European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 8, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Race Icci Noinin cd from Artur ? hours. 4 minutes 4b a corals Ai an average Speed of 47,9 Mili i per hour. Me drove in italian made . For office no . With Fol her . Cars finishing second find third. An italian Lancia was fourth inc one through four sweep riving the italian makes enormous prestige throughout inc motoring world. The . Car was manufactured in Brescia so the scene at inc finish of that first race must have Boon wild indeed. Ironically production of the successful  cars ended in 1930 when Mussolini ordered the company to change its operation from cars id inc manufacturing of military vehicles. The live italians who created i he Millo  fulfilled every possible Obj civic. The roads were improved and along with the prestige of winning the race inspired the italian motor Industry to produce lop Competition Type cars. The French meanwhile tried hard in the Milld Migalla but they were never Able to beat the italians. In 23 full length races italian made cars won 21. A shortened version of Horace was staged during the War in1940 and in was won by Baron Huschke von Hans Len aboard a Bow 328 sports roadster. After 1940 no races were staged again until 1947, a surprisingly Short Lime after the end of world War ii considering the devastation in Europe. Over the years Only aim Kcf Benz of Germany broke the italian hold with victories by Mercedes Benz cars in 1931 Germany s Rudoff Caracciola driving and in 1955 Moss and Jenkinson. The Moss Jenkinson Victory was an epic one. Moss setting the record for the 1,000 Miles at 10 hours 7 minute and Al seconds at an almost unbelievable average Speed of 97.7 Mph. Jenkinson Viand so gnarled each significant feature of inc route everything plotted on a 17-foot-Long Roll map that Jenkinson had devised. We were truly flying on that Day Yenkinson once said while describing his drive with Moss in fact in the straight sections we were running faster than the Light planes that were trying to follow us for pictures in the 21 Mill Tiglias won by italian cars Alfa Romeo scored 11 victories Ferrari had eight and Lancia and of. One each. Even today 29 years after that final tragic event the Lallian motor Industry continues to enjoy the prestige reaped from those thrilling years of racing on he open Road. Next year is the 601 h anniversary of the founding of the Mille Muglia and the italian motor club Are already preparing for it. A re enactment is planned and it will involve Many of the original cars most to be obtained from museums and Prev jul collodion. Stirling Moss left with Denis Ink infant. The pair won the milk Mgla in 1955 Nith the highest average Speed Ever attained in the race. Driving the course of stars if you re a racing fan you Are driving on hallowed around when you Lake the , mountainous Futa route thai connects Boonna and Florence. Two Summit passes arc involved inc Fula at 2,963 feel and inc Rati Cosa at 3,176 was his highly dangerous and domandms85 mile stretch thai presented Drivers in the Milc my to with some of heir loudest a T8j and the truly 8 rivcr5 my 1 Llev Italo no Vobel and England s sliding Moss used inc pass to their advantage recording Briliant time s in the mountains that older   simply could nol Hope to Maich. Ii was in the Fula and Rali Cosa passes where inc acc was often won or lost. Rain and fog also pay de a vote 0f v a a Driver lost control and went off 1 e Road incr was a Bood Chance thai the car would shoot Over inc Elsje of a Mountainside. Have been a 300-foot plunge. Driving this route today in is easy to see Haw a racing Driver could go Oil. Many turns Are Blind. Some Are High Speed turns some Are hairpins Many have difficult cambers. Driver fatigue played a major role too and that s understandable. We used an Alfa Romeo Sedan on our run and it s hard work to drive fast continually on this route. At the Summit of the Fula pass there is an old depot that was used for Quick refuelling or repairs and near it Here is a huge weather stained plaque reeled to the memory of the italian Driver Glement Blondette who won a record Laur Mill mis Lias. There is Little traffic on this route now As the Florence Bologna  bears most of today s traffic. It is silent near the old depot and if one wants to contemplate past racing glories this is a Good place Lor  is also a military cemetery on a Hill near the depot this cemetery the final resting place Lor More than 31,000 German soldiers killed defending this Section of Italy. Leaving the Fula pass one climbs to the and from there in is a Long and rapid descent with Sharp curves Anci equally Sharp drops some up to 14 degrees. You continue to descent working constantly behind the wheel and finally you re on a straight fall rail header toward Bologna. Once in Bologna h s All noise and heavy traffic and your reverie about the Mille Miglia and its tabled Days of glory quickly dissipates. May to 79&fi stripes Magazine