Circuit Trois-Rivières (GP3R)
Circuit Trois-Rivières (GP3R) at a glance
- Location
- Trois-Rivières, Quebec
- Type
- street circuit
- Length
- 2.448 km (1.521 mi)
- Turns
- 11
- Direction
- clockwise
- Surface
- asphalt (public roads and fairground pavement)
- Opened
- 1967
- Owner
- Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières / Ville de Trois-Rivières
- Website
- gp3r.com
Track map and layout
Circuit Trois-Rivières runs through the Terrain de l'Exposition, the city's fairgrounds, using a mix of internal fairground roads and closed public streets to form an 11-turn, 2.448 km street course. Its best-known and most unusual feature is Porte Duplessis, a narrow concrete gateway at Turn 3 that cars must thread through at speed, a pinch point unlike almost anything else on the North American racing calendar. The layout's blend of tight fairground sections and faster street stretches has made it a demanding, character-filled circuit for everything from open-wheel cars to rallycross machinery, and it holds the distinction of hosting the longest continuously run street race in North America.
Named corners and sections
- Porte Duplessis (Turn 3). A narrow concrete gateway at the entrance to the exhibition grounds that cars pass through at speed, the circuit's signature and most distinctive feature.
Events and race weekends
The Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières has run annually since 1967, making it the longest-running street race in North America, and today its August race weekend headlines the NASCAR Canada Series alongside Super Production Challenge, F1600 Canada and Radical Cup Canada. The circuit has a rich history with open-wheel racing, having hosted Can-Am, Formula Atlantic, Trans-Am, Indy Lights and the American Le Mans Series over the decades, and it was a round of the FIA World Rallycross Championship from 2014 to 2019; a rallycross event, the GP3Vert du Canada, has continued on the calendar in the following years.
| Event | Series | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| NASCAR Canada Series weekend | NASCAR Canada | August | headline race of the GP3R weekend |
| GP3Vert du Canada rallycross | rallycross | August | held on a separate weekend from the NASCAR event |
| F1600 Canada / Radical Cup Canada / Super Production Challenge | various support series | August | support races on the GP3R weekend |
Getting there and parking
The circuit is in the heart of Trois-Rivières, a mid-sized city roughly midway between Montreal and Quebec City, and is easily reached by car from either. There is no dedicated airport shuttle; most visitors drive or arrive via intercity bus.
- Montréal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL) · about 90 min drive
- Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport (YQB) · about 75 min drive
Parking
Official race-weekend parking lots include the Hippodrome lot inside the exhibition grounds (entrance via Boulevard des Forges) and the Papineau lot on rue Papineau; cash payment is no longer accepted at GP3R parking kiosks.
Because the circuit sits inside the city, downtown Trois-Rivières hotels and the exhibition grounds are within easy walking distance of each other on race weekend.
Hotels and camping near Circuit Trois-Rivières (GP3R)
Most visitors stay in downtown Trois-Rivières, within walking or short driving distance of the fairgrounds circuit, since the race takes place inside the city rather than at an out-of-town facility. Hotel rooms can book up over the August NASCAR Canada weekend, so early booking is advisable.
Where to look
Downtown Trois-Rivières, close to the Terrain de l'Exposition, is the main base for visitors; the historic old town and riverside areas offer additional hotel and short-term rental options.
Track days, driving experiences and lap records
Circuit Trois-Rivières is a temporary street and fairground circuit assembled for its annual race weekend and is not operated as a public track-day facility outside of GP3R event dates.
Lap records
| Category | Time | Driver | Car | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indy Lights | 0:58.2962 | Tristan Vautier | Dallara IPS | 2012 |
Spectator guide
Spectating at GP3R is centred on the fairgrounds and surrounding street sections, with grandstands and general-admission viewing set up for race weekend around the exhibition grounds, including near the distinctive Porte Duplessis gateway.
Seating
Temporary grandstands and general-admission areas are set up within the Terrain de l'Exposition for race weekend, with popular views around Porte Duplessis and the fairground infield.
Best places to watch
Trackside views around Porte Duplessis and inside the exhibition grounds give a close-up look at the circuit's signature narrow gateway corner.
Weather
- August: warm Quebec summer, highs typically in the low-to-mid 20s °C (70s °F)
History of Circuit Trois-Rivières (GP3R)
North America's longest-running street race
The Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières began in 1967 on the streets and fairgrounds of Trois-Rivières, a mid-sized city on the St. Lawrence River between Montreal and Quebec City. It has run every year since, giving it the distinction of being the longest continuously held street race in North America, and it quickly became a proving ground for open-wheel talent heading toward Formula 1 and IndyCar.
A who's who of open-wheel racing
Over the decades the event hosted Can-Am, Formula Atlantic, Trans-Am, Indy Lights and the American Le Mans Series, drawing many drivers who went on to careers in Formula 1, IndyCar and sports car racing. The circuit's signature Porte Duplessis, a narrow concrete gateway at Turn 3, became one of the most recognisable corners in Canadian motorsport, demanding precision from drivers threading cars through the gap at speed.
Rallycross and the modern NASCAR era
From 2014 to 2019 the circuit hosted rounds of the FIA World Rallycross Championship, adding a new discipline to its long history, and a domestic rallycross event has continued on the calendar since. Today the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières weekend in August is headlined by the NASCAR Canada Series alongside a strong support card of Canadian open-wheel and sports car categories, keeping the event, and its unmistakable fairground gateway corner, a fixture of the Canadian motorsport calendar nearly six decades after it began.
Frequently asked questions
How long is Circuit Trois-Rivières?+
The street circuit is 2.448 km (1.521 miles) long with 11 turns.
What is Porte Duplessis?+
It is a narrow concrete gateway at Turn 3, marking the entrance to the Trois-Rivières fairgrounds, and the circuit's most distinctive and demanding feature.
How old is the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières?+
It began in 1967 and has run every year since, making it the longest continuously held street race in North America.
What series race at GP3R today?+
The August weekend is headlined by the NASCAR Canada Series, supported by F1600 Canada, Radical Cup Canada and Super Production Challenge; a separate rallycross event, the GP3Vert du Canada, is also held.
Did the World Rallycross Championship race at Trois-Rivières?+
Yes, the FIA World Rallycross Championship held rounds at the circuit from 2014 to 2019, and a domestic rallycross event has continued there since.
Other tracks nearby
- Sanair Super Speedway · 94 km · dormant
- Circuit Gilles Villeneuve · 120 km · street circuit
- Montreal Street Circuit (Montreal ePrix) · 121 km · historic circuit (defunct)
- Autodrome Saint-Eustache · 138 km · historic circuit (defunct)
- Circuit Mont-Tremblant · 159 km · road course
- Calabogie Motorsports Park · 339 km · road course
Facts checked against 3 sources including the official circuit website. Last reviewed 2026-09-11.