Stage 2 of the Rally dos Sertões was nothing short of epic. Covering 301 km from Unaí to Januária in Minas Gerais, Brazil, it was a day of dust, speed and heart — and the Varela clan, affectionately known as the "Família da Poeira" (Dust Family), delivered a performance to remember.
Bruno Varela, the youngest of the family, summed it up perfectly: “An incredible day.” Teaming up with co-driver Ari Fiuza, he crossed the finish line just 1.3 seconds behind the leaders — an astonishingly tight margin after nearly four hours of racing. Their time? 3h51min37s. The leaders, Deni Nascimento and Gunnar Dums (Bompack Racing), clocked in at 3h51min36s.
“This is the kind of day we dream about in the Sertões: fast pace, flawless execution. Every second counts, and to finish just behind Deni was amazing,” said Bruno, now sitting in second overall.
His brother, Rodrigo Varela, made a strong comeback after a tough first stage, finishing third overall alongside navigator Matheus Mazzei. Gabriel Varela and Michael Masson conquered treacherous terrain — rocky trails and sandy climbs — to win the UT1 class and place eighth overall.
And the patriarch, Reinaldo Varela, didn’t disappoint. Partnered with Túlio Taniguchi, he clinched victory in the Challenger class (UTVs under Brazil’s national motorsport rules), securing the 12th best time overall among cars with a time of 4h04min.
The rally continues this Tuesday with a 293 km stretch from Unaí to Bom Jesus da Lapa (Bahia). From there, the caravan heads north through Brazil’s heartland, racing toward the Atlantic — and the grand finale on the golden sands of Barra de São Miguel (Alagoas).
Source: BestPR / Photo: Davi Arduíno/Fotop
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