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Add to the staggering list of Italian automotive accomplishments
the successful revival of famous races of times past.
Case in point, the Modena Cento Ore Classic four-day event
retracing the various laps of the bygone Giro d'Italia and
Coppa d'Italia and combining the perfect mix of open road
with track time.
This recreation was the brainchild of Mauro Bompani
and four other Italian businessmen who also are long-standing
members of the famous "Circolo della Biella" racing
and bench-racing club, whose membership roster has included
such Modena-based car builders as Ferrari, Maserati,
Stanguellini and De Tomaso. Never having had the opportunity
to compete in one of Italy's great motor races on public
roads, the five enthusiasts launched the Classic in Italy's
"Motor City" in 2000 and earned overwhelming approval
from participants, press, and the public.
The 6th annual Modena Cento Ore Classic took place
May 7 to 10, 2005. As usual, participation was limited to
100 GT, GTS and sports cars competing in either the speed
or the rally-like regularity section of the event. On a beautiful Saturday morning, most of the cars took off from
Modena's Piazza Grande. The rest were towed away with
mechanical problems. About 90 cars competed, 30 of them
in the regularity section.
Over the ensuing four days they crossed 1,000 kilometers
of Italian countryside running through several provinces and
countless cities and small villages. There were numerous trials
including track races at the Mugello, Magione and
Misano circuits and special time stages in Modena at the
Ferrari-owned Fiorano track. As is always the case in Italy,
when race cars are turned loose on public thoroughfares,
city streets, country roads and town squares were lined with
Italians and tourists, cheering the eclectic mix of pre-1976
vehicles from Porsche, Ferrari, Jaguar, Lotus, Alfa Romeo,
Lancia, and other marques, including a TVR Griffith and a
pair of Chevron B8s.
Although foreigners accounted for 70 percent of the
entrants, it still must have come as a shock to the host country
that the top three spots in the overall classification went
to British teams. In order was the 1965 Ford GT40 of R.
Bellm, the '65 Shelby Mustang belonging to D. Franklin,
and R. Tyzack's 1965 TVR Griffith. Completing the rest of
the top ten was a 1965 Ford Mustang belonging to D.
Waaijendberg from The Netherlands, Italy's R. Raimondi's
1962 Jaguar E-Type, followed by his 1965 Lotus Elan S2,
then Switzerland's T. Studer in his 1965 Ford Shelby,
Denmark's J. Bratke in his '65 Ford Shelby, the non-Shelby
Ford Mustang of Netherlands' R. Zoomeus and the 1965
Alfa Romeo GTA of American J. Wright.
Porsches dominated the regularity race. First, second, and
third respectively were Italian Signores Giansante in his
1973 RS, and Stringhini in his 1964 356 SC Cabriolet, and
France's Monsieur Linwood with his 1973 RS.
If the Modena Cento Ore Classic is about storied cars
and fantastic racing. It is also about fun, camaraderie,
sportsmanship, and fine food and wine. The event was
capped off with a toast of Italian Prosecco in the 19th-century
Palazzina Vigarani, followed by a formal dinner for participants
at Villa Cesi, where they were presented with their
silver, crystal and Sheffield awards. Viva la dolce vita.
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