Round 1 - Toddring (Super Touring)

Sorry for the length of the video

Dash Cup Pirelli Super Touring Series Kicks Off 2015 @ Toddring; Promising Races for Fochesato on Debut
15 March 2015

For professional race car drivers throughout the world, transitioning is a part of the sport. Cars, tracks, teams, promoters, championships, and fans never fail to change with the years, and this is ever-so true for the organization known as Dash Cup in 2015. The opening event of the Dash Cup Pirelli Super Touring Series was contested today at the 9.334-kilometer layout of the Toddring in Carlisle, England, ushering a new era for the series with the debut of its new touring car chassis. After an exciting trio of races, 2012 Dash Cup champion Reuben Vogt acquired two new trophies, and Thomas De Bock brought home a career-first victory of his own.

Some drivers, however, have made much greater transitions than others to go racing today. By virtue of being a stock car championship prior to this year, many of today's starters were turning their first laps in any form of touring car.

Among these touring car debutantes is FARC Truck Series graduate Vincenzo Fochesato. The 22-year-old Italian has spent the first years of his career racing American stock cars, but this year he will be racing in the Dash Cup PSTS for FIAM Engineering. Changing series, teams, and continents, it would be harder to give him more circumstances with which to adjust, but following the Toddring races, he seems to have adapted rather well. Finishing 13th in Round 2 and 15th in Round 3, he leaves Carlisle with a clean car, a 20th-place points rank, and even some experience as a leader from Race 3.

"What a day this has been!" said Fochesato after the race. "I mentioned before that I feel at home every time we take to the banking, but the car felt incredible and that made it even more fun! I know that my results weren't that impressive, but I feel so accomplished just to have run as well as we did. I've been trying to learn as much as I can all winter, and FIAM Engineering have helped prepare me for today so well. Race 1 was kind of mediocre for us, we definitely had some scares there in Race 2, but we'd really figured out the car by Race 3 and got to start close to the front. Race 3 was an absolute blast, and I need to thank Mireille Allain for working so well with me. It was awesome to have both of our FIAMs racing for the lead!"

Fochesato commented further on his new tenure in Dash Cup before departing to the FIAM garage.

"I honestly haven't been that concerned with the transition at all beyond a little natural nervousness. I knew that it would be a challenge, but it's one that I've been very excited to take on. As long as the team know what they're doing then it won't be difficult, and this team really does know what they're doing. I feel that they've really had to adjust to me as much as I've had to adjust to them, but it's turned out fantastic for all of us, and I really think that we've got a chance to be competitive all year!"

The next race for the Dash Cup Pirelli Super Touring Series will be at the famed Brands Hatch in Kent, England.