlucky in Tours and i know how it feels like. He didn't deserve to end in such a poor way,” said Gabillon, who dedicated the win to his crew chief. “I'm happy for my team, they did a great job. This is the last race for my crew chief and it's good to give him this satisfaction”.

Anthony Kumpen (#24 PK Carsport Chevrolet SS) was initially involved in the four-way battle for the lead and ended up on the third step of the podium, scoring important points and retaking the lead in the championship.

Positions four to six went to trio of CAAL Racing drivers: Fabrizio Armetta (#31 CAAL Racing Chevrolet SS) climbed back from the 19th spot on the grid to finish fourth and lead the Challenger Trophy classification, while Nicolò Rocca (#25 CAAL Racing Chevrolet SS) came back from 13th to 5th and won the Jerome Sarran Trophy classification in front of Eddie Cheever III (#51 CAAL Racing Chevrolet SS), who was having a great restart but went wide at the first corner and finished sixth. Anthony Gandon (#7 TFT-Red Style Chevrolet SS), Bert Longin (#11 PK Carsport Chevrolet SS), Wilfried Boucenna (#10 RDV Compétition Chevrolet SS) and Christophe Bouchut (#77 DF-1 Racing by B66 Chevrolet Camaro) completed the top-10.

A contact at the start that resulted in a drive through for Victor Guerin (#83 Brazil Team Chevrolet SS)  relegated Tour Speedway winner Mathias Lauda (#66 DF-1 Racing by B66 Chevrolet Camaro) and Freddy Nordström (#44 Still Racing Chevrolet Camaro) respectively in 11th and 17th position.

The ELITE 1 division of the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series will be back in action on September 20/21 in Italy, at the Autodromo dell’Umbria di Magione, for the first round of the playoffs.

NASCAR

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