15/06/2023

Parliament approved National Motorist's Day in honor of Gonchi

With a special remembrance for the motorist Gonzalo "Gonchi" Rodríguez, the Parliament unanimously approved on Wednesday the draft of a single article which declares September 11 of each year as National Motorsports Day. The initiative was presented by the deputy of the National Party, Pedro Jisdonian, and supported by all political parties. It will now pass to the Senate.

The initiative of the Deputy of the National Party, Pedro Jisdonian, was unanimously approved and will now pass to the Senate.

"Let September 11 of each year be declared as National Motorsports Day", reads the bill.

The date was not chosen at random, but evokes the tragic day on which the young driver lost his life during qualifying tests at the Laguna Seca circuit, in the United States, on September 11, 1999.

During the consideration of the bill, the Special Sports Commission received different organizations linked to motorsports: the Gonzalo Rodríguez Foundation, the Uruguayan Rally Club (CUR), the Uruguayan Association of Drivers (AUVO), the Automobile Club of Uruguay (ACU), the Federated Sports Area of the National Sports Secretariat, the Montevideo Classic Car Club (MCCC) and the Uruguayan Karting Federation (FUK), who unanimously expressed their agreement with this initiative.

In May, the Commission approved the project and advised the Body on its approval.

The National Secretary of Sports, Sebastián Bauzá; the Director of Federated Sports, Eduardo Ulloa and María Fernanda "Nani" Rodríguez (sister of the deceased driver), who is the president of the Fundación Gonzalo Rodríguez, were present at the Chamber of Deputies.

"Motor racing is a very important activity for the sport and moves many people, not only the drivers but also the mechanics, those who sell spare parts and parts, as well as the gastronomic and hotel sector that moves a lot when there are activities in the interior", said Jisdonian.