Nicolò Rocca
| Nicolò Rocca | |
|---|---|
| Nationality |  Italian |
| Born | December 14, 1993 Turin, Piedmont, Italy |
| NASCAR Whelen Euro Series career | |
| Debut season | 2013 |
| Current team | CAAL Racing |
| Car number | 56 |
| Starts | 97 (EuroNASCAR PRO) |
| Wins | 5 (EuroNASCAR PRO) |
| Podiums | 20 (EuroNASCAR PRO) |
| Poles | 9 (EuroNASCAR PRO) |
| Fastest laps | 7 (EuroNASCAR PRO) |
| Best finish | 3rd in 2019 (PRO) |
| Finished last season | 4th in 2022 |
| Previous series | |
| 2011-12 | Formula Renault |
Nicolò Rocca (born 14th December 1993 in Turin.[1]) is an Italian professional racing driver that competed in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series, driving most recently the No. 56 Chevrolet Camaro for CAAL Racing in the EuroNASCAR PRO class. His best result in the series is a 3rd place in 2019,[2] at the wheel of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro of PK Carsport.
Career
Rocca started his racing career in 2002 with karting. During his karting career, he raced across Italy and Europe, culminating with a KF3 season in 2008. He made his car racing debut in 2010, racing in Formula BMW in the 2010 Formula Lista Junior season for Daltec Racing, scoring multiple podiums.
In 2011 he graduated to Formula Renault, racing in the Alps championship, for Interwetten Racing, with a best result of 3rd in the opening round in Monza. Rocca's experience in Formula Renault continued in 2012, racing for GSK this time,[3] in the Italian championship.
In 2013 Rocca switched to stock cars, taking part to his first NASCAR Whelen Euro championship in the PRO class, racing for Scorpus Racing. In 2014, he joined Caal Racing on the No.25 Chevrolet,[4] finishing the season with a win at the Bologna Motorshow race,[5] in December.
2015 was the breakthrough year for Rocca, which did see him scoring 4 pole positions in the first 4 races of the season, securing the best ever average qualifying position of the series, against teammates Alon Day and Eddie Cheever. He secured 3 wins and 6 podiums, which left him as the main title contender against Ander Vilarino[6] going into the last race of the year in Zolder. A controversial contact with the local hero Anthony Kumpen hampered Rocca's chances to secure his first title.
Rocca returned to the wheel of the No.56 Chevrolet Camaro of Caal Racing in 2016, finishing the season in 4th.[7]
After only racing part time in 2017 and 2018, Rocca joined PK Carsport full time for the 2019 season, onboard of the No.24 Chevrolet Camaro.[8][9] Rocca scored the first podium of the season in Brands Hatch, after a race long battle with Alon Day and Stienes Longin, for then securing the first pole position and win[10] with the new team in Most. Further podiums in Venray[11] and in Hockenheimring left Rocca as the main title contender of Loris Hezemans getting into the last weekend of the season,[12] which he eventually ended 3rd[13] after a luck-less last race.
For 2020, Rocca joined the Austrian team DF1 Racing,[14] managing to bring the No.22 Chevrolet on the podium multiple times,[15] continuing with them in 2021,[16] and finishing the 2021 season in 4th[17]
In 2022 Rocca re-joined Caal Racing No.56 Chevrolet Camaro, starting off the season with a pole position and win in Valencia.[18] Rocca ended leading the championship for most of the 2022 season,[19] ending the season in 4th.
Karting record
Racing record
Racing career summary
Complete Formula Renault 2.0 Alps Series results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | Pos | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Daltec Racing | MNZ 1 14 |
MNZ 2 13 |
IMO 1 16 |
IMO 2 Ret |
PAU 1 9 |
PAU 2 Ret |
RBR 1 13 |
RBR 2 Ret |
HUN 1 |
HUN 2 |
LEC 1 11 |
LEC 2 14 |
SPA 1 |
SPA 2 |
21st | 32 |
Whelen Euro Series - EuroNASCAR PRO
(key) Bold - Pole position awarded by fastest qualifying time (in Race 1) or by previous race's fastest lap (in Race 2). Italics - Fastest lap. * – Most laps led. ^ – Most positions gained.)
