The State Government and the City of Sao Paulo have taken the first steps toward potentially hosting a NASCAR Cup Series race in Brazil.
On Thursday, Governor of Sao Paulo state Tarcisio de Freitas and Mayor of the city of Sao Paulo Ricardo Nunes attended a meeting with Tom Dannemiller, who serves as NASCAR's representative in Brazil.
Secretaries from both sides (municipality and state) were present too, formalising their interest in hosting the 2026 pre-season event, the Clash.
“We are always looking for the best attractions for Sao Paulo that can bring in tourists, as well as attract investment and generate jobs,” said Governor Freitas.
“We have a racetrack that is a reference for the sport and we have everything we need to put on a great event.”
This would be the the first NASCAR Cup Series race to be run in Brazil, or on the continent of South America, although the country is already home to the national NASCAR Brazil series.
This is competing at Interlagos this weekend, with Cup star Daniel Suarez taking part. The Mexican-born racer is already locked into the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.
Nelson Piquet Jr. is the only Brazilian racing driver who has managed to win in any of the three national levels of NASCAR. He won two Truck Series races in 2012, as well as a NASCAR Xfinity race in the same year.
Earlier this year, NASCAR vice president and chief international Chad Seigler spoke to Autosport about the desire to race outside of the United States.
"For years we said we want to go outside the U.S. and race, and you’ve seen us move from the messaging of it’s not a matter of if, but a matter of when," he said.
"I would tell you that we’re leaning even closer now to, ‘Yes, we are going.’ I feel confident we’re going to be there sooner than later.”
The Cup Series hasn't raced outside of the USA since 1998 when it staged a non-points paying exhibition race in Japan. Before that, there was an exhibition race in Australia in 1988.
Two points-paying Cup races were held in Canada during the 1950s - one in 1952 at Stamford Park in Ontario and one in 1958 at Canadian Exposition Stadium in Toronto.
The Clash serves as the unofficial opening of the NASCAR season. For the longest time, it was held at Daytona International Speedway as a prelude to the Daytona 500.
The event moved to a temporary circuit at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum in 2022 and has for the past three years drawn impressive viewership in comparison to the rest of the season.
