What has been described as the world most beautiful race, the Mille Miglia was recently held in Brescia, Italy. The race/rally took place from May 16 to May 19, 2013.
Route of the 2013 Mille Miglia Race/Rally
The Mille Miglia is a very hard event to enter. Each year they have so many entrants that only a fraction of the people who enter the event actually are selected to compete in the event. The selection criteria used are mainly based on the car that is proposed to be entered (basically a car that either was or could have been entered in the original Mille Miglia which was held between 1927 and 1957), who you are, and/or who you know.
I think that the best way to have your entry accepted, assuming that you are not famous, would be to enter an O.M. car. O.M. cars (Officine Meccaniche of Brescia) are honored in the Mille Miglia as the race/rally has always been based in Brescia and the O.M. cars are “home town” cars as they were built in Brescia. Further, in the first Mille Miglia race in 1927, O.M. cars finished first, second, and third. In the modern version of the Mille Miglia O.M. cars are the first cars on the road.
For the 2013 running of the Mille Miglia, for some reason, 415 cars were allowed to start the Mille Miglia instead of the usual 375 car limit. Of the 415 entries, 30 entries had at least one American as part of the in-car crew. This shows high American interest in this event, as most European rallies only have a few American entrants.
The Overall winners of the Mille Miglia this year was a team from Argentina, Juan Tonconogy/Guillermo Franci Berisso, driving a 1927 Bugatti Type 40. Argentina has a rally based on the Mille Miglia, the Mille Pas, so this team from Argentina might be very well versed in how to compete in the Mille Miglia.
This Argentina-Entered Bugatti Type 40 Won The 2013 Mille Miglia
The final results of the 2013 Mille Miglia can be seen at the following address:
http://www.1000miglia.it/crono/CIAA367.HTM
Among the Bugattis, the Alfa Romeos, the Ferraris, and yes, the O.M. cars, the car that finished fourth overall was a 1933 Ford Model B! The Ford Model B is a largely forgotten car. In 1932 Ford replaced the Model A with a completely new design which featured the new Ford “flathead” V8 engine. However, Ford still had a large number of 4-cylinder engines left over from the production of the Model A. As a result, a few of the 1932 and 1933 Fords did not have the V8 engine, they had a 4-cylinder Model A engine. These 4-cylinder cars were known as the Model B.
This 1933 Ford Model B Finished Fourth Overall In The 2013 Mille Miglia
I note that the front grille of the Ford car above has a V8 symbol at the center top. If this car is a true Model B, as shown on the official standings, then this car would not have a V8 engine, if the original engine was still in the car. Possibly, at some point in the past, the original 4-cylinder engine was removed and replaced with the V8 engine that was widely available in the Ford line-up that year, but the owner still refers to the car as a Model B, it original designation.
Of the 415 cars that started the 2013 Mille Miglia 409 cars finished the rally. Unfortunately one of the cars that did not finish was the American team of Wayne and Andrew Golumb in their 1954 Ferrari 375 MM.
This Mercedes-Benz 300SL Crewed by the American Team of Alterman/Day Finished in 304th Position
I have prepared the following table of the results of all of the American entrants in the 2013 Mille Miglia. The results that I have tabulated below included all of the cars that had at least one American in the car.
2013 Mille Miglia Results For The American Teams
Finishing | |||
Position | Driver | Navigator | Car |
88 | Douglas Hampson | John Hampson | 1933 MG K3 Magnette |
149 | Spencer Croul | Thomas Rofles | 1955 Fiat 8V |
168 | Thomas Smith | Donald James Polak | 1954 SIATA 1100 TV Coupe |
177 | Stanford Horn | Jeremy Horn | 1952 Alfa Romeo 1900 |
179 | Massimo Finco | Robert Krause | 1956 Lancia Aurelia B20 |
182 | John Harold Barrett | Charles Andrew Beam | 1953 Fiat 1100 |
204 | Roger Penske | Mario Illien | 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SL |
212 | David Eichenbaum | Jonathon Elliot | 1929 Chrysler 75 |
237 | Jeff Lotman | Brian Grozier | 1954 Lincoln Capri |
240 | Robert S. Fallon | Jamers Hoeffner | 1949 Lancia Aprilia |
258 | Martin Mercorelli | Charles Schoendorf | 1955 Ford Thunderbird |
263 | Franz Wittner | Thomas J. Miller | 1956 Aston Martin DB 2/4 |
272 | Martin Gruss | Michel Bragard | 1956 Ferrari 250 GT LWB |
275 | Don Rose | Ariel Bertschi Cristian | 1957 Aston Martin DB 2/4 |
278 | Leo Schigiel | Erich Schigiel | 1956 Studebaker Golden Hawk |
279 | Ananda Mich Covindassamy | Guy Fidele Pasquini | 1953 OSCA MT4-2AD 1450 |
280 | Alan Tribe | Craig Davis | 1954 Maserati A6 GCS/53 |
287 | Diego Ribadeneira | Barry Lundgren | 1957 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Veloce |
289 | Adam Gordon | Kristina O’Neal | 1952 Ermini 1100 Sport |
304 | Eddie Alterman | Geoffrey Harold Day | 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL |
309 | Steven Adler | Jakob Greisen | 1931 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Gran Sport |
326 | Bernhard Maier | Randy Lawrence Webster | 1955 Porsche 550 Spyder 1500 RS |
344 | Najeeb Khan | John Braslow | 1952 Ferrari 225 S |
355 | Richard Lisman | Clive Doyle | 1929 O.M. 665 SS MM |
361 | Maurizio Cerasoli | Larry McLaughlin | 1954 Austin Healey 100M |
370 | Jack E. Thomas | David Prange Oetting | 1956 Ferrari 250 GT |
384 | Peter Fodor | Peter Wiesner | 1949 Maserati A6 1500 |
387 | Peter Carlino | Robert Kauffman | 1950 Ferrari 166 Touring Coupe |
402 | Jean Jennings | Stephen Cannon | 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL |
DNF | Wayne Golumb | Anfrew Thomas Golumb | 1954 Ferrari 375 MM |
I noticed that well-known former race driver and current multi-race team owner, Roger Penske, competed in the 2013 Mille Miglia. I know that Penske has competed in the Mille Miglia at least once before, a couple of years ago.
Roger Penske At The 2013 Mille Miglia
All of the people who are able to take part in the Mille Miglia are among the most privileged motor sports people in the world. To have an appropriate car and to be selected to compete in the Mille Miglia is a true honor. Unfortunately for most of us, taking part in the Mille Miglia is only a dream.
If the Maurizio Cerasoli is the one I think he is (I know he goes back to Italy frequently) he races a Porsche in the New England Region SCCA and is a friend of mine from here in Needham, MA.
http://www.mcracing80.com/about.html
Please could you help me. I wonder if 1956 & 1957 Ford Thunderbirds ever took part in the Mille Miglia in those years. I have 2 Thunderbirds, one has a supercharger fitted then. Awaiting your reply. Many thanks Roy Hamilton of England United Kingdom.
Hi Roy,
Your are a fortunate man to have two of these Thunderbirds. On the Mille Miglia website under the “2015 Edition” they publish a list of eligible cars. From that list, it appears that a 1957 Thunderbird competed in the Mille Miglia, which would make it an eligible car. Great news!
Steve McKelvie