Nascar – Anthony Gandon, a Frenchman discovering the Nationwide

It was the rain that welcomed the teams of Nascar Sprint Cup and Nationwide this Friday at Watkins Glen, New York. Difficult conditions, which forced the organizers to limit the Nationwide tests to a single one-hour session. Complicated, then, for Anthony Gandon to discover both the legendary Watkins Glen track and the driving of a Nationwide car, facing very experienced Nascar drivers, including the reigning Sprint Cup Series Champion, Brad Keselowski. “It’s like competing in a GP2 race with drivers from F1 in addition ", estimated the Frenchman, “the track is very fast and the rails close, it's an impressive layout, otherwise, the car handles well and is not too far from my Whelen Euro NASCAR, there is more power but it is also much heavier. »

It is precisely the weight which will surprise the rookie when braking " bus stop ", after only 10 rounds. After passing through waterlogged grass, the driver will damage the front of his Camaro. “It’s a real shame, we had a superb car and a very good team, I was gaining momentum and I think we could have gotten into the top 20.” A small error with serious consequences because, although visually little damaged, the body of the car could no longer pass technical inspections and take part in the race.

To save the situation and allow the driver to gain valuable experience in preparation for next week's appearance at Mid-Ohio, the team worked through the night to field a reserve car. Intended for oval circuits, this car could not be suitable for the road layout of Watkins Glen but should, at least, allow the young driver to complete around thirty laps with a single instruction: “no risk”. Once in the race, Anthony Gandon performed his task perfectly by taking the points for 32nd place, important points for the team championship.

“Although we lacked success, it is an extraordinary experience to ride with the best Nascar drivers! I would like to thank Team Rick Ware Racing, the Nascar Whelen Euro Series, the TFT team and my parents. It's a very demanding level of competition and a small mistake can jeopardize an entire weekend. We learned and understood a lot of things at the Glen, and we are all very motivated for next week at Mid-Ohio.”

At only 23 years old Anthony Gandon, the first Frenchman for over 30 years and one of the rare Europeans to play at this level, has his whole future ahead of him. A future that begins next week at Mid-Ohio for its second race in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.