| NASCAR Whelen Euro Series - EuroNASCAR PRO results | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | NWES | Pts | ||
| 2013 | Scorpus Racing | 19 | Chevy | NOG 10 |
NOG 19 |
DIJ 10 |
DIJ 6 |
BRH 7 |
BRH 9 |
TOU 18 |
TOU 5 |
MNZ 14 |
MNZ 8 |
BUG | BUG | 14th | 403 | |||
| 2014 | CAAL Racing | 25 | Chevy | VAL 16 |
VAL 21 |
BRH 10 |
BRH 8 |
TOU 10 |
TOU 10 |
NÜR 20 |
NÜR 5 |
UMB 22 |
UMB 9 |
BUG 19 |
BUG 12 |
13th | 483 | |||
| 2015 | 56 | VAL 3 |
VAL 11 |
VEN 1* |
VEN 7* |
BRH 18 |
BRH 21 |
TOU 1* |
TOU 3 |
UMB 3 |
UMB 1 |
ZOL 18 |
ZOL DNS |
9th | 561 | |||||
| 2016 | VAL 4 |
VAL 21 |
VEN 4 |
VEN 7 |
BRH 20 |
BRH 6 |
TOU 5 |
TOU 3 |
ADR 4 |
ADR 6 |
ZOL 3 |
ZOL 20 |
4th | 553 | ||||||
| 2018 | VAL | VAL | FRA | FRA | BRH 9 |
BRH 21 |
TOU | TOU | HOC | HOC | ZOL 5 |
ZOL 17 |
25th | 154 | ||||||
| 2019 | PK Carsport | 24 | Chevy | VAL 5 |
VAL 5 |
FRA 6 |
FRA 5 |
BRH 3 |
BRH 9 |
MOS 1* |
MOS 11 |
VEN 2 |
HOC 2 |
HOC 2 |
ZOL 24 |
ZOL 8 |
3rd | 499 | ||
| 2020 | DF1 Racing | 22 | Chevy | ITA 8 |
ITA 8 |
BEL 8 |
BEL DNS |
CRO 10 |
CRO 13 |
ESP1 15 |
ESP1 4 |
ESP2 15 |
ESP2 3 |
9th | 317 | |||||
| 2021 | ESP 2 |
ESP 5 |
GBR 3 |
GBR 8 |
CZE 5 |
CZE 10 |
CRO 7 |
CRO 7 |
BEL 5 |
BEL 4 |
ITA 4 |
ITA 6 |
4th | 394 | ||||||
| 2022 | CAAL Racing | 56 | Chevy | VAL 1 |
VAL 3 |
GBR 2 |
GBR 4 |
ITA 7 |
ITA DNF |
CZE 24 |
CZE 8 |
BEL 4 |
BEL 15 |
CRO 13 |
CRO 2 |
4th | 374 | |||
References
- ^ "Nicolò Rocca". www.worldofeuronascar.com. 13 June 2019. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ "Hezemans crowned the 2019 Euro NASCAR Champion, Longin breaks through". www.euronascar.com. 6 October 2019. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ "Formazione a tre punte per la GSK Motorsport". www.motorsport.com (in Italian). 14 February 2012. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ "Rocca con Caal nella NASCAR europea". www.italiaracing.it (in Italian). 9 December 2013. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ "NASCAR Whelen: Rocca ancora con la CAAL Racing". www.motorsport.com (in Italian). 21 January 2015. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ "Preview: EuroNASCAR Zolder Finals – Can Vilarino Stay One Step Ahead?". www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk. 29 September 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
- ^ "Nascar Whelen Euro Series Kumpen campione a Zolder". www.italiaracing.it (in Italian). 11 October 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ "Nicolò Rocca e Dario Costa: «Volevo fare il pilota»". vanityfair.it (in Italian). 4 July 2019. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ "Nicolò Rocca, dal sogno di Saetta McQueen alle piste con la Nascar Euro Series". autoappassionati.it (in Italian). 14 May 2019. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ "NICOLO ROCCA SCORES DRAMATIC WIN AFTER HEZEMANS ENGINE TROUBLE". Motorsport.com. 30 June 2019. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ "Hezemans scores third career win in a breathtaking battle at Venray". euronascar.com. 14 July 2019. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ "IT'S HEZEMANS VERSUS ROCCA FOR THE EURO NASCAR TITLE". euronascar.com. 25 September 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
- ^ "2019 EuroNASCAR PRO Championship Standings". euronascar.com. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ "Nicolò Rocca Officially Joins DF1 Racing for 2020". worldofeuronascar.com. 28 August 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ "Euro NASCAR returns to Brands Hatch as Thruxton welcomes British Trucks". autosport.com. 7 July 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ "DF1 Racing extends contract with Nicolò Rocca and Grapos Softdrinks". euronascar.com. 11 March 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ "DF1 Racing going for the title 2022 with the #22 Camaro and Nicolò Rocca". euronascar.com. 6 February 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ "Nicolo Rocca opens the seasons on a high note". www.threewide.de. 14 May 2022. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
- ^ "EuroNASCAR: Graff wins Sunday showcase at Brands Hatch". www.msv.com. 12 June 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
External links
- Nicolò Rocca driver statistics at Racing-Reference
- Nicolò Rocca career summary at DriverDB.com