Photo: EUROV8 Media

Eddie Cheever makes it a double at Monza EUROV8 opener

By

Eddie Cheever III completed a perfect weekend in Race 2 at Monza, winning for the second time today. The Roma Racing Team driver came home ahead of the Solaris Motorsport duo, with Francesco Sini making up for an unlucky start in race one with second place in his Chevrolet Camaro ahead of team-mate Domenico Schiattarella, who finished third again in his Chevrolet Lumina.

At the start, pole-sitter Davide Stancheris lost the lead to a fast-starting Sini from fourth on the grid, with Schiattarella up into third ahead of the Roma Racing Team duo, with Nicola Baldan ahead of team-mate Cheever. Schiattarella quickly overtook Stancheris’ Audi RS 5, with Baldan and Cheever also getting ahead of the Audi driver, who had to cut the first chicane after overtaking the pair.

On the following lap, the Italian-American passed Schiattarella before overtaking Sini for the lead, muscling his way through on the main straight.

The Mercedes C63 AMG Coupé driven by Cheever built a strong lead over Sini, while Schiattarella defended perfectly from Baldan’s efforts to take the final podium spot. During the battle, Baldan went straight at the first chicane to avoid colliding with Schiattarella; the Mercedes driver was forced to cut the chicane, and the resulting slow exit enabled Audi driver Tomas Kostka through into fourth.

The Czech driver then tried to attack Schiattarella, despite the RS 5’s difficulties on straights, but a small mistake at the first chicane with two laps to go meant the Audi lost the slipstream and any chance to take the final podium spot.

Meanwhile, Baldan struggled and lost ground to Schiattarella, eventually spinning at Lesmo 1 and retiring. Max Mugelli’s BMW M3 E92 inherited fifth as the race was almost over.

Cheever won his second EUROV8 race ahead of Sini and Schiattarella. Kostka took a very strong fourth ahead of Mugelli, with the Hartmann Racing Mercedes driven by Giuseppe Cipriani finishing in sixth. Pole-sitter Davide Stancheris improved on his Race 1 result by taking seventh ahead of Mauro Copetti.

Next up for the EUROV8 Series is Vallelunga on May, 4th.