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The first entrants
in the new TCR European Trophy
The first entries have been lodged for
the 2017 TCR European Trophy that will
take place in a one-off event at Adria
International Raceway in Italy on
October 29th.
Although the European Trophy will
consist of just one event, only
competitors who have taken part in the
Qualifying Events will be eligible to
enter the Adria race meeting.
Competitors may qualify by either
entering the full season in a TCR
National/Regional Series or
Championship in Europe, or entering a
minimum of four European events in
the 2017 TCR International Series.
The first three drivers who have
committed to qualifying through the
European rounds of the TCR
International Series are Stian Paulsen,
Milovan Vesni
ć
and Jens-Reno Møller.
Paulsen, 29-years-old from Norway will
be driving a SEAT León TCR run by his
own team; he has earned a solid
reputation at the wheel of front-wheel-
drive Touring Cars and
was also crowned
champion in the Single-
Make Trophy of the 2012
FIA European Touring Car
Cup. “I am very excited
by this programme. The
plan is to take part in the
five European rounds of
the TCR International
Series and then in the
TCR Europe final at Adria. Looking
further ahead I will be working to add
a couple of overseas events in 2018 and
eventually taking part in the full
International Series in 2019,” he said.
After years of racing in different
European racing series, multiple
Serbian and FIA Central European
Zone Touring Car champion Vesni
ć
will compete in a brand new Audi RS
3 LMS run by the all-Serbian racing
team ASK Vesni
ć
. "TCR is the next
step for me and my team. We are a
small team, but we have a lot of
experience. My family has been
involved in motor sports for more
than forty years and we are not afraid
to fight with the world’s top teams
and drivers. Our main goal in 2017 is
to present ourselves and our country
at our best in TCR International. For
the time being we have already the
budget for two or three events, but
we are working hard to take part in
all the five European rounds plus the
final in Adria," Vesni
ć
declared.
Møller has been a regular participant in
both the Danish and the Scandinavian
Touring Car championships, mostly
driving JAS Motorsport-built Honda
cars and establishing a solid customer
relationship with the Italian
engineering company. A relationship
that the Dane – 2009 DTC Independent
champion – has just renewed, as he
will race a Honda Civic TCR.
“I am excited for coming back to racing
after a five-year break and can’t wait to
work with JAS Motorsport again, as
they have built a very competitive car.
The new TCR category is really
attractive for privateers and provides
top class racing, with a lot of very
quick drivers. I expect to struggle in
the first part of the season, but I will
work hard to be in the right part of the
field during the season. For me the
European final at Adria is where we
need to show our potential and then
we’ll see for next year,” Møller said.
On top Stian Poulsen, left Jens Reno Møller above
Milovan Vesni
ć