The NASCAR Euro Series driver will be the first woman to compete in the Brazilian series, reinforcing the female role in motorsports. The stage that inaugurates the oval track of the Circuito dos Cristais (MG), unprecedented in Brazil, will be this weekend, between November 15th and 17th.
Arianna Casoli, an Italian NASCAR Euro Series driver, is the confirmed guest to participate in the final stage of the NASCAR Brasil Series 2024 and will be the first woman to race in the competition’s history. The event, scheduled to take place between November 15th and 17th in Curvelo (Minas Gerais), will also mark the inauguration of the first 100% oval circuit in the country, within the Autódromo Circuito dos Cristais.
The three races of the Special Edition #Ovaltrack will be held on an oval track with a bank, like the American NASCAR, a format that is unprecedented in Brazilian motorsports. With Casoli’s presence, the stage also has the legacy of having its first female participant on the grid of the fastest-growing category in the country.
“It’s an honor for me,” says Arianna. “It’s a dream come true and still hard to believe. It’s a huge responsibility and even scary to hope to live up to expectations. I’m experiencing a mix of euphoria, disbelief, pride, and gratitude. I’ll realize this over the weekend of the event. I hope I can be an example for women in the future of NASCAR Brazil,” says the Italian who has a successful history within the European NASCAR series.
Arianna will race the #Ovaltrack stage with the #14 Chevrolet Camaro, the same number she races in Europe. She says her dream was to participate in other international NASCAR series, especially in Brazil. The driver has a special affection for the country she has always visited, due to her father’s professional career, who, among other activities, was the sporting director of the Alfa Romeo F1 team in the 1980s.
Currently 50 years old, Arianna has won five Lady Trophy titles and one Legend Trophy (Over 40) in the EuroNASCAR2. The italian driver has a successful career in European motorsport. At the age of 21, in 1995, she began training and, the following year, she completed her first race, followed by several single-make championships in Italy, such as the Clio Cup, Saxo Cup, Smart Cup, among others, until the early 2000s.
“I graduated in Architecture and currently work mainly as a graphic designer. Between work and family, I stopped racing for 14 years. Then, I came back in 2015, competing in four races in the Seat promotional event and, after that, a series of coincidences led me to test a EuroNASCAR and find myself in Valencia the following year for the first race of the 2016 championship. It was a great moment!”, she says.
Arianna recalls that entering motorsports was not the biggest challenge. “Progressing and learning. Accepting that NASCAR is not an easy race was the most complicated part. But the outcome so far is incredibly positive, despite the need for physical, mental, and organizational preparation, since I am a mother,” she says. “I want to be an example for the new generations, starting with the younger girls, but especially for women who, after the age of 40, often give up on the chance to make their dreams come true. Always dream,” she concludes.
NASCAR Brazil
The eight stages that make up the NASCAR Brazil calendar are divided into two series: the national championship, with six stages (two races each), – Campo Grande (Mato Grosso do Sul), Goiânia (Goiás), Londrina (Paraná), Potenza – Lima Duarte (Minas Gerais), Cascavel (Paraná) and Tarumã (Rio Grande do Sul) –, and the two stages of the “Special Edition” – Interlagos (São Paulo) and Curvelo (Minas Gerais) –, with three races each. The overall champion in their respective classes will be determined from the sum of these series:
State of the Art Oval: Circuito dos Cristais
Announced in last August, the brand new Circuito dos Cristais track, in Curvelo (Minas Gerais) joined the group of NASCAR Brazil racetracks and, according to a partnership agreement signed with the competition, should host one of the stages on the calendar until 2026.
The new oval circuit, which is part of a complex of tracks at the racetrack, is ¾ of a mile (1,250 meters) long and has a 16-degree incline on one of its curves, in the same style as the American NASCAR CUP tracks. The track also has another level curve with an asphalt run-off area, a gravel deceleration trap, and a set of guardrails that ensure greater safety for drivers. It is a medium to high-speed track, a rare feature among Brazilian tracks.
