Tatiana Calderón makes history as first woman to win a NASCAR Brasil race
Tatiana Calderón made history at the Circuito dos Cristais, Curvelo, by becoming the first woman to win a race in NASCAR Brasil, completing a remarkable comeback weekend with victory in Sunday’s second race and securing her place among the 12 drivers who will contend for the championship in the playoffs.
Tatiana Calderón made history at the Circuito dos Cristais, Curvelo, by becoming the first woman to win a race in NASCAR Brasil, completing a remarkable comeback weekend with victory in Sunday’s second race and securing her place among the 12 drivers who will contend for the championship in the playoffs.
The Colombian driver overcame a difficult start to the weekend with SG28 Racing, recovering from a mechanical issue and 15th-place qualifying result to finish fourth overall and second in class in the opening race before converting a third-place starting position into a landmark overall victory in the second.
The weekend at Brazil’s first permanent oval circuit had initially failed to go according to plan for Calderón and the SG28 Racing team, with a mechanical failure compromising the car’s performance during the early stages of the event. The team worked intensively to restore the car’s competitiveness, making a significant step forward ahead of the two races scheduled for Sunday.
Calderón nevertheless faced an additional challenge in qualifying. Having been unable to show her true pace during free practice because of the earlier mechanical problems, she was among the first drivers to take to the track for the four-lap individual qualifying run. With the circuit continuing to evolve throughout the session, the early running order proved costly, and Calderón ultimately qualified 15th for the opening race.
From there, however, the Colombian mounted a strong comeback in a race defined by several incidents and crashes, which resulted in multiple restarts. Calderón proved particularly competitive on the restarts, repeatedly taking advantage of the opportunities to gain positions and remain in contention towards the front of the field.
She eventually crossed the finish line in fourth place overall and second in the Challenger class, reserved for drivers without previous NASCAR Brasil experience, putting SG28 Racing in a strong position heading into the second race.
The result was significant also because of the reverse-grid format for the 30-minute second race, with the top six finishers from the opening race having their starting positions reversed. Calderón therefore moved from fourth to third on the grid, giving her a much stronger opportunity to fight for the victory.
She immediately made the most of it: Calderón retained her position through the opening phase and remained at the front, before the decisive moment arrived when the leaders collided while fighting for the race win directly ahead of her. Reacting immediately, the Colombian avoided the incident and emerged in the lead.
From that point forward, Calderón faced consistent pressure from the drivers behind, but she kept her cool and controlled the race from the front. With considerably fewer incidents interrupting the second race, she was able to make the most of the clear track ahead, establish her rhythm and maintain a consistent pace throughout the remaining laps.
Calderón made no mistakes under pressure to take the chequered flag in first place, securing her first NASCAR Brasil victory and writing her name into the history of the championship as its first female race overall winner.
“It’s difficult to put into words what this moment means,” Calderón said. “The weekend started in a challenging way, but that forced us to work extremely hard as a team to recover the car’s performance. After qualifying towards the back and finishing in the top five in the first race, we knew we had an opportunity in the second one. When the leader lost control, I was able to react quickly and take advantage of the situation to take the lead.”
“From there on, the race felt very long and intense, with consistent pressure, but we managed to stay out front until the checkered flag. I’m incredibly proud of the entire team, of what we have achieved together after the difficulties we faced at the beginning of the season. Making history as the first woman to win a NASCAR Brasil race is something I will remember forever.”
The Curvelo oval was already the venue that saw the Brazilian NASCAR first ever participation of a female driver, when Italian Arianna Casoli entered in 2024. At the same circuit two years later, Tatiana Calderón climbed the top step of the podium to make more history.
Calderón also thanked the people and organisations who have supported her career and made the achievement possible, including her sponsors and partners, la Bichota and her foundation Con Cora, AVL Racetech, Escudería Telmex, and the entire SG28 Racing team.
The victory also secured Calderón’s place among the 12 drivers who will compete for the NASCAR Brasil championship in the final two rounds, adding another significant milestone to an international career that has continued to span multiple disciplines and championships.
The Colombian had already added another international victory to her 2026 campaign earlier in the year, winning a GT Challenge of the Americas race in Guyana with Nacent Racing.
Calderón’s next race will take her back to GT racing, with the Colombian set to compete at Puebla, Mexico, in the GT Challenge de Las Americas.
