The Autódromo Internacional Zilmar Beux de Cascavel, to use the circuit’s full name adopted in 2012, was the third permanent paved circuit to open in Brazil when it staged its first races in 1973.

Capitalising on the popularity of street races in the nearby town in the 1960s, by 1970 a group of individuals, led by circuit designer Zilmar Beux, had built up enough funding to construct the circuit.

The first circuit, which opened in 1970, was laid out as a dirt track in the rich dark brown soil. When the Paranaense Automobile Federation banned dirt track racing in 1973 on safety grounds, the circuit was quickly paved and racing resumed.

However, Beux, so instrumental in the establishment of the circuit, found himself being overlooked by local mayor and racer Pedro Muffato, to whom the local press was attributing the circuit’s success, resulting in him walking away from running the circuit.

The circuit soon became one of the main Brazilian motorsport venues. In 1999, an awkward chicane was added before the plunging downhill Bacião corner. The South American Super Touring championship made its only visit that year.

The early 2000s saw little investment and after 2000, even the Stock Car Brasil series stayed away.

Finally, renewal came in 2012 after the circuit, then run by the Automobile Club of Cascavel, was donated by Beux’s son Miguel, the Chairman of the organisation, to the city administration, which widened and resurfaced the entire circuit, improved runoff areas and built a new pitlane complex after the original first corner.

This saw the return of Stock Car Brasil from 2012 to 2021, whilst the circuit acquired its current name in honour of its founding father.