History

Life and Times of the Mille Miglia, Part 1

Robert Newman

Only three of the world’s oldest motor races still take place. The most senior of them is the 500 Miles of Indianapolis, which was first run in 1911 and is still going strong. Next comes the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the first of which was in 1923. And the third oldest is Italy’s Mille Miglia—but with a twist.

Oh, there have been older motor races than the Mille Miglia, but they have long since disappeared. Like the Gordon Bennetts that ran from 1900 until 1905, the Vanderbilt Cup that was held from 1904 to 1968 and the Targa Florio from 1906 to 1977.

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