The successful Italian will drive the #22 Chevrolet Camaro
Right ahead of the season opener in Vallelunga, Italy, on September 12th, DF1 Racing has signed another top-class driver for the 2020 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series (NWES): Nicolo Rocca will drive the #22 Chevrolet Camaro in the upcoming EuroNASCAR PRO championship. The Italian is a true NWES veteran and was involved in the EuroNASCAR title race in 2019 until the last race.
At the final in Zolder, Rocca’s hopes for the NWES title were shattered due to an accident in turn 1 that was not his fault. The 26-year-old has been competing regularly in the NWES since 2013 and collected four race wins, 13 podiums and five pole positions in 62 starts in the EuroNASCAR PRO championship so far. His best overall result is the second place from 2019.
In the 2020 season, Rocca will take the wheel for DF1 Racing for the first time, taking over the car that Ander Vilarino was supposed to drive. However, the Spaniard and three-time NWES champion will not contest the upcoming championship as a full-time driver due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which is why the Austrian team was looking for a strong replacement. This was found with Rocca, who will share the car with the US-American Andre Castro. The team also has an option to extend the contract with Rocca for the 2021 season.
DF1 Head of Motorsport Norbert Walchhofer is happy about signing Rocca: “Ander Vilarino had to postpone his debut due to the COVID-19 situation, so we are very happy to have signed a top driver in Nicolo, who was right inside the title fight in 2019 until the final races. Nicolo will get the completely new rebuilt #22 car. Nicolo is focused and showed his strength already during the test in Most. He will work together with our mechanics in our workshop at the end of the week to find the best possible setup for Vallelunga in order to fulfill his dream of winning the title.”
The new DF1 Tiger Rocca said: “I’m looking forward to finally getting started and to joining DF1 Racing. The team has already proven that it can be successful and is striving for more. Everyone there believes they can do that with me. This is exactly the kind of organization I want to race for and I will do my best to repay the trust placed in me by all the team members. I thank the team’s management for this opportunity and my partner Itarle AG for their support during this short season. My goal is to drive consistently and to fight for the podium and victory in every race”.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NWES starts late into the new season on September 12th and 13th. Rocca will have his home race at the Autodromo di Vallelunga right at the beginning of the new season. It is the first time that EuroNASCAR will be a guest at the race track close to Rome.
