THE CIRCUIT OF SICILY
THE CIRCUIT OF SICILY
IT is interesting to reflect that the famous Targa Florio, now one of the few races for real racing cars, was originally a race for” touring” machines. Later a racing class was introduced, which soon displaced the touring car class in importance until finally the latter disappeared altogether from the programme. Of recent years, however, Cav. Vincenzo Florio has organised an entirely separate race for touring or rather sports cars, the course being a complete circuit of the island of Sicily, starting from Palermo and going by Termini, Imerese, Capo o’Orlando, Men i Messina, Catania, Syracuse, Ragusa, Argigenta, Ribera, Marsala and Trapani, a total distance of 975 kilometres or approximately 610 miles. A course very similar to this, but with a total length of 1,050 kilometres was used for the Targa Florio itself in 1912-1914, when the winners were Suipe on an S.C.A.T., Nazzaro on a car of his own make, and Ceirano on another S.C.A.T. for which he was also responsible, the initials standing for Societa Ceirano di’Automobili Torino.
This year the race was run a week before the Targa on Saturday and Sunday, 2nd and 3rd May. The entries consisted of six O.M. cars, ten Alfa-Romeos, three Lancias, a couple of Maseratis, an Itala and a Bugatti in the big class ; and fourteen Fiats, with two Salmsons and a Lombard in the 1,100 c.c. division. From the outset the race developed into a terrific duel between the O.M. and Alfa-Romeo teams, and fi ally Morandi and Rosa C on a car of the former make confirmed the excellent impression given when they finished third in the recent Italian Thousand Miles Race by winning from the 1,750 c.c. Alfa driven by Gazzabini and Canton°. Another Ma-Romeo of the same type was third, and fourth place was captured by Strazza and Valentino on a Lancia Dilamdba. In the 1,100 c.c. division the baby Fiats had matters all their own way, and victory went to the car of this make driven by Sutcra and Lo Cascia. The final results were as follows.:
1. Rosa and Morandi (0.M.), 11h. 46m. 14 2/5s. (Average speed 51.6 m.p.h.).
2. Gazzabini and Cantono (Alfa-Romeo), 12h. 12m. 9 4/5s.
3. IVIagistri and Fieri (Alfa-Romeo), 12h. 14m. 9s.
4. Strazza and Valentino (Lancia), 12h. 48m. 4s.
5. Barresi and Cirincione (Alfa-Romeo), 13h. 3m. 49 Os.
6. Cortese and Napoli (0.M.), 14h. 36m. 35s.
7. Savoini and Rondina (0.1v1.), 15h. 20m. 58s.
8. Guisti and Salvatore (Bugatti), 15h. 45m. 17s.
9. Scuderi and Casano (Alfa-Romeo), 16h. 14m. 18s.
1,100 C.C. CLASS.
1. Sutcra and Lo Cascio (Fiat), 17h. 19m. 24s.
2. E. de Maria and G. de Maria (Fiat), 17h. 29m. 39s.
3. Borruso and Mersina (Fiat), 17h. 45m. 42s.