Balash Named EuroNASCAR Sporting & Technical Director

Joe Balash (right) has been named the Sporting and Technical Director for the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series. (Stephane Azemard photo)

PARIS – Longtime motorsports competition executive Joe Balash has been named the Sporting and Technical Director for the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series.

Balash, 61, gives EuroNASCAR additional leadership in its mission to strengthen the NASCAR footprint in Europe. He will also act as a bridge for European drivers racing in the United States, as well as American drivers competing in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series.

“We are very fortunate to be able to add the skills and expertise of Joe Balash to EuroNASCAR,” said NASCAR Whelen Euro Series President and CEO Jerome Galpin. “He has great experience in all forms of NASCAR racing and every aspect of competition and organization, and he also knows the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series very well [after] having worked many years with the NASCAR International group. He’s highly regarded in all paddocks both in America and Europe, and we couldn’t have found a better person to join our group of executives with a strong will to take EuroNASCAR to the highest level.”

“It is an absolute honor for me to be selected to help the growth and popularity, as well as molding the vision of this series into the future,” added Balash. “Having worked with EuroNASCAR before, I know there is an amazing amount of talent and skill there, not only with the teams but with the management and staff as well.”

Balash is one of a handful of executives in motorsports with experience across multiple continents, having spent nearly a decade as NASCAR’s International Competition Liaison in Europe, Canada, and Mexico alongside his work at the NASCAR R&D Center in Concord, N.C.

Prior to his time in NASCAR’s international arm, Balash was the NASCAR Xfinity Series director from _ and also spent four years as Senior Vice President of Operations for the American Speed Ass’n.

Most recently, Balash was the Director of Racing Operations at Track Enterprises, where he helped develop the ASA STARS National Tour – a revival of a true national series for super late model racing.

Balash will be based out of the EuroNASCAR headquarters in France and will travel with the series to all seven countries on the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series schedule.

The NASCAR Whelen Euro Series season kicks off April 12-13 in Spain at Circuit Ricardo Tormo, while the champion will be crowned Oct. 12-13 at Belgium’s Circuit Zolder.