A new 0.776 mile oval track inside the Circuito dos Cristais complex in Minas Gerais will host the final round of the 2024 NASCAR Brasil Series season.
NASCAR Brasil Series has a new venue to host the final round of the 2024 season. The series announced that it will be held at the soon-to-be-built 0.776 mile oval inside the Circuito dos Cristais complex in Minas Gerais.
Built in the same land area as the already existing motorsport and proving grounds tracks within Cristais, the so-called Autódromo Internacional de Curvelo will be the first oval racing track in Brazil that’s purposely built for stock car racing.
“NASCAR Brasil has just announced that the Autódromo Internacional de Curvelo, also known as Circuito dos Cristais, in the central region of Minas Gerais will host the finale of the Special Edition tournament, an event that closes the season on November 17,” announced NASCAR Brasil during the Interlagos round on 3 August.
At 1.25 kilometers (0.776 miles in freedom units), Curvelo will be slightly longer than Richmond Raceway in length. Curvelo will also feature two ends with different configurations, mirroring the famous oval layouts of Darlington Raceway and Mobility Resort Motegi.
On one end, Curvelo has a wide radius, 16-degree banked corner that already exists as part of Cristais’ proving grounds track. On the other end, a tight radius corner with zero banking will be constructed to connect the two straights together.
“We already had the idea of bringing a NASCAR race to the public in Minas Gerais, and the project was born when we signed a deal with the American racing brand,” said series founder and CEO Thiago Marques.
“The chosen size of the track, with three-quarters of a mile, is a classic in US competitions. One of the commitments made was to build an oval track by 2025 so that we would have an alternative to the outer ring of Goiânia.”
“So, right from the start, we supported this track model, which will be the first to receive the official seal of approval from NASCAR Brazil. We’re delighted that this delivery has been brought forward and we’ll be able to close the championship with a high-profile event that promises a lot of excitement.”
Credits: Circuito dos Cristais
NASCAR Brasil’s partnership with Circuito dos Cristais to host an event at the Curvelo oval is valid until 2026, ensuring the presence of at least one oval race for the next two seasons.
“The partnership agreement with Circuito dos Cristais is valid until 2026, which guarantees that the circuit will be present in the coming seasons,” said Marco Túlio Ferreira dos Santos, General Manager of Circuito dos Cristais.
“The project represents a milestone for oval circuits in Brazil and I believe we are contributing even more to the rapid growth of NASCAR in our country. It’s a great opportunity for the Circuito do Cristais to once again play host to major motorsport events in Brazil.”
The historic announcement was attended by NASCAR Cup Series star Daniel Suárez, who was present at Interlagos to compete as a wildcard driver in the fifth round of the 2024 NASCAR Brasil driver.
Suárez welcomed the addition of Autodromo Curvelo to the NASCAR Brasil calendar and expressed hopes of its introduction being the start of an oval racing revolution in the country.
“This circuit is really cool and I’d like to congratulate the NASCAR Brasil team on their achievement,” said Suárez. “It reminded me of how NASCAR’s journey began in Mexico 10 years ago.”
“Drivers in the United States didn’t even know we already had ovals in Mexico back then, and today we have around six oval circuits in the country. This is a great start.”
“I hope the Brazilian drivers can enjoy it and have fun because it takes a lot of work behind the scenes for this to happen and become a reality. And I’m sure this will be the first oval of many.”
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