NASCAR’s aspirations go global with Brazil exhibition race rumored for 2026

Is NASCAR about to become a global race series? Officials from the sport are currently in São Paulo exploring the potential for a Brazilian Cup Series race.

A meeting this week between Tarcísio de Freitas (governor of São Paulo state), Ricardo Nunes (mayor of São Paulo), and Tom Dannemiller (NASCAR’s representative in Brazil) served to formalize interest in the South American country hosting a Cup Series race in 2026.

NASCAR in Brazil?

While most people assume the NASCAR series is confined to the United States, multiple NASCAR-sanctioned stock car series exist all across the world, including in Mexico, Europe, Canada, and Brazil.

The NASCAR Brasil Sprint Race series kicked off in 2012 as something of a spiritual successor to a series called Super Cup, which was designed to be a low-cost stock car series. When Super Cup failed to pan out, NASCAR got involved to offer its sanctioning to the Brazilian event.

The proposed race for 2026, though, would be contested by NASCAR Cup Series drivers from the United States.

NASCAR has been pursuing its global aspirations for some time; the Cup Series is said to have engaged in talks with Mexico, Montreal, and even in Europe — but the Brazil event could come to fruition much sooner.

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That’s because, while many of the other international race conversations have centered around adding an international points-paying race to the NASCAR calendar, the Brazil event would be a “Clash” race — or, effectively, an exhibition.

Beginning in 1979, NASCAR has hosted a pre-season exhibition race called the Clash. The initial goal was to generate interest in NASCAR just prior to the season opening Daytona 500. The race took place at Daytona International Speedway ever year until 2022, when it was moved to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Moving the Clash to an international venue would be an easy way to bypass a current rule in NASCAR’s charter system that requires all points-paying races take place in the continental United States.

The charter system, for reference, is a way to guarantee full-season entries to certain cars, which then guarantees those cars will earn purse money. However, as part of charter agreement, NASCAR cannot schedule a points-paying race outside of the US.

The charter agreement is in the process of renegotiation to determine a new set of rules, which could soon allow for points-paying international races. But the 2026 event in Brazil could be seen as a testing of the waters when organizing future events.

NASCAR has a very brief history of international exhibition races in both Japan and Australia; an event in São Paulo would represent the sport’s first foray into South America.

The meeting this week was exploratory in nature, and it allowed Brazil to formally express its interest in a 2026 NASCAR Cup Series event. Whether or not it plays out remains to be seen — but an international race would certainly do much to further NASCAR’s goal of becoming a hub for international talent.

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