CHINA GROVE, N.C. (January 24, 2017) – Reigning NASCAR Whelen Euro Series Champion Anthony Kumpen will make his fifth NASCAR XFINITY Series start and fourth with Precision Performance Motorsports in the PowerShares QQQ 300 at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, February 25th, 2017. Kumpen will be piloting the No. 46 LeasePlan Chevrolet Camaro.
Kumpen’s XFINITY Series start at Daytona International Speedway will be part of the Nexteer Road to Daytona program – the path designed by the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series and Nexteer Automotive to bring European drivers to race in NASCAR in the US. Kumpen competed in three XFINITY Series races in 2015 with Precision Performance Motorsports in order to gain NASCAR approval to race at the famed superspeedway. The road course racer acquired valuable experience at each venue, exceeding expectations each week and besting many circle-track veterans. He debuted at Daytona in 2016, running as high as sixth before ultimately finishing the event in 26th.
“Daytona is the biggest event in NASCAR. I can’t wait to be back and I want to thank Leaseplan, all my partners, the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series and its Nexteer Road to Daytona program for making this happen,” said the Belgian, who joined the program built by NWES and Nexteer following his championship season in 2014. “Last year I had to learn a lot – especially about racing in the pack and drafting – in a very short time. This time we will build on the experience as a team and work to make the car faster and do better each and every lap. I would be really happy to finish in the top-15.”
“Anthony is a two-time European NASCAR Champion and definitely a very talented driver behind the wheel, but also outside the car. We are very proud to support him in his U.S. program and feel very lucky to have such a great ambassador for our series,” said Jerome Galpin, NWES President – CEO
Belgium-native Kumpen is a veteran of the American Le Mans Series, with starts in the NASCAR Rolex Grand-Am Sports Car Series, FIA GT, and Belcar Endurance Championship. Kumpen has won multiple championships across Europe, as well as a record six victories in the 24 Hours of Zolder.
Crew chief Mark Setzer will lead Kumpen’s XFINITY Series effort. This will mark Setzer’s fourth season leading the team from the pit box.
The PowerShares QQQ 300 at Daytona International Speedway will be televised live February 25th, 2017 beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 and broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SIRIUS XM Channel 90.
About NASCAR Whelen Euro Series:
The NASCAR Whelen Euro Series was founded in 2008 and established the NASCAR official European Series in January 2012 thanks to a long-term partnership signed with NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing), Team FJ, a Motorsports company located in Blois, France, and Whelen Engineering as title sponsor of the Series. The season is made up of 24 races, equally split among ELITE 1 and ELITE 2 divisions, on the best European tracks. Euro NASCAR introduced a stunning innovation on July 7-8, 2012 by organizing the first ever NASCAR race on an oval track in Europe on a half-mile speedway built in the downtown of Tours (France). With four races in two days, these 450 HP V8 monsters provide pure racing action and thrilling bumper-to-bumper battles as well as a lot of family fun around the track! In the pure NASCAR tradition, race fans can get closer to the action than ever and feel the unique in-Europe paddock atmosphere thanks to drivers, teams and cars always available for the spectators. The series attracts drivers from all over the world, all willing to fight on track for the win and take the first step towards becoming a NASCAR star in the U.S.
About Precision Performance Motorsports:
Owned by Rick and Kelly Gdovic, Precision Performance Motorsports (PPM) is a China Grove, North Carolina based auto racing team that fields entries in the NASCAR XFINITY Series and the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. PPM provides a comprehensive driver development program, race car rentals, setup and pull down rig services, test consultation, and driver coaching. For more information, visit Precision Performance Motorsports on Facebook, @PrecisionPerf on Twitter, and visit the website at www.ppm646.com.
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