Pastor carries PHL flag in Euro NASCAR

Enzo Pastor, the first Filipino racecar driver to be invited to the Euro NASCAR circuit, left Wednesday to compete at the EuroRC Tours leg, hoping for a Top-3 finish in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series.

 

Pastor started the series with a seventh place finish in Nogaro on March 31 of this year, before improving to fourth the next day.

 

The 31-year-old struggled in the Dijon leg, salvaging a 15th place finish, before recovering in Brands Hatch, to climb back up to fifth place, 8.888 seconds behind Australia's Josh Burdon.

 

"I got up to third place during the second lap. Unfortunately, yung clutch was starting to slide about the fourth, fifth lap and I was having a bit of oversteer especially in Brands Hatch, yung first turn, very steep so parang nawala yung confidence ko," said Pastor.

 

The EuroRC leg this weekend will introduce Pastor to his first ever NASCAR oval track:

 

"The next race that's coming up is our only oval race this season. It's my first oval race ever. It's gonna be different. No prediction yet 'till I try it out."

 

Each driver only gets two 20-minute sessions to have a feel of the track. 

 

"Gameplan for me is learn the tracks. Next year I'm moving to the other class. Learning season ko 'to," Pastor said.

 

The last two legs of the race in Monza and Le Mans will award double points, which leaves Pastor a realistic chance for a Top 3 finish:

 

"I got up to fifth again. So in the points, realistic, championship-wise, I'm trying to gun for third overall. Second would be possible if there are mistakes on the other divers," Pastor shared. "The series leader last race blew his engine so it's not impossible, and then the last two races after this leg, double points so yun yung Monza and Le Mans. I think im about 30 points behind first." - GMA News