Cyprus’ NASCAR golden boy on track for triumph

Cypriot race car driver Vladimiros Tziortzis is gearing up for the new racing season in the NASCAR Euro Series.

Last week, he participated in final pre-season tests held in Italy, where he showcased his impressive skills behind the wheel.

Tziortzis is set to compete in the EURONASCAR PRO category this year, the highest category in the series and the last step before NASCAR in the USA. This marks a significant milestone in his career, as he continues to make a name for himself in the world of racing.

The second most popular motorsport in the world after Formula 1, NASCAR differs primarily in its more-hands-on approach to winning.

“NASCAR isn’t like Formula 1,” Tziortzis explains. “You’re allowed to touch the other cars – it’s kind of expected. So I’ve definitely been in a few crashes over the years!”
The worst, he reveals, was during a Formula 3 Cup Championship at Monza: at the start, five drivers crashed headlong. “I made a split-second decision to swerve, and hit the wall at speed – I was incredibly lucky to walk away with just a burst tyre; it could have been so much worse.”

As a self-described “tenacious perfectionist”, the 26-year-old from Nicosia plans to go all the way to the top: to race, and win, in the US NASCAR series by the time he’s 30.
These latest tests mark a significant milestone in his journey: as the Cypriot driver participated in the last tests ahead of the new season on Italian tracks at Castelletto di Branduzzo and Cremona Circuit tracks, he declared himself ready to jump into battle.

This battle will see Tziortzis take part in the NASCAR Euro Series for the fourth consecutive year after placing third overall in the Euro NASCAR 2 class last year.
“Everything is looking very positive,” says Tziortzis, who will be participating with Academy Motorsport / Alex Caffi Motorsports. “In Cremona there was a Swiss driver who competed in the PRO category last year. We were much faster. I am positive that everything will go well this season, as both I and the car are ready for Valencia.”

Racing in his team’s four-gear, eight-cylinder Chevrolet Camaro at speeds in excess of 240 kilometres per hour, Tziortzis is gearing up for the first race of the new season this weekend, on the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia.

After Valencia, Tziortzis’ season will continue with races at Brands Hatch (England), Vallelunga (Italy), Most (Czech Republic), Oschersleben (Germany), and Zolder (Belgium).
And his hope is that 2023 will see a Cypriot atop the podium by the end of the season. “I have a Cypriot racing licence, the Cyprus flag is on both sides of the car when I race and, when I’m on the podium, it’s our flag I’m waving.”