Miguel Gomes Bio
Miguel Gomes (born February 29, 1980) is a Portuguese professional stock car racing driver who last competed part-time in the ARCA Menards Series, driving the No. 69 Ford for Kimmel Racing. A late entrant to American stock car racing, Gomes built his reputation in European touring car competition before testing the waters in NASCAR-style stock cars at Daytona International Speedway. Based in his native Portugal, he has balanced runs in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series with selected starts in the United States.
Early Life and Background
Miguel Gomes was born on February 29, 1980, in Lisbon, Portugal. Growing up in the Portuguese capital, he was surrounded by a strong local racing culture that includes circuit competition at nearby facilities. From an early age, Gomes showed an interest in motorsports, a path that would eventually lead him toward professional stock car racing.
His early exposure to racing in Portugal helped shape his transition into professional touring car competition. While specific details of his formative karting or junior racing years are not widely documented, his later career path demonstrates a clear progression from regional European racing toward the higher-profile NASCAR ladder.
Path to NASCAR
Gomes’ entry into NASCAR-affiliated competition came through the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series, where he joined Marko Stipp Motorsport in 2021. He ran the full EuroNASCAR 2 schedule driving the No. 46 Chevrolet, competing simultaneously for the Rookie Trophy and Legend Trophy. He closed that debut campaign fifteenth in the final standings and third in the Rookie Trophy, with a best finish of ninth at the second race at Autodrom Most.
A January 6, 2022, contract extension kept Gomes at Marko Stipp Motorsport for another EuroNASCAR 2 season. That year he ended sixteenth in points with three top-ten finishes, capped by a ninth-place result in the season opener at Circuit Ricardo Tormo. The consistency of his European program laid the groundwork for his next move into the top EuroNASCAR Pro division.
Miguel Gomes Career
Early Career (2021–2022)
Gomes’ first major professional stock car opportunity arrived in 2021 with Marko Stipp Motorsport in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series. Driving the No. 46 Chevrolet in EuroNASCAR 2, he balanced his development with rookie and legend classifications, learning the discipline of stock car racing on circuits such as Autodrom Most and Circuit Ricardo Tormo.
His sophomore EuroNASCAR 2 season in 2022 produced three top-ten finishes and another top-ten run at the Valencia opener. Although he did not record a victory, his growing comfort with heavy stock cars on road courses positioned him for a step up to the series’ premier division.
EuroNASCAR Pro Breakthrough (2023)
In 2023, Gomes remained with Marko Stipp Motorsport but moved up to the EuroNASCAR Pro division, marking his first season in the top tier of the European series. The promotion represented a significant step in competition level and exposure.
That same year, Gomes tested the waters in American stock car racing during pre-season testing for the ARCA Menards Series at Daytona International Speedway. Driving the No. 01 Ford for Fast Track Racing, he placed 30th in the Saturday session after not turning a lap on Friday. One month later, he made his ARCA race debut in the season opener at Daytona, starting 38th and finishing 31st in the No. 02 Chevrolet for Young’s Motorsports after a late-race cut tire.
Kimmel Racing Era (2025)
In 2025, it was revealed that Gomes would return to the ARCA Menards Series, this time driving the No. 69 Ford for Kimmel Racing at Kansas Speedway. The move signaled his commitment to part-time American stock car competition while continuing his European program.
The Kimmel Racing partnership gives Gomes an established team platform and a Ford program aligned with his previous testing experience at Daytona. With the Kansas Speedway start confirmed, he added another American oval to his racing résumé alongside his European road-course efforts.
Driving Style and Strengths
Gomes has demonstrated particular comfort on European road courses such as Autodrom Most and Circuit Ricardo Tormo, where his top finishes in EuroNASCAR 2 were recorded. His willingness to test at Daytona and race at Kansas Speedway shows adaptability across both road courses and ovals, a useful trait for a part-time American schedule.
Notable Races and Milestones
His top-ten finishes at Autodrom Most and Circuit Ricardo Tormo stand out as early EuroNASCAR 2 highlights, while his 2023 ARCA Menards Series debut at Daytona International Speedway marked his first official American stock car start. The 2025 Kansas Speedway entry with Kimmel Racing adds another key venue to his career map.
Miguel Gomes Career Wins
Miguel Gomes has not recorded a verified victory across his documented NASCAR Whelen Euro Series or ARCA Menards Series starts. His career highlights to date are built around top-ten finishes in EuroNASCAR 2 and selected American stock car appearances rather than wins.
EuroNASCAR 2 Highlights
Across his 2021 and 2022 EuroNASCAR 2 campaigns with Marko Stipp Motorsport, Gomes accumulated multiple top-ten finishes, including a best result of ninth at Autodrom Most and another ninth at Circuit Ricardo Tormo. He finished fifteenth in the 2021 standings and sixteenth in 2022, placing third in the 2021 Rookie Trophy.
Other Wins and Performances
Outside EuroNASCAR 2, Gomes recorded a 31st-place finish in his 2023 ARCA Menards Series debut at Daytona International Speedway with Young’s Motorsports and placed 30th in a pre-season test session for Fast Track Racing at the same venue. He has not posted a documented win at the regional or American stock car level.
Miguel Gomes Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public information about Miguel Gomes’ immediate family or racing lineage is limited, and no verified details about parents, siblings, or relatives in motorsports have been published in available sources.
Personal Life
Gomes is a native of Lisbon, Portugal, and has built his professional racing career between Europe and the United States. Verified public details about his spouse, children, or residence outside of his Portuguese roots are not available in the reviewed sources.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season centers on Gomes’ announced return to the ARCA Menards Series at Kansas Speedway with Kimmel Racing in the No. 69 Ford. The Kansas entry represents his first confirmed American race start since his 2023 Daytona debut and signals his continued interest in part-time United States competition alongside his European commitments.
His recent track activity has emphasized road-course racing with Marko Stipp Motorsport in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series, where he moved into the EuroNASCAR Pro division in 2023. The shift to a Ford program with an established ARCA team offers a new technical environment and crew chief partnership for the Kansas race.
Looking ahead, the Kansas Speedway start provides a baseline for any additional ARCA Menards Series races Gomes may add in 2025. Further appearances in either the ARCA Menards Series or the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series will shape the storyline of his ongoing part-time American campaign.