Autódromo La Guácima

The Autodromo La Guacima is a 1.8-mile (2.89-km) multi-purpose racing facility, paved in 1972 in what is now known as the Parque Viva, in Alajuela, 20 minutes north of San José, Costa Rica. A local association of motorsports enthusiasts and amateur racers started using the track & field oval around San Jose's football stadium for racing in 1967, but for obvious safety concerns were moved into the land where La Guacima operates until nowadays. The tropical climate of Alajuela means there are only two seasons during the year, and track surface conditions vary according to those seasons. 

The Autodromo La Guacima runs counterclockwise on a 12-turn trajectory that snakes through a rectangle-shaped lot of land. There are some ups and downs in the road, with several downhill sections along the way. The natural topography of the terrain creates blind corners at several spots, which combine with the narrow track to add a challenging flow to races. Some of the trademark features of La Guacima include its 45-degree turn number one, the Esses between turns two and five, and the long, tight angle combination of turns nine and ten. The average speed of Autodromo La Guacima is 89 mph (143 km/h).