(ANSA) - Milan, January 10 -
Organizers of Italy's classic Mille Miglia (1000-mile) car race have been
flooded with requests from around the world to take part in this year's
reenactment of the famous race from Brescia to Rome.
The 2008 edition of the race is set to start May 18 and already some 1,700
applications have been sent in from as far away as Japan, Argentina and the
United States to take part in the competition between vintage cars.
''The organizing committee of Italian and foreign experts has received
about 1,700 requests and from these will have to choose the 375 cars which will
take part in this year's race,'' a statement said.
Because of the global interest in the race, organizers have decided to take
the Mille Miglia on an international road show to cities like Geneva, London,
New York, Munich and Moscow.
The aim of the initiative is to promote the economies of 36 cities and
towns the race goes through on its way from Brescia to Rome.
Organizers are also considering staging a Mille Miglia outside Italy, most
likely in the Middle East.
Mille Miglia organising committee chairman Alessandro Casali, in fact,
recently visited Oman and the United Arab Emirates on invitation from local
authorities and businessmen interested in sponsoring the race.
The original Mille Miglia endurance road race was staged 27 times between
1928 and 1957 and kick started the careers of motor racing legends like Tazio
Nuvolari, Alberto Ascari, Juan Manuel Fangio and Sterling Moss, who set a course
record in 1955.
The race was banned in 1957 after a car crash which caused the death of the
driver, his navigator and 11 spectators.
Although the competition was suspended, from 1958 to 1961 the event
continued in a speed-limit rally format but lost popularity.
