By Andrew Coles
The 49th annual Fiat Nationals took place at Benalla, Victoria on 20-21 January. In what has become an annual pilgrimage for us, we made the 900km (560 mile) trek over in our 1987 Alfa Romeo Sprint and 1979 Fiat X1/9. Yes, that is correct. Every year we drive old Italian cars halfway across the country in the middle of an Aussie summer. Crazy.
That’s how I found myself behind the wheel of the Alfa the other Friday, chasing one of the most amazing dawn sunrises I’ve seen into the distance. It was forecast to be a hot day and the early morning air was refreshingly balmy as it kissed and caressed the skin. Lights on, windows down, we sped through the darkness with the knowledge that things were going to get quite a bit warmer as soon as that sun finally rose. We were right.