A Historic Season Finale
This Sunday, August 23, 2026, the Ciudad de Paraná racetrack in Argentina becomes the epicenter of national motorsport as the Turismo Carretera (TC) hosts its 10th and final round of the regular stage. The stakes are huge: only seven spots remain to complete the roster for the Copa de Oro, the mini-championship that will decide the season's champion. The race, covering 25 laps (or a maximum of 50 minutes) on a 4,219-meter circuit, promises non-stop action.
The green flag is scheduled for 2:00 PM (local time), with broadcasts on Channel 9, Flow Channel 13, DirecTV (122/1122), Telecentro (7/1008), and online via Motorplay.
Front Row: Trucco and Bonelli
For the eighth time in his TC career, Juan Martín Trucco (Dodge Challenger) will start from pole position after winning the fastest qualifying heat. Sharing the front row is Nicolás Bonelli (Ford Mustang), who took victory in the third heat. Neither driver can mathematically reach the Copa de Oro, but both aim for glory: Trucco seeks his 2nd career win in the TC, while Bonelli hopes to open his win tally in the category.
The Championship Battle
The regular-season leader, Jonatan Castellano (Dodge), will start from 41st but arrives with 266.5 points, giving him a comfortable 32.5-point margin over Agustín Canapino (Chevrolet Camaro, starting 6th) and 35.5 over Otto Fritzler (Mercedes-Benz CLE 53, starting 4th). Although the title of the regular stage is almost his, he must finish the race to officially seal it.
Meanwhile, Marcos Landa (Chevrolet Camaro) secured his spot in the Copa de Oro after finishing 5th in the third heat. Thus, 18 drivers will fight in the final for the 7 remaining places in the top-12 playoff group.
The Copa de Oro Math
The 12th position in the standings is held by Facundo Chapur (Torino NG) with 185.5 points, just 13 more than Elio Craparo (Ford Mustang, 172.5). Among the hopefuls, Julián Santero (BMW M4) looks strongest on the track (starting 8th), while Craparo starts 25th and Valentín Aguirre (starting 17th) still has outside chances.
Key Drivers in the Copa de Oro Hunt
| Position | Driver | Brand | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jonatan Castellano | Dodge | 266.5 |
| 2 | Agustín Canapino | Chevrolet | 234.0 |
| 3 | Otto Fritzler | Mercedes-Benz | 231.0 |
| 4 | José M. Urcera | Mercedes-Benz | 222.5 |
| 5 | Marcos Landa | Chevrolet | 217.5 |
| 6 | Hernán Palazzo | Torino | 212.0 |
| 7 | Mariano Werner | Ford | 212.5 |
| 8 | Ignacio Faín | Torino | 211.5 |
| 9 | Matías Rossi | Torino | 211.5 |
| 10 | Mauricio Lambiris | Ford | 208.5 |
| 11 | Christian Ledesma | Chevrolet | 209.0 |
| 12 | Facundo Chapur | Torino | 185.5 |
| 13 | Elio Craparo | Ford | 172.5 |
Note: drivers who have already secured a place (like Landa and Castellano) do not count toward the 7 spots decided in this final.
Champions' Duel
In the third heat, Agustín Canapino and Mariano Werner traded the lead, with Canapino finishing ahead but later revealing: 'I didn't get fourth gear,' and explaining a gearbox problem at the start. The four-time champion is still in the race for the season title, and this Sunday he has already fought a thrilling battle with José Manuel Urcera at the beginning of the final. Sources: Carburando, Campeones, TyC Sports.
This final round not only decides the playoff spots but also showcases Argentine motorsport's raw passion. It's a battle of strategy, mechanical reliability, and pure driving skill, in a country that lives and breathes the Turismo Carretera like a second religion.