13th Trofeo Aido, Brescia, Italy

Story by Charles Schoendorf
Photos by Dino Brunori

What do wine, salami and a hip looking reversible Italian vest have in common? Nothing, other than they were the goodies we took away from the Trofeo Aido the last Sunday of September. The vest is now my favorite garb.

Brescia is known for two great vintage car events—one is the Trofeo Aido. The other is the Mille Miglia. But the Trofeo, to its credit, is far less grueling and is run for a very noble cause, as a benefit for the organ donation and research organization in Italy known as AIDO.
The event is a one-day time & distance rally, scenic tour, and eating experience, all wrapped around a rolling car show into which car guys and gals clamor to be. Like the MM everybody wants in, but far less make the cut. Italians count funny. Advertised as limited to 70 entrants, we noticed roundels up to 92 ! And we heard many dozens more were turned away. Luckily we were not.

The distance was a mere 190km, perfect for a Sunday cruise in a cool, vintage anything. And that’s what we shared the road with. What’s your favorite marque and it was probably there. Name an obscure marque, and that was probably there too. Pre-war cars like Alfa Romeo, Amilcar, Aston Martin, Bentley, BMW, BNC, Bugatti, Fiat, Lancia, MG, OM, Rally, Riley, Singer and post-war AMP, Arnolt Bristol, Colli, Ermini, Ferrari, Giannini, Giaur, HRG, Healey, Jaguar, Kieft, Lotus, Morettini, Osca, Porsche, Roselli, Siata, Stanga, Stanguellini. And all of them sport editions. To that mix add three ‘modern’, by comparison, pace cars: a Lamborghini Miura in yellow, a red Ferrari Daytona, and a bronze colored Maserati Indy. At that point the entries were closed and the field was rounded out with five new sponsor-provided Porsche GT 2’s, bringing the total field to an even 100.

Of particular note, the event was free. No, no, you read it correctly, it is free of charge, even the lunch and dinner, free ! The sole request is a donation in favour of AIDO if your car is accepted by the organizing committee. Speaking of which, I can only imagine what a colossal headache the acceptance process was for the committee, with an abundance of great examples applying, duplications, personalities, friends, friends of friends, etc.

The instigator behind Trofeo Aido is a certified Italian car nut I’ve come to know named Dino Brunori. Besides having gasoline in his veins, energetic and youthful Brunori finds the humor in everything. There are no solemn or sacred moments, at least not for long. This guy would be fun at a funeral. You have to meet him.

An architect by profession, Brunori is also an authority on etceterini, the smallest production Italian sport racers of years gone by. His first book, Enrico Nardi, a Fast Life, was reviewed in VT last year, and is the definitive, and only, proper work on the life, times and output of Enrico Nardi of Nardi-Danese fame. Dino’s next book zeros in on Pasquale Ermini, whose race cars you see turning up at the MM and other important events, sporting a big E in the grille. Let’s hope it won’t take five years to complete this one like Brunori’s last book did, and that they print more English editions this time.

We landed in Milan in menacing weather. Clouds and rain followed for three solid days, right up through the evening before the big day. As if we didn’t have enough rain in Bassano in June. (See VT issue dated ??? for an account of that event which Brunori and I attended this year.) It almost seems like rain equates with the goodness of an Italian car event. We can’t guarantee it but we’re pretty sure of it.
My entry was an Arnolt Bristol Bolide, the hybrid creation of iconoclast Stanley ‘Wacky’ Arnolt, who in 1954 took an English Bristol running chassis, sent it to Torino to become a Bolide (bO-lee-day is Italian for shooting star) at Carozzeria Bertone, and then to his factory in Indiana for finishing and sale. Records suggest that 145 Bolides were built before several were lost in a factory fire and who knows how many got trashed along the way, as they were actively raced, often successfully. In any event, the car is a delight to see and to drive but a valve train failure caused a DNF at the Coppa d’Oro delle Dolomiti, which is another great Aido benefit vintage car tour in early September, and required a mad scramble to make repairs and be ready for the Trofeo. A few bullets were sweat over that one but the shop of Brixia Motor Classic came through on time. Bravo Lorenzo !

If I seem fixated on the weather it’s because my Arnolt has no top, whatsoever. Much to our relief Sunday morning of the Trofeo arrived with a cloud free blue sky making for a warm welcome for the top American team, okay the only American team. But we’re sure other Americans will soon follow in our steps, at least we hope so!
As if 90 rare and exotic sports cars showing up in one place isn’t excitement enough, just prior to sending us off Trofeo had a squadron of acrobatic planes fly back and forth overhead in formation tracing the Italian colors in the sky, while we nibbled on biscotti, sipped espressos and milled around oohing at all the cars. ‘La vita e` bella !’ Eventually the starting flag dropped and we commenced to spend the morning on scenic Italian country roads, up and down hills and across the vineyards of the Franciacorta wine region, which surrounds the southern end of Lake Iseo and produces Italian wines of world renown. As we gawked at the scenery, swarms of Italians gawked back at us, waiving, clapping, and making us feel like the heroes we wished we were.

Soon came lunch, an incredible outdoor buffet affair at Lo Sparviere, the wine estate of the Beretta arms family, featuring their products and proving they do more than make firearms well. The setting, the Italian cuisine, the style, all awesome. More espressos.

What with the Lo Sparviere wines at lunch, we have just a few flashback memories of the afternoon: beautiful country towns, even more people waiving in the squares, our erratic efforts at trying to figure out the time trials, the wonderful hills and landscapes approaching Lake Garda, a long serpentine road up a pass over the mountain to return to the valley we left from that morning, tons of picture taking by copilot Marty Mercorelli, ‘il chimico’ as Brunori nicknamed him for his day job as a chemist. The day ended with a festive dinner of antipasti, roasted meats and polenta, and more wine of course, during which awards were presented. Marty and I copped the trophy for longest distance traveled to the Trofeo Aido. It certainly was not for our rally skills.

In a nutshell, Trofeo Aido stands for great vintage cars, food, wine, scenery, friendly people, and solid organization, everything one could ask for in an Italian car tour. It’s a great alternative, or addition, to doing that other famous Brescia vintage car tour. I forget what it’s called.

For a complete list of entrants go to www.trofeoaido.org.

For another superb report from the team of Brunori and Schoendorf, see https://velocetoday.com/archives/8828