BILLERICAY racing driver Bradley Smith heads to Brands Hatch this weekend with a glowing endorsement ringing in his ears.

The 23-year-old driver will be swapping his Radical SR8 for a NASCAR this weekend at the Kent track for his first two races in the NASCAR Euro Series.

Smith was offered the drive after racing for Euroseries sponsors Whelen at the Rolex 24 in Daytona back in January.

And the American firm’s European partner Woodway Engineering have given Smith the thumbs-up.

“Whelen are proud to offer continued support to Bradley after his great drive earlier this year in the Whelen Corvette,” said Paul Garner, of Woodway Engineering.

“We wish Bradley the best of luck and truly believe we will be seeing a lot of this young man in NASCAR in Europe and the US.”

The former Mayflower School pupil will be the only British driver in the NASCAR Euro Series field for Sunday’s race, which forms part of Brands Hatch’s American Speedfest II event.

Smith has never driven a National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) car before but knows the Brands Hatch Indy circuit like the back of his hand after winning races there in his two Radical championship-winning seasons.

“It’s a great opportunity to try something completely different to the type of car we normally race,” said the Mectech Motorsport driver.

“I am hoping for good results but we will just see what happens on the day.”

Sunday’s races form rounds three and four of the eight-race series, which culminates in semi-finals and finals later in the year.

Smith is racing in the Elite 2 class which is currently led by Belgian PK Carsport driver Neal Van Vaerenbergh.

Doddinghurst-based Mectech will have its Radical drivers in action at Brands tomorrow too, with Billericay’s Lewis Plato, 21, contesting the SR3 Challenge and Hampshire driver Dan Vaughan, 23, racing in the Clubman’s Challenge.

Billericay’s Lewis Smith will be aiming to build on his solid start to the season in the Quaife Intermarque Championship at Brands this weekend.

He is currently fourth in the series in his Vauxhall Tigra with 92 points, 38 behind championship leader Malcolm Blackman, after four rounds.

Smith’s uncle Simon Smith will be in action too after missing the last two rounds at Rockingham. Smith is currently 12th in his BMW Z54.