CONCORD, N.C. – A new NASCAR Cup Series team with its roots in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series is set to debut next season.
Team Hezeberg Powered by Reaume Brothers will join the NASCAR Cup Series field next season for select events, with 2019 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series PRO champion Loris Hezemans set to drive for the team in the No. 27 Ford Mustang.
The team is owned by Toine Hezemans and Ernst Berg, with Mike Hezemans set to serve as team manager. Reaume Brothers Racing owner Josh Reaume is helping manage the program in the United States, which will be based out of Reaume’s shop in Mooresville, N.C.
“Three years ago we started a Euro NASCAR team and Loris became the champion,” said Toine Hezemans. “The logical step when we saw NASCAR went over to this more European-like car, we immediately had great interest. We contacted NASCAR, we were granted a license for the team and we started to order the car because now its really more our European-style car and it’s fantastic.”
Loris Hezemans, a 24-year-old native of Amsterdam, Netherlands, and son of team co-owner Toine Hezemans, is expected to drive for the team in at least the six road course races on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule next season. He has extensive sports car racing experience in addition to winning the 2019 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series PRO championship.
He’s made three NASCAR Xfinity Series starts during his brief career and is scheduled to to make his fourth series start during Saturday’s Drive for the Cure 250 on the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL. He also hopes to compete in select Xfinity Series events next season in addition to his Cup Series schedule.
“When I was going to the NASCAR awards in December of 2019 we got to see the first prototype of the Next Gen car and we got interested in seeing what was possible,” Loris Hezemans said. “It’s incredible to now finally be here.”
The team plans to take part in the NASCAR Next Gen test that is scheduled for Monday and Tuesday on the ROVAL, with Loris Hezemans slated to share driving duties with 1997 Formula 1 champion and 1995 Indianapolis 500 winner Jacques Villeneuve.
The team is hoping to expand its schedule beyond the road courses and hope to also field Villeneuve in select events next year as well, but those details have yet to be finalized.
“We are trying to work something out together,” Loris Hezemans said. “We’ll see how the test goes, what he thinks of it and we hope to see Jacque in the car.”