2023 NASCAR Brasil Sprint Race schedule released

The first season of NASCAR’s Brazilian operations will see an eight-round calendar. On Wednesday, the NASCAR Brasil Sprint Race revealed its schedule beginning in March and running through November.

The Brasil Sprint Race is a reformation of the pre-existing GT Sprint Race after forging a partnership with NASCAR in November. The move was intended to help NASCAR—primarily based on the United States—begin expanding into South America. NASCAR also has three international championships in Europe, Canada, and Mexico respectively with the Whelen Euro Series, Pinty’s Series, and Mexico Series.

Although NASCAR eventually hopes to have a common chassis across all four global series, the Sprint Race is generally closer to touring cars than stock cars as run in America. The Sprint Race and the adjacent Stock Car Pro Series both also compete exclusively on road courses, though ovals are envisioned for the former in the future as NASCAR increases its influence in Brazil.

Until then, all eight tracks are circuits for the most part. The Autódromo Internacional Ayrton Senna in Goiânia, which is hosting the season opener and finale on 19 March and 11 November, will use different layouts for both: the first round will be conducted on the traditional 3.8-km Grand Prix circuit while the latter is on the 1.9-km external course. The external layout is the closest to an oval with six turns and nary a righthand corner.

The only other track with repeat dates is Autódromo José Carlos Pace with races on 30 April and 6 August. The fifteen-corner, 4.3-km track is most notably the host of Formula One’s São Paulo Grand Prix. The August race is classified as a “Special Edition”, one of two races with the designation alongside the Autódromo Velo Città on 10 September. Special Edition races are longer by a lap while the weekend is longer as it contains a qualifying race.

A different Autódromo Internacional Ayrton Senna in Londrina will host the third race on 3 June. Although the full 3.1-km course contains a stadium section, the Stock Car Pro Series and Sprint Race bypass it.

The Autódromo Internacional Zilmar Beux de Cascavel was a longtime stop on the Stock Car circuit but was dropped for 2022 onwards. The Sprint Race will take up the mantle to contest the 3.1-km course.

Autódromo Internacional de Tarumã will welcome the series on 15 October. It also contains a full and stock car-specific configuration, the latter of which includes the Curva Três corner though the Sprint Race does not appear to be following suit.

2023 schedule