At the opening stage of the NASCAR Brasil Special Edition 2025, held at the country’s only oval track, Circuito dos Cristais, in Curvelo (MG), Jorge Martelli saved the best for last: a thrilling overtaking maneuver secured the two-time Challenge champion the title of the 100 Laps of Curvelo.
The weekend started off on a promising note for the Chevrolet Camaro #87 of Team RC. On Friday, Martelli was in the spotlight from the very first laps: he led one training session, was second in the other, and showed consistency. On Saturday, he confirmed his good form by winning the pole position of the Challenge, in addition to the fourth best time overall.
“We were just 7 hundredths of a second behind the overall leader. We are competitive,” he emphasized.
In the first short race, Martelli started well and controlled the front of the Challenge for more than half of the 20 minutes. However, a spin on the curve sent the Chevrolet Camaro into the wall and into a turn in the middle of the pack. Nevertheless, the two-time champion showed resilience, climbed positions, and still finished sixth in the category, 13.100 seconds behind the winner.
“The size of my happiness is something inexplicable. I left the back of the pack and arrived, in the final stage of the race, in fourth place overall and first in the Challenge. It’s all surreal. I just have to thank my Team RC, my coach, and all the fans, especially those from Mato Grosso and Santa Catarina,” said the driver.
With the victory in the 100 Laps, Jorge Martelli starts with high morale in the dispute of the NASCAR Brasil Special Edition. Now, the teams are already focusing on the penultimate stage of the season, at Velocitta (SP), on the first weekend of November. The sum of the points from the national championship season with those of the Special Edition will define the overall champions of the NASCAR Brasil and also of the Challenge. For Martelli, the two-time national champion of the category, the challenge is clear: to transform consistency into results and fight for the title that unifies the entire 2025 season.
