Vitor Genz was the main name of the first qualifying Sprint Race of the 2026 NASCAR Brasil season, held this Saturday (11), in Santa Cruz do Sul (RS). Racing at home, the driver won the battle among the six fastest in Q1, secured pole position for the stage, added important points, and won the first trophy of the year.
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After the victory, Genz highlighted the support of the fans and the good start to the championship. “First, a shout-out to the Rio Grande do Sul fans who are here supporting. I am very happy in this new phase. We started very strong and winning at home has a special flavor,” he stated.
The driver also highlighted the balance of the race and the car’s performance. “We started in the best possible way, I just have to thank the team for the competitive car. It was a good fight, I managed a good lap in qualifying, but we still have adjustments to make for the long race. Even so, debuting with a Rio Grande do Sul pole in NASCAR is special,” said the driver from Porto Alegre.
The Sprint Race brought together the top six from Q1, a session that featured 23 cars on track for 30 minutes, with up to five laps per competitor. In the short race, Genz got the better of Arthur Gama and Thiago Camilo, second and third place, respectively. Gabriel Casagrande, Tito Giaffone, and Cacá Bueno completed the top-6.
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Throughout the season, there will be seven qualifying Sprint Races, responsible for defining the pole position, the grid for Race 2 and, with the inversion of the top six, that of Race 1. The scoring varies from 10 points for the winner to 2 points for the fifth-placed driver.
With the result, Genz starts the championship among the highlights, boosted by consistent performance and the support of the Rio Grande do Sul fans.
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