Fiat 508 spider sport 1932: the winner of 2017 event.
By Alessandro Gerelli
Alessandro Gerelli began attending the famous Coppa d’Oro events in the 1980s, when the first retro events were organized. He first reported on the event for VeloceToday 15 years ago in 2002, shortly after we began publishing weekly. Since then he has attended thirteen times, right up to this year’s edition.
Ten years ago Alessandro wrote about the Coppa’s 60th: “2007 celebrates the 60th birthday of Ferrari, of myself and the Coppa d’Oro delle Dolomiti. The Coppa is held in Cortina d’Ampezzo, a wonderful mountain small city in Italy, 160 kilometers north of Venice. The first edition was organized on July 20th 1947: 308 kilometers across the Alps and Dolomites with a top altitude of 2239 meters at the Pordoi pass. For this reason the race was immediately nicknamed the ‘Alpine Mille Miglia.’ 118 cars were at the start and only 74 arrived back to at Cortina. The winner was Salvatore Ammendola with an Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 at an average speed of about 77 kilometers per hour.”
And now the event is celebrating its 70th anniversary as Alessandro celebrates his 70th year. How time flies. To celebrate the 70th birthday, this year the first day’s itinerary was exactly as the original; of course the conditions of the roads are by far better!
More than 100 cars were on the starting grid and the weather was rather good with only some storms that made a bit more difficult the event for open cars.
In addition to the traditionally accepted cars, also few recent Ferraris were allowed to enter, just to celebrate the 70 years of the Ferrari brand.
To read about all the other Coppas from 2002 to 2016, click here https://velocetoday.com/coppa-doro-delle-dolomiti-2002-2016/
Three Fiat Balillas in the city center.
Fiat Zagato 509 1926.
The front of a red Fiat Balilla.
Lancia Lambda spider Casaro 1929.
Bugatti T37 1927.
Lancia Lambda 221 spider Casaro 1929 driven by Alessandro and Sebastiano Marzotto, two young members of the Marzotto family.
Fiat 508C 1938 just in front of the Cortina Ice Stadium.
Delahaye 135S 1938.
Rear view of the Delahaye.
Fiat Zanussi Fontebasso MM 1949.
Lancia Aprilia sport 1947.
Fiat Rovelli Castagna 1100 Testadoro 1947 spider.
Fiat Rovelli Castagna 1100 Testadoro 1947 with hard top.
Fiat Laureati prototipo sport 1952.
Alfa Romeo 1900 Touring coupé 1952.
Alfa Romeo 1900 CSS Pininfarina 1953.
Alfa Romeo 1900 CSS Zagato 1955.
Ferrari 750 Monza 1955.
Ferrari 750 Monza 1955, the engine.
Ferrari 250 GT 1963.
De Tomaso Mangusta 1967 driven by Giugiaro to celebrate the 50 years of the model.
Porsche 550 rs 1955 wing down.
Porsche 550 rs 1955 wing up.
What an event,,! Racing on real roads with loose
surface and all. I Remember the Corrado Milanta reports in
in Road & Track pages, exciting.
Such typical small Italian specials
That Porsche must be car of Michael May
who was refused entry at Nurburgring at that time due to the wing.
Denis Jenkinson wrote it was most unfair to discourage such
innovations, and of course loved the Chaparral later on.
Jim sitz
The 550 is an abomination ! Good for Nurburgring for banishing it ! Somone please tell him to remove it ASAP, jmo
That Porsche was featured in an episode of Jay Leno’s Garage. Skip the first two minutes to hear the owner tell its story:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAbhiZhFWIU