Simplify the following text for a Grade 7 native English-speaking person.
Original: He finished the year seventh in the Italian series with 196 points and scoring a single podium at Valencia but failed to score a point in his handful of starts in the European races .
Simplified: He finished the year seventh in the Italian series with 196 points and scoring a single podium at Valencia . He failed to score a point in his few starts in the European races .