Tatiana Calderón was still trying to digest what she had just experienced at the Curvelo Oval Circuit when she summed up NASCAR Brasil Race 2 in a few words: “It’s amazing!! Those were the longest thirty minutes of my life.” The Colombian etched her name in the series’ history as the first woman to claim an overall victory.
The result held an even greater significance for Calderón, who also took the win in the Challenge and secured her place among the 12 drivers who will compete in the season’s playoffs. For the SG28 Racing driver, however, the trophy mainly represented the realization of a dream built along her career.
“Very happy to clinch this victory. I am working toward this dream and everything I’m experiencing here is very special,” Tatiana remarked, dedicating the win to the project’s CEO, Carlos SG, to the team, and also to the people in Colombia who are still going through a difficult moment. “May I have brought a little joy to them. Let’s go for more,” she added.
The victory began to take shape from a third-place start on the grid. Tatiana moved to the lead when there were about 23 minutes left to the checkered flag, shortly after escaping an incident in Turn 1. From there, she had to withstand the pressure from Felipe Malinowski and rely on her oval-track experience to defend the top position until the end.
The result yielded three trophies for the Colombian and, in addition to the historic milestone, confirmed her presence in the season’s decisive phase. Tatiana now joins Thiago Camilo, Arthur Gama, Gabriel Casagrande, Vitor Genz, Nicolas Costa, Cacá Bueno, Alfredinho Ibiapina, Galid Osman, Murilo Rocha, Ricardo Maurício and Witold Ramasauskas among the 12 finalists.
The title race kicks off in Chapecó (SC), on October 31 and November 1, before the climactic stage in Brasília (DF), slated for November 28-29.
