Balestri retains European Nitro Touring Car title

Infinity’s Dario Balestri has retained his 1:10 European Nitro Touring Car title, the Italian claiming his 10th EFRA European Championship career win today at the iconic Apeldoorn track in Netherlands.  The reigning 1:8 Onroad World Championship took the win ahead of team-mate Carmine Raiola with 2023 Champion Toni Gruber completing the podium for Capricorn.   In qualifying it was reigning World Champion Jilles Groskamp who secured the TQ ahead of Raiola, Balestri and Polish driver Jakub Rozycki – the Top 4 going directly to the 45-minute Main final.  With Gruber and Melvin Diekmann winning their Semi finals they completed the top half of the grid.  Topping 3 of the 5 qualifiers, Groskamp continued his form in the final setting a very fast pace out front and the fastest lap but a flameout on lap 69 would end the Dutch ace’s challenge.  With tyre strategy proving critical, while Raiola took over the lead he would run out of tyres allowing Balestri to take the lead which he would hold to the finish.  Taking over lead for a number of laps as the pit stops played out, Gruber looked like he had a strategy that could pay dividends but he would suffer a flameout.   Finishing on the same lap as Riola, the German still completed the podium.  A steady race from Rozycki saw him finish fourth ahead of the Mugen of British Champion Alex Thurston.

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