Alfa was Once Owned by Juan and Evita Peron
LE MANS, France and NEW YORK, June 16, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Seeking to score another upset racing victory following its stunning win in the 2004 Grand Prix Historique, the Fratelli Auriana racing team is entering a historic Alfa Romeo coupe in the 2005 Le Mans Legend car race, which will beheld on June 18 in Le Mans, France.
Behind the wheel for Team Auriana will be Derek Hill, son of the legendary race car driver and 1961 Formula One Champion, Phil Hill, and Joe Colasacco, who won the 2004 Grand Prix Historique in Monaco and maintains Fratelli Auriana's extensive collection of vintage Italian race cars.
The Legend race is a one-hour event that features vintage race cars from1935 to 1955. It precedes the grueling 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The Alfa Romeo 6C 3000 CM entered in the Legends race is one of just four Berlinetta Corsas that were built as factory team cars. The Alfa was driven at Le Mans in 1953 by Juan Manuel Fangio, who drove an identical car to second place in the 1953 Mille Miglia. After a short racing career, it was rebodied as an exotic coupe by Carrozzeria Boano and then presented by Alfa Romeo to President Juan Peron and his wife, Evita.
The Alfa Romeo 3000 CM will be competing against a field of classic race cars, including a number of C- and D-type Jaguars, Ferraris and Maseratis among other marques.
Fratelli Auriana is owned by Lawrence Auriana, who is co-founder and portfolio manager of the Federated Kaufmann Fund. He is also President of Columbus Citizens Foundation, which in 2004 honored Mario Andrettias Grand Marshal of New York City's Columbus Day Parade. During the past four years the Parade has featured vintage cars of Italian design from the Fratelli Auriana collection. In May 2005, Team Fratelli Auriana entered its rare 1952 Cisitalia 202 D coupe in Italy's Mille Miglia. The Cisitalia was driven by Italian Admiral Giovanni Vitaloni.