The 2026 NASCAR Brasil Series season opens its doors to young drivers once again. Pole Motorsport announced this Friday (6) that Dudes Castroneves will compete in his first full championship in the category, driving the #34 Ford Mustang. At 17 years old, the competitor begins a new stage in his career after a stint in Brazilian karting.
The Castroneves surname carries historical weight in motorsport: Dudes is the nephew of Helio Castroneves, a driver who won the IndyCar Indianapolis 500 four times, one of the three most important races in world sport, alongside the Formula 1 Monaco GP and the 24 Hours of Le Mans of the World Endurance Championship.
Before taking on the challenge of a full season, the youngster already had his first contact with NASCAR Brasil. In 2025, he participated in the eighth round of the championship, held at the Autódromo Velocitta. Furthermore, in the NASCAR Virtual Challenge Cup Series, Dudes won the round held at Talladega Superspeedway, a result that guaranteed him a place in the championship final, where he finished in third place.
“My expectation is to learn a lot and grow together with the team. I know I’m a rookie, so I’m coming in with humility, focused on understanding the car, evolving in dry, wet, and also oval races. I want to adapt as quickly as possible and turn this learning into good results,” highlights the driver.
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Team principal Joselmo Barcik, known as Polenta, also commented on the arrival of the new driver. “He is a young driver with a surname of great tradition in motorsport. I am excited, as we certainly have a lot to learn together: it is the beginning of Dudes’ and Pole Motorsport’s journey in NASCAR Brasil, in addition to being a year of renewal for the category.”
The debut of a new car in the category in 2026 also creates a context of greater technical balance between the teams, something that can contribute to the adaptation of rookies throughout the championship.
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