Historic Circuito del Garda Race Recalls Legendary Drivers and Revival Challenges
On a 1960 Triumph, Fabio Salvinelli, an entrepreneur from Gardone Valtrompia, and Massimo Danieli, a financial promoter from Muscoline, won the Circuito del Garda, held in Salò. The first stage: Saturday evening on the S. Michele route in Gardone Riviera, Valtenesi. The second, yesterday morning: four laps of the Campoverde-Panoramica-Zette-gasometro-Piazza Vittorio Emanuele route, better known as the Fossa.
Salvinelli and Danieli are no rookies. This year they participated in five races, earning three victories: in the “Dieci ore dei colli piacentini,” in the “Giro dei castelli pavesi,” and in the “Coppa di Porretta Terme,” in the province of Bologna. They finished second in the “Quattro Regioni” at Salice Terme, and are leading the Challenge Millenium Nardi championship.
In 1999, they led the Mille Miglia, but a clutch failure forced them to abandon. On Lake Garda, the two ahead were Bocelli-Durjava (Mini Cooper ’73), Durjava-Marazza (Fiat 110 from ’66), Franca Boni (oh, such names!) and her son Angelo Barziza, riding a Lancia Aprilia from ’49, Pasini-Penocchio on a Triumph from ’59, and Ferrari-Pasini aboard a Fiat A750 from ’57 (the two have already won a Mille Miglia, but this time they were left empty-handed).
There were thirty-two participants. Some cars made spectators’ eyes pop: the Ballila from ’33 driven by the Mazzi, the Mg ’47 of the Vigasio, the Lancia 1100 from ’34 of the Merigo, and others. Despite their age, they still performed impressively. The Morgan from ’36 belonging to accountant Luigi Ragazzoni, along with his son Marco, had to stop due to ignition problems.
The Organizing Society and Other Cars
Ragazzoni is the president of Old Wheels Veteran Car, the organizing society of the rally. Some wondered whether it would be possible to revive the Circuito del Garda (first held in ’21, last in ’66), which featured famous figures: from Tazio Nuvolari and Aymo Maggi, to Biondetti and Nino Farina, from Stirling Moss (who debuted in ’49, in a Cooper Jap, assisted by the pope and his mother, as mechanics) to Gigi Villoresi, Alberto Ascari, and Taruffi.
Salò, the Brolo of Barbarano, Termini, Cunettone, Zette: it was called the “Small Monte Carlo” because of the long straightaways, tight hairpins, and thrilling ups and downs. It looked like a theatrical show, with scenes played out among vineyards and the blue of the gulf.
The Challenges of Reviving Historic Competitions
“No,” responds the mayor of Salò, Giampiero Cipani, “reintroducing the circuit with race cars is a beautiful idea, but impossible. Who knows, maybe we could aim for a stage of the Mille Miglia rally. In any case, we are working on a series of initiatives.”
He doesn’t say it outright, but just yesterday Cipani met with his colleague from San Felice, Ambrogio Floridi, to organize in September a flyover of the British Arrows, the equivalent of the Frecce Tricolori, which will fly over Lake Garda in July to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Gardaland.
In this aeronautical initiative, the two municipalities also want to involve Gardone Riviera and Toscolano Maderno.
Opinions on the Event and Historic Reconstructions
Sports councilor Gabriele Cominotti: “I am a motorsport enthusiast. For the Circuito del Garda, we need to verify if safety conditions exist. Of course, if there are races in Monte Carlo… Anyway, we can only see Schumacher, Hakkinen, or Barrichello on TV. The Formula 1 circus requires large hotels, sponsors, spaces, roads, services, etc., which we are certainly not able to offer.”
“Instead, it’s more feasible,” concedes the Salò-based administrator, “to organize an event with vintage race cars (a kind of revival) or a Formula 3 race. After all, races are held in Macau or Pau, considered the Monte Carlo of the poor.”
Vittorio Pirlo, president of Ateneo, a former mayor and pharmacist, managed to bring the 1962 World Cycling Championships to Salò, along with numerous other events.
“In the 1950s, the circuit was suspended by Renzo Castagneto due to its danger,” explains Dr. Pirlo. “It was resumed in ’61, with Formula 3 and later the Junior. But when, at the start, a bunch of cars got tangled due to the narrow spaces, we decided to shut it down. Also, because the roads were blocked for several days, and people protested.”
“In my opinion, the conditions no longer exist to revive the race. Just think of the Rive, a narrow street with house walls almost close enough to touch. It’s remained the same as before. The only difference: the tram tracks are gone.”