At the end of the 2024 NASCAR Brasil Series season, the Overall championship titles, the Special Edition tournament titles, and the Rookie of the Year will be announced.
To follow Arianna Casoli’s debut and all the excitement of the final stage of NASCAR Brazil in real time, visit the official NASCAR Brazil channel on YouTube. Just click on the links below and then activate notifications.
QUALIFYING TRAINING https://youtube.com/live/GVAPI03fk_w
RACE 1 https://youtube.com/live/Qnn1BWVTxs0
RACE 2 https://youtube.com/live/FBVHymVppGQ
RACE 3 https://youtube.com/live/KYZZqqxSINE
About NASCAR Brasil Series
The NASCAR Brasil Series was officially announced in November of 2022 and launched in March of 2023 as the sanctioning body’s fourth international series and first in South America. The series hosts races at historic circuits across Brazil, including Autódromo de Interlagos in São Paulo, one of Brazil’s most populous cities. The series is divided into two categories, NASCAR Brasil and Challenge, providing the competition level and resources to help the country’s most talented competitors advance their careers. Drivers compete for four titles every season – Overall, Brazil, Special Edition and Rookie of the Year.For more information, visit www.nascarbrasil.com.br and follow the NASCAR Brasil Series on Instagram and X.
NASCAR BRAZIL
Stage 8 – SPECIAL EDITION – #OVALTRACK
November 17th – Curvelo (MG, Brazil)
SCHEDULE:
Friday, November 15th
09:40 to 10:00 – Official training 1 (maximum 24 laps) – (Unnika/Maxon)
10:05 to 10:25 – Official practice 1 (maximum 24 laps) – (Reviv/Singus)
12:40 to 13:00 – Official practice 2 (maximum 24 laps) – (Unnika/Maxon)
1:05 pm to 1:25 pm – Official practice 2 (maximum 24 laps) – (Reviv/Singus)
1:35 pm to 1:55 pm – Official practice 3 (maximum 24 laps) – (Unnika/Maxon)
2:00 pm to 2:20 pm – Official practice 3 (maximum 24 laps) – (Reviv/Singus)
4:30 pm to 4:50 pm – Official practice 4 (maximum 24 laps) – (Unnika/Maxon)
5:00 pm to 5:20 pm – Official practice 4 (maximum 24 laps) – (Reviv/Singus)
Saturday, November 16th
11:15 to 12:15 – Qualifying – three fast laps
2:45 pm to 3:05 pm – Race 1 (NASCAR Brazil)
3:15 pm to 3:35 pm – Race 2 (NASCAR Challenge)
Sunday, November 17th
08:00 to 08:10 – Warm-up
11:00 to 11:30 – Tram Challenge – Oval
11:30 am – Pilots parade
12:40 – Open pit cars at 45 on the grid
1:00 pm – Box closed
1:00 pm to 1:30 pm – Grid Walk (Boxes and Paddock)
1:20 pm – National Anthem
1:22 pm to 1:35 pm – Air show
1:40 pm – 5-minute board
1:45 pm – Presentation lap
1:46 pm – Start 30 min + 1 lap
2:47 pm – Arrival
2:20 pm to 2:45 pm – Victory Lane/podium
3:00 pm – Awards ceremony at HC NASCAR Brazil
3:00 pm to 4:00 pm – NASCAR Brazil and GM Fast Lap
Follow us on social media:
Instagram: @NASCARBrasil
Youtube: @NASCARBrasil
Facebook: @NASCARBrasil
X: @NASCARBrazil
Tik Tok: @NASCARBrasil
NASCAR Brasil Communications
SIG Comunicação – sig@sigcomunicacao.com.br
Silvana Grezzana Santos / Regina Cusin / Josi Castro
+55 (11) 999.726.966
Contacts:
NASCAR Communications
Yulissa Cortina
386-248-5482
ycortina@nascar.com
Marielkis Salazar
386-274-9165
Photo Credit: Nina Weinbrenner e Silvia Casali www.silviacasali.it
