South Dakota Circuit is a permanent motor racing track in Timehri, Guyana. It is operated by the Guyana Motor Racing & Sports Club.
| Location | Timehri, Demerara-Mahaica, Guyana |
|---|---|
| Time zone | UTC-4:00 |
| Coordinates | 6°29′20.99″N 58°15′7.10″W / 6.4891639°N 58.2519722°W |
| FIA Grade | none |
| Opened | May 1956 |
| Original Circuit | |
| Length | 3.067 km (1.910 miles) |
| Turns | 8 |
| Short Circuit (2022–present) | |
| Length | 1.600 km (0.994 miles) |
| Turns | 13 |
History
editThe circuit was opened in 1956 under British rule as a permanent venue for motorcycle racers, who had previously been using No. 63 Beach on the border with Dutch Suriname. The track was formed from a former World War II airstrip used by the Americans during the North Africa campaign, and the circuit's name was taken from the military aircraft of the same name. The circuit played host to a variety of Caribbean car and motorcycle championships, with the two-wheeled discipline in particular bringing in British teams and riders well into the 1970s. As a result of the oil crises of the 1970s and the increasingly socialist policies of Prime Minister Forbes Burnham, racing entered a dormant period in the country in the mid-1970s and only restarted in 1988. The circuit was significantly upgraded at this time, encouraging riders from North America to compete. In 1990, a Caribbean Motor Racing Championship was held for the first time, later morphing into the Caribbean Race of Champions event that is still held today.[1][2]
By the late-2000s, the circuit had fallen into disrepair.[3] In the early-2020s, the Guyanese government allocated funding for the circuit to be upgraded, intended to meet FIA Grade 3 status (yet to be graded as of October 2023), with works completed in November 2022.[4][5]
References
edit- ^ "50 years of motor racing in Guyana". Stabroek News. 3 April 2005.
- ^ "Fast Lane 2015". Guyana Motor Racing & Sports Club. 3 November 2015.
- ^ "The South Dakota circuit lacks washroom facilities". 9 May 2008.
- ^ "Government partners with GMR&SC to upgrade South Dakota". Guyana Chronicle. 22 October 2022.
- ^ "South Dakota Circuit ready for international race meet". Department of Public Information, Guyana on YouTube. 10 November 2022.
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