How did a young Argentine driver manage to reach NASCAR Xfinity? Baltazar Leguizamon has shown skill and racecraft from an early age, and his debut in this prestigious series is a milestone for Argentine motorsport. With a Collino steering wheel manufactured in Sunchales, Santa Fe, Argentina, Leguizamon carried the Argentine flag.
Last weekend, Argentine driver Baltazar Leguizamon made his debut in the NASCAR Xfinity Series—one of the most prestigious and followed championships in the United States. At Circuit of The Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas, Leguizamon ran with a steering wheel built by Collino, based in Sunchales. Although the race start didn’t go as hoped, the use of the Collino wheel in the No. 35 Chevrolet Camaro fielded by Joey Gase Motorsports marks a major step forward for the national industry, which continues to gain ground in elite motorsport. The wheel—developed and validated by NASCAR’s technical department—took its place on the front line in the most popular series in the U.S.
“We received validation from NASCAR’s technical team, which means any driver or team can now use it in their cars. This is great news for us—and for Argentine industry as well. When an Argentine athlete partners with companies from his country, it helps bring our products into the elite of motorsport. We leave with a bittersweet feeling because of Balta’s setback, but there’s no doubt we’ll keep supporting him,” said Leonardo Collino from pit lane in Austin.
A bittersweet debut.
Leguizamón’s debut was not without challenges: technical issues marked his run. A battery problem and a subsequent driveshaft failure ruled him out of the race. He posted a qualifying time of 1:42.090, placing him 39th. Nevertheless, the driver expressed satisfaction at representing Argentina in one of the world’s most important categories, highlighting the effort it took to get there.
“Many takeaways to work on for the future. We’ve already raised the Argentine flag in one of the world’s most important categories. Despite the problems, I’m very happy to be here. I fought very hard to race internationally again—and here we are.”