Night Fever at the Circuito di Avezzano

Can you imagine anything more fun than a night race in the heart of a beautiful Italian town with public adoration from both sides of the street? Well that’s the magic that the Circuito di Avezzano offered to the owners of 85 spectacular historic open top cars that took part in this year’s event.

The Circuito di Avezzano was in fact an automobile speed race in the ’50s, taking place in the exact same place that it does today. Thanks to the Abruzzo Drivers Club which organizes the event, and to the automotive passion of a certain Mrs. Lucia De Lorenzo who inherited proceedings from her father, the race is a highlight of the Italian vintage motorsport calendar.

The fixed appointment on the Friday evening with the party in the De Lorenzo family villa, where it’s also possible to admire their collection, is an unmissable experience which the veteran crews very much look forward to, while the new entries also enjoy the fun and companionship for the first time.

It was the 12th edition this year and it took place between July the 5th and the 7th. It also happens to be the 14th stage of the Circuito Tricolore by ASI, a selected series of 18 historic car events organized by some of the best clubs associated with ASI-Automotoclub Storico Italiano – the national association that verifies old vehicles. As you no doubt know by now Car & Classic is a main sponsor of the entire series, enjoying every event and sharing our passion with the entrants as well as the public.

We also assign a coveted a Car & Classic prize at every event and it’s always a diffucult job, as cars are often superlative examples of their respective marques. At the Circuito di Avezzano, in particular, only open top cars are admitted and it’s amazing how the organisers can manage to bring together the best historic racers still in existence. From the Italian so called “Etceterini”, that is to say the small red artisanal racing two-seaters of the ’50s – mostly based on the Fiat 500‘s “Topolino” mechanics and on the Fiat 1100, up to a magnificent Alfa Romeo Targa Florio RL, with anything and everything in between, including a lot of fabulous Osca, Cisitalia, Stanguellini and Taraschi Barchettas.

There were also many timeless classics from the “Dolce Vita” period led by the various Jaguars, Mercedes-Benzs, Ferraris, Porsches, Lancias, MGs and Austin Healeys. So which one was the winner among the 85 stunning participants? Our prize this time went to a fine example of the first racing Maserati – the 1926 Maserati Tipo 26 of Stefano Landi and his partner Maddalena. They only built 11 of these beauties and this was number three. A deserving winner we’re sure you’ll agree.

Of course, as is usually the case with these types of event, there was also a regularity competition held in the beauty of the Marsica territory, in the Abruzzo region, which offers some of the most beloved Italian mountain landscapes, in a natural environment that seems almost untouched. The discovery of the typical charming and remote villages like Raiano and Tagliacozzo, for example, is a plus that makes you fall head over heels with this spectacular territory.

And then, after a wonderful concert in a beautiful theatre setting, the time of the grand final was upon us, with the aforementioned night circuit in the centre of Avezzano. Beginning at nine ‘o clock in the evening with an excited crowd waiting to applaud the cars, the highlight of the event got underway; an event steeped with atmosphere and emotion and one that has inspired many other Italian classic car events since it was held for the first time all those years ago.

All in all it was another excellent adventure and we cannot wait for the next in this distinguished line of historic Italian rallies!