Whispers have been circulating through the motorsport world that RAM is mounting a major international push, and now one Brazilian city has taken a bold step to support that ambition. Located on the coast of Rio Grande do Sul, the city of Cidreira has approved the transfer of the land of the formerly abandoned Estádio Antônio Braz Sessim stadium (nicknamed ‘Sessinzão’) to a private concession.

The plan is to convert the old soccer stadium into an oval racetrack. Councilors voted unanimously for the transfer under a 30-year loan concession, signaling serious intent. The magnitude of the project is not trivial. The rebuild is estimated at R$50 million (roughly US $9.5 million) and could take up to 10 years to complete fully. The responsibility for leading the project falls to the Federação Gaúcha de Automobilismo (FGA), which will seek investors and manage the conversion.

The site’s history adds texture. The Sessinzão opened in 1996 at a cost of around R$2 million (that time 1 BRL=1 USD) and was meant to elevate Cidreira’s profile on the soccer map, yet has sat neglected since 2010 due to lack of use and prohibitive demolition costs.

Why does this matter for RAM and global NASCAR ambitions? The oval conversion suggests Brazil is preparing to host more stock-car events and possibly a NASCAR-sanctioned showpiece. With the South American market growing and the existence of the NASCAR Brasil Series already established, a purpose-built oval in Brazil would give technical and promotional leverage for manufacturers like RAM seeking to expand in NASCAR’s international footprint. The announcement from Cidreira indicates that the infrastructure is beginning to follow the talk.

For the local community in Cidreira, the impact could extend far beyond motorsports. Converting the stadium into a racetrack has the potential to inject economic activity into the region, attract tourism, and repurpose an abandoned asset into something dynamic. One councilor noted that the stadium “has been abandoned since 2010” and the transfer to a concession model offers a chance to remove the public burden and deliver a private-sector-driven revitalization. The 30-year concession period underscores that this is a long-term project, not merely a short-term event fix.

That said, the road ahead isn’t without hurdles. The 10-year timeline means any NASCAR-style event in Brazil may be several years away, and as with many such projects, financing, regulatory approvals, and construction logistics remain critical variables.

Moreover, while Brazil has already seen the introduction of oval tracks for NASCAR Brasil (for instance, at the Circuito dos Cristais in Minas Gerais), which debuted for the 2024 season, the Cidreira project is distinct in converting an old stadium rather than building new ground up, which introduces both creative opportunity and unique constraints.

Fans on Reddit have ideas

Reddit Dreams Big on Brazil Oval “It’s Bowman Gray sized, about a quarter mile all the way around. It’s in rough shape, you can Google Street View on the dirt roads next to it.” The scale fits tight. Sessinzão started as a modest soccer ground, Bowman Gray style quarter-mile vibe rings true for the rebuild. Abandoned since 2010, the neglect shows. There are unpaved roads, crumbling stands seen. Street view shows all the proof that it’s ready for the revamp.

The stadium footprint measures compact, perfect for a high-banked, door-to-door short track. Council documents describe the oval conversion as utilizing the existing bowl structure, preserving the steep seating angles that already mimic Bowman Gray’s intimate, raucous atmosphere.

Dirt access paths and overgrown lots surround the site, confirming the “rough shape” claim—years of zero maintenance have left concrete cracked, grass overtaking the field, and rust claiming metalwork. Yet that very decay fuels the vision of a purpose-built NASCAR-style oval in South America.

“A little Bristol in Brazil?” Cidreira Oval could aim for that same Bristol energy, short and loud. The half-mile Bristol Motor Speedway is legendary for its coliseum feel, 36-degree banking, 100,000 seats, and night races under the lights.

Cidreira’s plan scales that intensity down to quarter-mile proportions but keeps the stadium walls and steep sightlines. FGA officials have hinted at concrete surfacing and progressive banking to replicate the “Bristol bump and run” style.

With NASCAR Brasil already running ovals, a true short-track bullring would give the series a signature venue, drawing U.S. drivers for exhibition races and giving RAM a showcase for its Truck Series return.

“They turned Exhibition Stadium in Toronto, for a little while, into a third mile. And there was 16th Street Speedway in Indianapolis, a former AAA ballpark.” History supports this. The Toronto Exhibition flipped to a third-mile temp track, and Indianapolis 16th Street rose from ballpark bones. It proved that stadium swaps work. Cidreira could also follow that same book and turn soccer into speed. Both places prove that existing infrastructure can be adapted rather than demolished.

“Here’s an idea for a future site of the Clash. NASCAR is planning on putting on the Clash race in Brazil.” As NASCAR eyes global ambitions, Brazil brings good news for them. Sessinzão’s rebuild fits perfectly in the plan. The Busch Clash (now simply The Clash) has traveled, Daytona, LA Coliseum, and Bowman Gray. A Clash-style event in Brazil could headline the calendar, broadcast on U.S. networks, and showcase RAM trucks on a global stage.

Cidreira’s coastal location, two hours from Porto Alegre’s international airport, adds logistics appeal. Councilors have publicly tied the project to “international motorsport tourism,” leaving little doubt the target includes NASCAR’s pre-season spectacle.

“..10 years to complete…Good luck.” The timeline surely hurts. The work will be done in phases. The official concession agreement splits the build into three phases. First phase will see things like clearing the debris, putting in foundations, and installing basic paving. Second will add banking, barriers, lighting, and grandstand repairs. Third one will finish hospitality suites, media center, and FIA/NASCAR homologation.

Each step requires separate environmental permits, investor tranches, and FGA oversight. Ten years is realistic, compared to Atlanta Motor Speedway’s 1997 repave and rebanking (18 months) or the LA Coliseum Clash build (three months), but those were upgrades, not full conversions. Cidreira starts from scratch; every concrete pour, every safety rail, every light pole needs fresh funding and approval. The 30-year concession guarantees the investor recoups costs through events, concerts, and driver schools long after the green flag drops.