Anthony Kumpen

Anthony Kumpen (born 3 November 1978) is a Belgian professional racing driver. As the overall winner of the 2014 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series season, he received his license to compete in the 2015 K&N Pro Series East.

Career

In 1988, Kumpen started Kart racing. He moved on to Belcar, the Belgian Racing Car Championship, in 1998, winning the GT2 championship in his first year, and the GT championship in 1999. He won several more Belgian GT and GTA championships over the next decade. In 2000, he won the overall classification at the 24 Hours of Zolder, a feat he would repeat in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2010 and 2012 for a record total of 6 victories.[1]

In 2000, he started competing in the FIA GT Championship for the Paul Belmondo Racing team. His first victory in a race in this championship followed in 2002. More victories followed in 2005 (2), 2006, 2008 and 2009 (2).[2]

He also competed in the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.[3]

In 2014, he competed in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series for the PK Carsport team, driving a Chevrolet Super Sport. He won one race in the championship, and ended the season in first place, one point ahead of defending champion Ander Vilariño.[4]

His win gave him a license to compete in the 2015 K&N Pro Series East, he will be racing for car owner Bill McAnally.[5]

Personal life

Anthony Kumpen is the son of Paul Kumpen, former race pilot, director of the building company Kumpen, and president of VOKA Limburg. Paul Kumpen owned 50% of the shares of Ridley Bikes, and Anthony worked as a commercial director for the company, which became the largest bike manufacturer in Belgium.[6] Anthony stayed on at the company after his father sold his share in 2013.[6]

Kumpen lives in Hasselt and is married to Griet Vanhees. They have one child, a son named Henri-Constant.[7] Kumpen has an older daughter Laura from a previous relation, and Griet has an older son Thibeau.[8]

In 2010, Anthony Kumpen participated in Sterren op de Dansvloer (the Belgian version of Dancing with the Stars) on vtm.[9] He was voted out of the show in the third episode and finished as 8th out of 10 contestants.[10]

Kumpen is the uncle of Max Verstappen, who is set to become the youngest Formula One driver in history, racing for Scuderia Toro Rosso in the 2015 Formula One season.[11]

Notes

  1. ↑ "SPORTWEEKEND: Monza en Zolder". Autowereld.be (in Dutch). 10 September 2012. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
  2. ↑ "Anthony Kumpen". driverdb.com. Retrieved 27 November 2014.
  3. ↑ "Anthony Kumpen". racingreference.info. Retrieved 27 November 2014.
  4. ↑ Estrada, Chris (14 October 2014). "NASCAR: Belgium’s Kumpen takes Whelen Euro Series title at Le Mans". NBC.
  5. ↑ "Anthony Kumpen volgend seizoen in het Nascar: "Dit is een unieke kans"". De Morgen (in Dutch). Belga. 18 November 2014.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "CEO koopt familie Kumpen uit bij Ridley bikes". Gazet van Antwerpen (in Dutch). Belga. 15 November 2013. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
  7. ↑ verhoogen, Inne. "Griet Vanhees is mama van Henri-Constant". Deredactie.be (in Dutch).
  8. ↑ jva (4 June 2011). "Racepiloot Anthony Kumpen gehuwd met babe Griet Vanhees". Het Nieuwsblad (in Dutch).
  9. ↑ "Anthony Kumpen" (in Dutch). vtm. 2010. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
  10. ↑ "Anthony Kumpen mag niet meer dansen". De Standaard (in Dutch). 16 April 2010.
  11. ↑ Bonardel, Cécile (18 August 2014). "Verstappen's son in F1 in 2015". 24h-lemans.com. Retrieved 24 November 2014.

External links