For the past few decades, the North American Amateur Drivers Association has been hosting amateur drivers from various countries in Europe and Down Under. Plans are currently being finalized by the amateur driving group for an upcoming ‘Friendship Competition’ against their counterparts from Italy.

Four veteran amateur drivers from Venice will be coming in to challenge the NAADA members in a series of races at three different American racetracks with races slated at Monticello Raceway (8-17), Yonkers Raceway (8-18) and Tioga Downs on (8-19).

Those who will be driving for team Italy include; Raffaello Ruffato (110 lifetime wins), Giancarlo Moretti (55 wins), Roberto Michelotto (74 wins) and Zorzetto Otello (462 wins). Coming along with the Italian amateur drivers is their club representative, Luigi Cardin.

Although the Italian team will be constant at all three venues NAADA will field a different team at each racetrack.

“We look forward to once again hosting our friends from the Venice area of Italy,” said NAADA President Joe Faraldo. “We were their guests in the past and we’ve previously reciprocated by hosting them here in the States. We always have a wonderful time although we usually end up on the short end the stick. But make no mistake, we (NAADA members) will do our best to win this upcoming competition. However, winning or losing is incidental; it’s the camaraderie that is shared with these competitions that is the important thing.”

“We have what we hope will be an entertaining visit for our Italian guests,” Faraldo continued. “Tom Grossman will host the participants and sponsor a luncheon at his Blue Chip Farm on Tuesday (8-16) and then the visitors will tour Goshen Historic Track and enjoy the nearby Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame.

“After driving at Monticello Raceway on Wednesday (8-17) the visitors will make a stop at the Bethel Woods Museum, the site of the original Woodstock Festival in 1969,” noted NAADA event coordinator Alicia Schwartz, who was an integral part of finalizing the agenda.

Along the way, Schwartz says there will be a tour of the Mark Ford Training Center, in Goshen, NY and shopping at the Woodbury Common Outlet Mall in Central Valley, NY, as well as great dinners at local area restaurants each evening. Then, on Saturday (August 20), the visiting Italians will be able to explore and enjoy two days in greater New York City.

(NAADA)