Autódromo de Curitiba
for Grand Prix Legends

============================================================================
Title		: Autódromo de Curutiba
Author		: João Marcon Lopes (Jonny'O)
============================================================================


REAL TRACK 

Track Location : Brazil

Track Type : Race track
Track Lenght : 3,95 kms.
Track Num. Turns : 60
Track Period : 1972

Autódromo de Curitiba

The story begins in 1959 when a group of businessmen led by Flavio Chagas Lima announced a new project for a sporting complex in the Pinhais municipality of Paraná state. At its heart was a motor racing circuit designed by local architect Ayrton 'Lolo' Cornelsen, who had helped with the urban planning of Curitiba itself. He would go on to design circuits at Luanda in Angola, Estoril in Portugal and Rio's original course at Jacarepagua.

Lolo's vision was to create a multi-use sports facility, with the track playing the leading role. Alongside the track would be volleyball and basketball courts, an artificial lake for boating practice and a separate go-kart track. For children, there was a playground and a mini railway.
Land in the municipality of Pinhais was found, near to other sports venues, including a horse racing track and water park. In addition to the circuit, plans were also put forward for a new headquarters for the Automobile Club of Paraná.



The project bubbled under for a few years and Lolo eventually moved to Rio de Janeiro to oversee works there, leaving completion to Chagas Lima. A modified circuit design was approved, though many of the supporting sporting facilities never saw the light of day. State Governor Paulo Pimentel lent his assistance for the earthworks and access roads and, gradually, the circuit began to emerge.

By 1966, the circuit had been completed, save for asphalt surface. The oval outer course stretched for 1.68 miles and was intended for testing, while the twistier 2.61 miles road course would see the racing action. Both courses were run in an anti-clockwise direction in this first incarnation. The circuit was designed to be fully visible from all spectator vantage points and boasted amenities including a go-kart track and a large parking area. The new circuit was christened the Autódromo Paulo Pimentel in honour of the governor.

Such was the anticipation, a race was actually held on the dirt surface in 1966. Rumours abound to this day (but always denied by Chagas Lima) that the race outcome was somewhat fixed, given that the winning car – a Ford Galaxie – should have been outclassed. Its driver, however, was the owner of an aggregate business and, elated by his victory, donated the gravel that would allow for the paving the following year...

These early years saw a mix of four and two-wheeled competition as the circuit established itself as a major sporting venue in Paraná. It also put a great deal back into the local community, organising philanthropic events in aid of local hospitals, churches and charities.

Politics would intervene, however. A struggle for power within the Automobile Club of Paraná in 1971 led to the Confederation of Brazilian Autosport threatening to intervene, to the great upset of Chagas Lima. Unhappy with the direction of motorsport in the region, he elected to close the circuit for competition, just five years after its completion.

And so a period of hibernation began, punctuated by only the occasional use of the facility as a stage on a local rally event. As if to emphasise its dormant status, Chagas Lima put the land to work for arable pasture, with cows regularly seen grazing the infield (leading locals to nickname it the 'vacódromo ' - vaca being the Portuguese for 'cow'.)

For 17 years the impasse remained, until a group led by businessmen Adeodato Volpi Junior brought about an accord between the various squabbling parties and persuaded Chagas Lima to reopen the circuit in 1988.



Credits
Objects, Textures and everything else : Jonny'O, Denis Bertrand ,Ginetto ,GPL Repository. 

Notes: I used some textures and 3do's from others tracks and Repository, full credits for the authors of the files. 
Thanks to scott for the excellent horizont.



Special thanks to:
Ginetto , GPL Repository , Denis Bertrand  Marcos Mirande.

Thanks to RuGPL, Mirrir Zone and common Gpl Community
All that people who made
the tools to edit.... thank a lot!!!
Thanks Papy for GPL!!!

_________________



