On Sunday (July 23) a contingent of amateur drivers representing NAADA will wing their way to northern Italy for a series of races against their Italian counterparts at racetracks in Treviso, Padova and Cesena.
“Although the competitions don’t start until Wednesday we’re going a day early because of the time difference and we need to chill out and be at our best for the competitions,” noted Joe Faraldo, president of NAADA and the team leader who recently won a race in Vincennes against the French amateurs.
Faraldo will be joined by fellow NAADA reinsmen, Alan Schwartz, Anthony Verruso and Tony Ciufettelli and they will have to be at their best to be able to avenge the trouncing they received last year on American soil by the visiting Italians.
“Winning or losing is incidental in these international driving competitions,” Faraldo lamented “It’s all about sharing the camaraderie we’ve fostered over the years and we, and they, look forward to these annual races in each of our countries.”
Although the Italian teams at the various venues are yet to be finalized, among the Italian amateurs already set to compete include Michele Canali, Marco Lasi, Filippo Monti, Matteo Zaccherinni, Giancarlo Moretti, Roberto Michelotto, Otello Zorzetto and Raffaello Ruffato.
The partying will get underway just as soon as the American contingent lands on Italian soil and the following is the tentative itinerary:
Monday, July 24:
- Welcome at Malpensa Airport in Milan
- 12 noon: bus to Padova (short stop for quick lunch)
- 6:00 pm: arrive to Hotel Al Santo and relax
- 8:30 pm: dinner at “Couver Tennis” Padova
Tuesday, July 25:
- 9:00 am: bus to Venice and city tour (all day in Venice)
- Dinner: in either Venice or back to Padova
Wednesday, July 26:
- Morning: free time
- 12:30pm: bus to “Allevamento Biasuzzi” and visit to the Biasuzzi Centre
- 6:00 pm:bus to Ippodromo Treviso (first day of races)
- 10:30 pm: dinner at the Ippodromo
- 12 midnight: bus to Hotel
Thursday, July 27:
- 9:00 am: start of Padova City Tour (no bus)
- 3:00 pm: back to hotel and relax
- 7:00 pm: bus to Ippodromo of Padova (second day of races)
- 10:30 pm: dinner at “Villa Italia” Restaurant
- 12:30am: bus to Hotel
Friday, July 28:
- Morning: free time
- 3.30 pm: bus to Cesena (third day of races)
- Dinner at Cesena Ippodromo
- 12.30am: Bus to Hotel
Saturday, July 29:
- back to Milan to explore the city and its bounties
Sunday, July 30:
- back to the USA
(with files from NAADA)