The 2014 running of the California Mille will take place April 27th to May 1st over 1,000 miles of twisty back roads in California Gold Country. The 24th annual event, a motoring tribute to Italy’s most-famous open road race, the Mille Miglia (thousand mile), will begin with a free car show atop San Francisco’s Nob Hill on April 27 followed by a four-day back roads adventure.
Some 77 entrants from four foreign countries and 14 U.S. states will assemble on Mason Street in front of the Fairmont Hotel where Italian Consul General Mauro Battocchi will arrive in a vintage Italian car, greet the crowd and invite any or all to join him in singing “Ill Canto degli Italiani”, the Italian National Anthem.
“This year’s Mille may be the most significant compendium of classic cars we’ve ever had,” said co-director David Swig. “Along with some 13 Alfa Romeos, 11 Porsches, 6 Jaguars and half a dozen Ferraris — largely vintage ‘50s and ‘60s — we have a ’52 Tojeiro Roadster, a ’28 Bentley, ’57 Kurtis Kraft 500KK, and a ’38 Lancia Aprilia.”
“Perhaps the exceptional turn-out is the ‘double 24’ aspect of the two motoring milestones,” said co-director Howard Swig. “ The Italian race ran 24 times from 1927 to 1957, and this is the California Mille’s 24th running. Early registration suggests that this year may be our biggest and best drive ever.”
A great spectator turnout is expected to come to Nob Hill from noon to 6:00 PM on April 27 to see the cars, meet the drivers, enjoy live Italian music by the Ron Borelli band and participate in a presentation that will spotlight important cars, discuss their merits.
The California Mille was founded by Sausalito resident Martin Swig, who after driving the Mille Miglia from Brescia to Rome to Brescia, decided that northern California “Looked more like Italy than—Italy.” Thus was born, in 1990, The California Mille.
The Mille is produced by Amici americani della Mille Miglia (American Friends of the Mille Miglia), which also presents the annual New Year’s Day “Anti-Football Drive”, and will in 2015 re-stage La Carrera Nevada, its version of Mexico’s border-to-border La Carrera Panamericana.
David and Howard Swig are co-directors of these events and Dan Radowicz is the organizer.
For additional information, visit CaliforniaMille.com.
California Mille 2014 – Entrants
1957 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Lightweight, Alamo, CA
1952 Tojeiro Roadster, Phoenix, AZ
1959 Porsche 356A Coupe, Pacific Palisades, CA
1957 Alfa Romeo Sprint Veloce, Berkeley, CA
1957 Volvo P544, Beverly Hills, CA
1956 Alfa Romeo 1900CSS, Los Angeles, CA
1955 Porsche Speedster, Stuart, FL
1958 AC Aceca Coupe, Armonk, NY
1928 Bentley 4.5 Vanden Plas, Burford Oxon, UK
1956 Jaguar XK140MC, Phoenix, AZ
1927 Bentley 6.5-Liter Le Mans, Pebble Beach, CA
1953 Siata 208S, San Francisco, CA
1958 Arnolt Bristol Bolide, Newark, CT
1956 Austin-Healey 100M, Pound Ridge, NY
1962 Porsche Roadster, La Jolla, CA
1960 Alfa Romeo Giulia Spider, San Francisco, CA
1958 Porsche 356 Speedster, Buellton, CA
1957 AC Ace Bristol Zagato, Portland, OR
1961 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster, Redding, CA
1957 Alfa Romeo Sprint Speciale, San Francisco, CA
1954 Jaguar XK120 DHC, Hailey, ID
1959 Ferrari 250 GT Pinin Farina Coupe, Pasadena, CA
1959 Porsche 356 Convertible “D”, Encinitas, CA
1953 Porsche 356A Cabriolet, Burbank, CA
1962 Alfa Romeo Giulia Spider, San Rafael, CA
1962 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster, Encino, CA
1957 Ferrari 250 GT Pinin Farina Cabriolet Series 1, Chicago, IL
1939 Jaguar SS-100, Tokyo, Japan
1957 Chevrolet Corvette, Carmel Valley, CA
1954 Jaguar XK120 OTS, Hamilton, MA
1957 Ferrari 250 Tour De France, Westlake Village, CA
1953 Nash-Healey Series II Roadster, Zephyr Cove, NY
1949 Healey Silverstone, Tokyo, Japan
1959 Aston Martin DR2/4 Mk3, Greenburg, PA
1951 Allard K-2, Scottsdale, AZ
1959 Porsche 356 Convertible “D”, Glydon, MA
1956 Ferrari 250 GT Boano Coupe, Hinsdale,IL
1957 Porsche 356 Speedster, Victoria, BC
1957 Porsche 356 Speedster, Thousand Oaks, CA
1957 Lotus Elite, Auburn, CA
1957 AC Aceca Coupe, Torrance, CA
1957 Porsche 356 Coupe, Beverly Hills, CA
1954 Lancia Aurelia B20, Beverly Hills, CA
1955 Porsche 550 Spyder, Warren, VT
1959 Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet, Kearney, NE
1957 Lancia B24, Laguna Beach, CA
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster, Los Angeles, CA
1952 Jaguar XK120 FHC, Hailey, ID
1957 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider Veloce, Brentwood, CA
1953 Morgan +4, Mill Valley, CA
1957 Kurtis Kraft 500KK, Calgary,Alberta
1956 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider, Los Angeles, CA
1954 Nash-Healey Coupe, Inglewood, CA
1957 Jaguar XK140 DHC, Mill Valley, CA
1929 Bentley 4.5-Liter Supercharged, North Kingstown, RI
1958 Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet, Los Angeles, CA
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster, Encino, CA
1961 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster, Palm Springs, CA
1957 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider Veloce, London, UK
1958 Ferrari 250 Tour de France, Westlake Village, CA
1957 Porsche 356 GT, Newport Beach, CA
1938 Lancia Aprilia, Rowayton, CT
1957 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint, Hallansdale Beach, FL
1953 Alfa Romeo 1900 Pinin Farina, Woodside, CA
1957 Ford Thunderbird, Santa Barbara, CA
1960 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster, Santa Barbara, CA
1957 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider Veloce, Bogota, Colombia
1960 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider Veloce, Pinole, CA
1955 Lancia Aurelia B20S GT, San Rafael, CA
1957 AC Ace Bristol, Kingsburg, CA
1957 Porsche 356A Coupe, St. Louis, MO
1958 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa, New York, NY
1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing, Malibu, CA
1957 Lancia Aurelia B24S, San Francisco, CA
1962 Lancia Appia Zagato, Newport Beach, CA
[Source: California Mille; photo: Bob Ross]
