‘No ifs, we will get it done’ – GMR&SC President assures South Dakota upgrades will be completed

The President of the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMR&SC) is confident that the mandate to radically transform the South Dakota circuit will be completed as the nation prepares to host the historic GT Challenge de las Américas in July.

With just over three months until the high-performance GT3 series arrives on Guyanese soil, President Mohamad Shairaz Roshandin confirmed that the club has taken the “hard decision” to cancel existing events to ensure the “mammoth task” of modernisation is completed.

“We will get it done, there is no if, but, or maybe,” Roshandin told the News Room. “However, we have to cancel events to get it done. We can’t have an event and postpone the works; we have to keep working constantly to meet the deadline.”

The aggressive development programme includes:

• The Safety Wall: A mandatory solid cast concrete curb wall for high-speed protection.
• Dual-Lane Pit System: The installation of a dedicated “hot lane” for rapid entry/exit and a “pit lane” for on-the-spot repairs.
• Track Recapping: A complete resurfacing of the long straight to handle the immense downforce and speed of GT3 machinery.

The sheer volume of concrete and asphalt work required has already claimed the first casualty of the local racing season: the opening round of the National Circuit Racing Championship, originally set for April 12, has been shelved.

“The volume of work outlined to us by the GT3 organisers means we had to make that hard decision,” Roshandin explained. “We want to finish at least three weeks before the event so we can prepare and ensure the venue’s outlook is in its best state.”

“To host a GT challenge event, we need to put in a curb wall or a safety which is solid cast wall, that is mandatory; also we need to put in a hot lane and a pit lane – which is used for when the cars ar repaired on the spot in front of the pit, however the hot land is the one that you come in and exit back out of the pit”, the GMR&SC President explained.

“A lot of concrete work has to be done, and asphalt work. We want to improve the long straight that we have right now. We are looking to recap the entire straight.”

Guyana is scheduled to host the third round of the championship from July 11-12, 2026. The arrival of the GT Challenge de las Américas represents a significant step up for regional motorsport, bringing world-class drivers and manufacturers to the South American continent.