Report: Brazil Interested in Hosting the Clash in 2026

What’s Happening?

The next Clash venue could be The Cup Seires’ first race on a new continent. Erick Gabriel and Nick DeGroot of Motorsport.com reported on Friday that NASCAR and government officials from São Paulo, Brazil, met to discuss the future of NASCAR in Brazil, with specific interest in hosting the season-opening Clash.

• According to Gabrial and DeGroot, individuals at the meeting included NASCAR’s Chief Marketing Officer, Pete Jung, NASCAR’s representative in Brazil, Tom Dannemiller, the Governor of the State of São Paulo, Tarcísio de Freitasm, and the Mayor of the City of São Paulo, Ricardo Nunes. NASCAR President Steve Phelps was also in Brazil this week, attending Daniel Suarez’s wedding, but it doesn’t appear he was at this meeting.
• São Paulo, Brazil, is a motorsports hotbed. The city houses the Autódromo José Carlos Pace, or Interlagos, circuit, which is a traditional stop on the Formula One calendar and hosts the United States Grand Prix.
• NASCAR has been pushing to go international with the Cup Series. NASCAR is reportedly pushing to add at least one international date to the 2025 schedule in Mexico City and/or Canada. While Brazil has been far off, NASCAR has a presence in Brazil through the NASCAR Brazil Series. The Clash has been held at the LA Coliseum since 2022, and there was some talk earlier this season of NASCAR moving the race to an international market before Bowman Gray Stadium became the reported favorite.

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