European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 8, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Brought annual outcries against inc Mill Mit Lra. On Iho Day of tar inc 1957 tragedy the news Media attacked and nicked hard. 5o did inc Vatican. Three Days later racing Over Public roads in Italy was banned and inc Mille Miglia was finished. The English motor sports journalist Denis Jinkinson who Wilh the great British Driver Stirling Moss scored the most dramatic Victory in the history of ibis race once said Only Italy could Nave slated such a race in he first place. No other country would even have considered such an undertaking. It a remarkable Loo that Italy a Able to keep the race going Well into the 1950v irn Kinion who Nav Galud mom to Victory in the 1955 event aboard a Mercedes Benz 300 sir added that do Portage s Accident spelled the finish of the Mill Miglia but it would have ended sometime in the 1960s anyway simply because of Public trial Fly demands. Eventually oven tin italians despite their love of motor racing could not have closed their Road network or a Lull weekend. They would have been forced o Bow to the demands of modern Day traffic As noted the Mill Miglia attracted most of the world s Best Drivers. Such legendary figures As  Csc Monte blonde tit Rudolf Caracciola Louis Chiron a Cholte Var i Micro Tarush Alberto Mari Luan Manuel Anglo Moss de Portage Peter Collins and Wolfgang von trips. To name Only Foj from different eras. The Millie Roll Glia started at the Northern Leallan City o Brescia then went Down the Adriatic coast to Pescara across the App nines to Rome then North through Siena Florence and Bologna and finally Back to Brescia. Two Mountain sections added to the driving Challenge tic most famous being the cd cromety difficult Futa and Rali Cosa pass route Between Florence and Bologna. Over inc years the route varied slightly but it was always Brescia Romo Breicha a tour of Italy As planned when the first race was slaved in 1927, even in the Early Days of the race entries were High and after world War ii they soared to an average of Soo cars. The entry list included practically every Type of car from Liny Fiat 600$ to 450-horsepower grand prix machines converted into sports car configurations. The cars wore flagged Olf at 30-Sccond intervals the slow ones starting first and the most powerful machines leaving last. As an example the 1952 race had an entry of 575 cars. The first car set off at 9 01 on a saturday night and the last Eft at 6 30 . The next morning More than 9/i hours later. The disparity in horsepower made the race even More dangerous with the big cars travelling at tremendous speeds when passing inc smaller ones. So rpm photo rom la bar building on Futa pass Road was serf is a Supply depot for cars racing in the Mille Miglia which competed in heir own divisions. Rain and fog prevailed often and the two Lane roads were narrow bumpy and difficult. The Driver who did the 1,000 Miles in the fastest Tami was the Over All Winner. It was As simple As Itiat but Only he rules were simple. A race such As inc Mill Miglia with All of its attendant dangers on open Public toads can hardly be envisioned in today s racing scene where safety is the watchword in fact the Keystone for any modern racing circuit. Just of cipro his death in the 1957 event de Portage told a motor journalist no Matier How much you practice you can t possibly come to. Know 1,000 Miles of italian roads As Well As the italian Drivers do. And As Fang a said if you have a conscience you can t drive really fail in certain places anyway. There Are hundreds of Corners in the Mill Miglia where one Lilloo clip by a Driver will kill 50 people. You can keep the spectators from crowding onto the Road you could t do it Wilh an army. It s a terrible thing the Mille  this i Craible thing was launched by a group of five Young italian racing enthusiasts Lour of whom came from wealthy families. The fifth member of the group was an influential journalist. They All had friends in High places fortunately As they would need hem. Their purpose was not just to stage a face but to ignite a spark in the lagging Lallian motor Industry and to initiate Road improvements. In the late 1920s, the French dominated lie racing scene. Much to the displeasure of italian Aulo fanatics. Tin French also enjoyed an excellent Road system while the italian roads were poor rating a Low priority in a Lar Cly agrarian twi Ion. The five Young founders met in december 19j6. To Lay the groundwork for their race and Rhi y decided on the Brescia knee arc Sci Vrouir because of its wide audience potential. The nest decision involved a name. The route would encompass some 1,600 Kilometres hut a "1,600 Kilometres i italia was too Long and in sounded Clumsy one of the group just Back from a visit to the United slates suggested making it 1,000 Miles instead of 1,600 Kilometres the same distance regardless and thai was in the Mill Miglia. The journalist immediately Jonnoi crud details of the proposed Mille Miglia in the influential  Conzi Celii Dotlo sport am while borne rudders thought it a goad idea Many did t. Lidit Sirtak in Italy s newspapers maintained  thai rate would be a danger to the Public and j noisy and Dusty carnival Lor the pleasure of the Wear Lily few who cd Iii Iflora to race last cars. But now the friends in i fish  Voru toil Jacii d. One of the of Rients  the Viiu isl Leader Benilo Mussolini who like most italians happened to be a car farm Lic Nojd Lin provi Nunt ton was one of Mussolini s Aims Ami the Millo Iii Lia would demonstrate Hal  Mille Miglia. May to 1984 i tripe Magazine