NASCAR Commissioner on Racing in Brazil: “I’d Like to See it Happen”

What’s Happening?

In a recent report, NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps discussed rumors that NASCAR could soon host a race in Brazil.

In an exclusive interview with @Motorsport's @erickjornalista, #NASCAR commissioner Steve Phelps gave an update on the sport's continued interest in racing in Brazil and the possibility of seeing Brazilian drivers reach the Cup Series. 🇧🇷 https://t.co/u4ncqgTskB

— Motorsport.com (@Motorsport) June 5, 2025

With NASCAR’s renewed focus on international growth, recently anointed NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps addressed long-running rumors about NASCAR going to Brazil in a recent report from Motorsport.com.

In this report, Phelps said that he would “like to see” a race in Brazil; however, the pieces to do so are not in place yet. Phelps went on to say, “Obviously, we need all parties to come together and understand how important that would be for NASCAR in general and for the category.”

Phelps, the former President of NASCAR, will likely play a big role in this international expansion as part of his new role as Commissioner. The press release that announced his new role in NASCAR stated that Phelps’ position would have a “specific focus on strategic growth and international expansion.”

NASCAR in Brazil?

Rumors of NASCAR racing in Brazil have floated around for some time now, with NASCAR meeting with government officials in São Paulo, Brazil, last August. Though these rumors fell off towards the end of the 2024 season, they regained traction earlier this season with reports that the sports’ preseason Clash could move to Brazil for 2026.

But, once again, these rumors quickly died off almost as fast as they surfaced. In May, Ben Kennedy, NASCAR’s Executive Vice President and Chief Venue and Racing Innovations Officer, said that the Clash will “more than likely” happen in the United States in 2026.

Brazil isn’t the only international market to see a flurry of NASCAR rumors recently. Montréal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, a 2.710-mile road course, has also had its name thrown into the 2026 NASCAR schedule rumor mill.

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