Guaporé

Circuit History

The story of Autódromo Internacional de Guaporé begins not with grand plans or corporate investment, but with a young physician's passion for racing. When Dr. Nelson Luiz Barro arrived in the small city of Guaporé in 1967, fresh from medical school in Porto Alegre, he brought with him an infectious enthusiasm for motorsport that would transform this quiet corner of Rio Grande do Sul. Within two years, Barro had rallied local youth to form the Associação Guaporense de Automobilismo (AGA) on 1 September 1969, with the audacious goal of building a permanent racing circuit.

The location they chose was both pragmatic and inspired—Guaporé's defunct municipal airfield, interdicted by Brazil's aviation authorities, offered two perpendicular runways that would dictate the circuit's permanently distinctive T-configuration. With backing from Mayor Otolip Dalbosco, AGA's volunteers accomplished the seemingly impossible: constructing a functional racing circuit in just 90 days. The dirt surface, bound with waste oil to control dust, wrapped around the existing runway infrastructure to create approximately 3 kilometres of challenging racing.

The inaugural event on 21 December 1969 exceeded all expectations. Seventy-two cars from across Rio Grande do Sul descended upon Guaporé for a three-hour endurance race, supervised by the state motorsport federation. Over 15,000 spectators witnessed Nicolau "Nico" Monteiro claim victory in his Volkswagen, narrowly defeating Régis Schuch's Fusca. The overwhelming success catapulted the small city to unprecedented prominence in Brazilian motorsport circles. Dr. Barro himself would validate the circuit's competitive credentials by winning the 1970 Rio Grande do Sul State Championship in his distinctive Simca Chambord #34.

From dirt to asphalt: the municipal backing

Barro's election as Mayor of Guaporé in 1972 proved pivotal for the circuit's evolution. Leveraging his political position alongside his racing credibility, he orchestrated an ambitious modernisation project that attracted support from federal and state governments, six neighbouring municipalities, and major construction firms including Toniolo Busnello S.A. and Barcelos S.A. The Army's 1º Batalhão Ferroviário (1st Railway Battalion) even contributed engineering expertise. This remarkable coalition transformed the oil-bound dirt into a proper racing facility over several years of construction.

The reborn Autódromo Municipal de Guaporé opened on 17 October 1976 with a fully paved 3.080 km circuit. Fittingly, the inaugural event was the 5th round of the Brazilian Formula Ford Championship, immediately establishing the venue's credentials for hosting national-level single-seater racing. The new asphalt surface, combined with proper pit facilities housing 40 garages, timing infrastructure, and safety features, enabled progressively more prestigious events. Stock Car Brasil arrived in 1979, beginning a relationship that would define Guaporé's golden era throughout the 1980s and 1990s.

The circuit achieved international status on 17 November 1985 by hosting the 10th round of the South American Formula 3 Championship. This milestone officially elevated the facility to "Autódromo Internacional de Guaporé" and attracted future Formula 1 drivers including Maurício Gugelmin. Throughout this period, the track welcomed Brazil's motorsport elite—12-time Stock Car champion Ingo Hoffmann dominated many races here, whilst even Formula 1 world champion Emerson Fittipaldi turned demonstration laps on the challenging circuit.

The truck racing phenomenon

Perhaps no series is more synonymous with Guaporé than Formula Truck, which arrived on 26 April 1996 to create one of Brazilian motorsport's most spectacular phenomena. The inaugural truck race drew an astonishing 40,000 spectators, with Wellington Cirino claiming victory in his Mercedes-Benz. Created by Aurélio Batista Félix, Formula Truck at Guaporé became a cultural event transcending pure motorsport—families would camp on the famous Radiator Corner hillside for the entire weekend, combining racing with traditional gaucho barbecues and festivities.

Stock Car Brasil continued visiting through 2002, when driver Xandy Negrão set a new lap record of 1:14.015 in a Chevrolet Vectra V8. However, the increasingly demanding safety requirements of Brazil's premier touring car championship, combined with the circuit's ageing infrastructure, led to Stock Car's departure after that season. The void was filled by Formula Truck, which became Guaporé's signature event, though the heavy trucks took their toll on the racing surface.

The series faced tragedy when Félix died of heart complications following the 2008 season opener at Guaporé. The circuit honoured his memory by naming the timing tower 'Torre de Cronometragem Aurélio Batista Félix', whilst the track itself was renamed 'Circuito Vitacir Paludo' in 2010 to commemorate another motorsport patron lost in the 2007 TAM Flight 3054 crash. These dedications reflect how deeply personal connections define Guaporé's character—this is a circuit built by community, sustained by volunteers, and cherished for the memories created over five decades.

Surface degradation and renewal

The heavy truck traffic eventually took its toll on the ageing asphalt. By 2009, surface degradation had become so severe that drag racing events—another Guaporé specialty drawing up to 60,000 fans—were reduced from quarter-mile to eighth-mile sprints due to dangerous bumps on the main straight. This deterioration, combined with evolving safety standards, prevented the return of premier national championships like Stock Car Brasil, threatening the circuit's viability for top-level racing.

AGA responded by securing funding for complete track resurfacing in late 2010, the first comprehensive renovation in 34 years. The R$1.5 million project completely restored the racing surface, enabling the return of major championships that had abandoned the circuit. While Stock Car Brasil did not return—the series had moved on to newer facilities with modern safety infrastructure—the fresh asphalt attracted other national series including the Brazilian GT Championship, which visited in 2012 with Cláudio Ricci setting a GT3 lap record of 1:08.342 in his Ferrari 458 Italia GT3.

The circuit faced a period of uncertainty after Formula Truck's dissolution in 2017, but the series was revived in 2021 under new management by GT Truck. Formula Truck returned to Guaporé as part of its reborn championship, maintaining the circuit's tradition as a truck racing stronghold. 

The 2010s and early 2020s saw Guaporé adapting to its role as a historic venue cherished for its challenging layout and festival atmosphere, rather than competing directly with modern facilities for premier national championships.

Modern challenges and community resilience

Today's Autódromo Internacional de Guaporé navigates the delicate balance between preserving its historic character and meeting contemporary safety standards. The circuit's fundamental layout remains unchanged since 1969—the T-shaped configuration dictated by those original airfield runways still challenges drivers with high-speed straights, significant banking exceeding 10 degrees in several corners, and the natural elevation changes of its hillside setting. The 800-metre main straight, an impressive 17 metres wide, serves dual duty for both circuit racing and drag events.

Current AGA President Dilvo Luís Salvi leads ongoing modernisation efforts, acknowledging that "everything has evolved except Autódromo de Guaporé, which was built in the 1960s." A comprehensive renovation project aims to reconfigure the current 41 small pit garages into 23 larger 10×10 metre boxes suitable for modern racing transporters. Plans include a new two-storey pit complex with hospitality suites and updated race control facilities. These improvements, estimated at R$5-6 million, are essential for maintaining the circuit's relevance in contemporary motorsport.

The circuit maintains robust activity despite infrastructure challenges. The revived Formula Truck championship continues to draw massive crowds, with the 2024 season including Guaporé on its calendar. Regional championships including Super Turismo RS and the prestigious 6 Horas de Guaporé endurance race fill the remaining dates. Track days provide revenue whilst serving the educational mission, and the facility's wider complex—including karting circuit, swimming pools, and camping areas—ensures year-round community engagement.

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