NEW YORK, May 17, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Italy and the United States join forces in this year's historic Mille Miglia race, as Italian Admiral Giovanni Vitaloni takes the wheel of American fund manager, car enthusiast and charitable foundation president Lawrence Auriana's rare 1952 Cisitalia 202 D coupe in the May 19 -- May 21 classic. The race starts and ends in Brescia, Italy with stops along the way in Ferrara and Rome.
Admiral Vitaloni, former Military Advisor to the United Nations Italian Mission, will be driving for the Italian Navy Team.
Plans for the collaboration germinated during New York City's 2003 Columbus Day celebrations, which are world's largest events that highlight Italian and American friendship and cooperation and Italian-American contributions to the United States. Admiral Vitaloni attended the festivities with the events' Special Honored Guest from Italy, Minister of Defense Antonio Martino, and met Mr. Auriana, president of the Columbus Citizens Foundation, which produces the celebrations. The men learned of their mutual passion for vintage cars and love of Italian automotive design. Discussions for working together and racing a car from Mr. Auriana's extensive collection of vintage Italian automobiles led to the 2005 Italian Navy Team entry.
Mr. Auriana's Italian-racing-red 1952 Cisitalia 202 D is one of three of the model made. It features an engine that, at 2.8 liters, is two and a half times the size of 1952 Cisitalia engines.
The 2005 Mille Miglia takes place in three stages. The first leg takes drivers from Brescia to Ferrara on May 19. On May 20, they continue to Rome, and on May 21 they complete the longest leg of the rally, from Rome back to Brescia along a western route. (For more information, visit www.millemiglia.it.)