Thirty years have flown by since a group of drivers and businessmen from La Plata made a dream a reality, building a dedicated home for Turismo Carretera that everyone agreed must bear the name of Roberto Mouras. Built in just over a year on the difficult terrain of the old Almada dairy farm, the circuit marked a turning point away from dangerous road racing. Organized by Club Los Hornos, it hosted the 887th race in TC history in front of massive crowds after weather delays finally cleared.
Back then, the layout measured 4,300 kilometers, anchored by a concrete grandstand right in the infield that held over 7,000 people. General admission cost $20, preferential seating giving access to the stand was $40, and parking inside the grounds cost $5. Fifty-nine drivers arrived for the inaugural event on a morning that started cloudy and threatened rain before the sun broke through just as the three qualifying heats got underway.
Omar Martinez set the pace early, topping Saturday's qualifying in his Ford with a lap of 1.38.837/1000. The heat races went to Omar Martinez taking the first, Osvaldo “Cocho” López claiming the second, and Luis “Patita” Minervino winning the third. When the main event rolled around, the driver from Entre Rios controlled a huge portion of the race while Minervino, Ortelli, and Traverso battled furiously right behind.
Starting from fourth, Emilio Satriano put on a masterclass in pace and consistency, picking off cars one by one. With just 3 laps to go, everything flipped on its head at the entrance to the chicane. A slight miscalculation sent Martinez slightly off track and into a punctured tire, Traverso could do nothing to avoid the chaos, and Satriano pounced on the opportunity to grab the lead and drive it home to the checkered flag.
Decades later, the venue has evolved with endless improvements to its asphalt, logistics, and access roads, turning it into the beating heart of motorsport activity in the country every single week. The name of that iconic idol, Roberto Mouras, continues to live on in a track that started a brand-new era for racing architecture.
