IndyCar racers will open the 2010 season with a street car race in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on March 14, the IndyCar Series announced Wednesday.

The race will be the first IndyCar event staged in Brazil, the home nation of several top IndyCar drivers, including three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves, 2004 IndyCar season champion Tony Kanaan and 2009 Rookie of the Year Raphael Matos.

APEX-Brazil was IndyCar's major sponsor last season and the supplier of ethanol fuel for the series cars.

A race had been announced for Brazil but an exact site and format for the race had yet to be decided upon.

Sao Paulo is also the host of a Formula One race at the Interlagos course.

"The race in Sao Paulo affords us a unique opportunity to visit a country that has a huge passion for open-wheel racing," IndyCar commercial division president Terry Angstadt said. "It makes sense from both a business and competition standpoint."