NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps provides update on future race in Brazil

In nine days, the NASCAR Cup Series heads to Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City for the first points race outside the United States since 1958. NASCAR has put an emphasis on expanding beyond the states, and it doesn’t stop with Mexico City.

Commissioner Steve Phelps recently visited Brazil for the NASCAR Brazil round at Interlagos. Phelps recapped the visit with Erick Gabriel of Motorsport and confirmed the sanctioning body’s interest in hosting a race from Brazil.

“I don’t know when we’ll get to Brazil,” Phelps said. “I’d like to see it happen. Obviously, we need all parties to come together and understand how important that would be for NASCAR in general and for the category. But I personally would be very excited about it.”

There had previously been conversations about bringing “The Clash” to Brazil. Ben Kennedy, NASCAR executive vice president, chief venue and racing innovation officer, said last month that the season-opening exhibition will “more than likely” take place in the U.S. Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C., site of the 2025 event, is the favorite to host once again. Kennedy added that “The Clash” could go international at some point.

NASCAR’s Steve Phelps excited about possibility of racing in Brazil

For now, Phelps’ priority is Mexico City. He is hopeful that drivers and fans will enjoy the scene.

“I’m excited,” Phelps said. “It’s the first time we’ve taken the Cup Series in the modern era outside our own borders. It’s a big stage for us, and we need to make sure we make it. I think the Mexican fans are going to come, they’re going to support us, and I think it’s going to be a great show. Our drivers will love the circuit, and maybe, who knows, we can have our drivers, at some point, come to Brazil and have a race in São Paulo.”

In recent years, international-born drivers such as Daniel Suárez (Mexico) and Shane van Gisbergen (New Zealand) have joined the Cup ranks. Phelps would like to see a driver from NASCAR Brazil make the same jump.

“We have a driver who is from Mexico, Daniel Suárez, and that’s a great victory for us. Not through our driver development program, [but] we also have Shane Van Gisbergen from New Zealand [who] used to race in Australia,” Phelps said. “We’d like to have drivers from all over the world coming to race with us, in our three national categories, but in particular in our main category, like what Daniel and SVG are doing.

“We’d like to have a Brazilian come out of NASCAR Brazil, come and race with us full-time, and, you know, compete for wins and championships. So, we’re excited about this prospect, I was very impressed with the number of drivers I saw and how fast they were and their abilities, and we’re excited about this happening in the future.”