The NASCAR Brasil Series opens the 2026 Playoffs in a special setting for six drivers on the grid. Between October 30 and November 1, the Chapecó International Raceway “Márcio Vaccaro”, in Santa Catarina, hosts the eighth round of the season, marked by the category’s debut on the oval track and by the anticipation of racing before family, friends, and supporters.
Felipinho Tozzo and Juninho Berlanda were born in Chapecó, while Jorge Martelli hails from Coronel Freitas, a neighboring town. Bruna Tomaselli lives in Caibi, about 60 kilometers from the circuit. Gui Backes, born in Porto Alegre, lived in Chapecó between 2022 and 2026, and Alfredinho Ibiapina resides in Florianópolis.
The new race track is located roughly 20 kilometers from the city center and covers an area of 708 thousand square meters. The complex features a 1,452-meter oval with two turns and a clockwise direction, in addition to a 4,004-meter mixed circuit. In the same weekend, the Copa Truck and the Copa Hyundai HB20 also debut there, on the mixed layout.
For NASCAR Brasil drivers, the lack of oval race references makes car setup and adaptation to the track decisive factors. After the Santa Catarina round, the championship will conclude in Brasília, on November 29.
Vice-leader of the Challenge category, Alfredinho Ibiapina arrives in Chapecó aiming for important points in the title fight. The Ford Mustang #8 driver from Full Time Sports has been training on a simulator to learn the circuit, which has an unusual feature compared to other ovals: the corners are built to the right.
“It’s going to be a new track for everyone. All ovals tend to have curves to the left, in a counterclockwise direction, and now they’ll be to the right, clockwise. So it will be truly different. I’m training a lot on the simulator to arrive there as prepared as possible,” he says.
Besides finding the car’s ideal balance, Ibiapina wants to avoid unnecessary risks at this stage of the season.
“Every point now will be crucial to defining the championship. We have to think about our objective of winning the Challenge and be careful before any hasty decision during the race. We’ll try to maximize points and reach the final stage in Brasília alive in the title contention,” he adds.
Felipinho Tozzo, of Team RC, also bets on virtual preparation for the oval debut. A native of Chapecó, the driver of the Chevrolet Camaro #57 already knows the circuit and believes that adapting to the car will be essential to pursue a good result.
“I’m getting ready a lot on the simulator. Fortunately, we have this tool that lets us know the layout before actually practicing it. I’m very confident and training hard,” he emphasizes.
Tozzo notes that the lack of references about the asphalt and the behavior of the cars will require the teams’ attention.
“It’ll come down to car setup and balance. I think it will be challenging, because we still don’t have references about the track and the asphalt quality. Whoever adapts best, as well as the team with more experience, will certainly have an advantage,” he assesses.
Jorge Martelli, driver of the Chevrolet Camaro #87 from Team RC, also hopes to take advantage of the proximity to the Santa Catarina crowd. Born in Coronel Freitas, about 25 kilometers from Chapecó, he highlights the importance of practice to understand the circuit’s particularities.
“The expectation is very high. It’s a track that demands adaptation and strategy, and we’ll work hard to achieve a great result in front of the Santa Catarina audience,” he comments.
“The main challenge is understanding the oval’s characteristics, the racing lines, and the car’s behavior at high speed. The practice sessions will be essential to adjust these details,” he explains.
For Bruna Tomaselli, the round represents the opportunity to compete close to home after years of traveling long distances to participate in races. Living in Caibi, the Ford Mustang #97 driver from SG28 Racing by Pole Motorsport followed the circuit’s development and took part in the test event, when she did a few laps on the oval.
“It will be a dream come true! Many people I know and who follow me could never be at a race track. Being able to accelerate near home, with everyone nearby, is something I always wished for. Fortunately, Chapecó invested in the infrastructure and will have a huge return from it,” she says.
The driver considers the layout to be technical and believes that overtaking will be one of the highlights of the races. The challenge will be finding a setup that combines speed on the straights with good performance in the turns, different from those seen on the Curvelo and Cuiabá ovals. Qualifying will also be important to secure a favorable starting position.
“It’s a very cool track, very technical and with a good variation of speeds. There are also some sections I imagine will become the drivers’ favorite spots to attempt overtakes. It also offers good space for the spectators who will follow the races. I have very high expectations to be able to accelerate and secure good results in the NASCAR Brasil stage,” she highlights.
Juninho Berlanda will also have the chance to race in the city where he was born. The Ford Mustang #17 driver from AMattheis Vogel has been using the simulator to prepare for the new challenge and hopes to put on a strong performance in front of family, friends, and sponsors.
“The expectation is huge! It will be a special round for several reasons. First, because we’re talking about a completely new track, so everyone will arrive in nearly the same conditions. And for me, it has an even greater meaning, because Chapecó is the city where I was born. We’ll have many sponsors, family, and friends watching closely, so I really want to put on a good race and represent Santa Catarina well,” he says.
Gui Backes, for his part, maintains a close link with Chapecó, where he lived from 2022 to 2026. Born in Porto Alegre and with family originally from the Santa Catarina city, the driver of the Ford Mustang #28 from AMattheis Vogel recently relocated his residence to Cascavel, Paraná. Still, the race will hold a special meaning.
“I was born in Porto Alegre, but Chapecó is the city where I have built a large part of my racing history in touring cars. Racing in this new venture, in front of family, friends, and so many supporters who follow my career, will be very special. The expectation is high, especially since it’s NASCAR Brasil’s first time on this oval track. We’ll work hard with the team to adapt quickly to the track and aim for a great result,” Backes explains.
The Chapecó round opens the season’s decisive phase and places the drivers before an unprecedented challenge. In addition to the motivation of racing near home, it will be necessary to quickly find the ideal setup to accumulate important points before the Grand Final, in Brasília.
