by John Manzi, for the NAADA
Monticello, NY — Though the Italian amateurs have yet to land in America the first races in the Italy vs USA Friendship Competition have already been drawn at Monticello Raceway.
Two races on Monday, April 27, will comprise the Mighty M leg which will be followed by two races at Yonkers Raceway the next day. At Monticello races eight and 11 will comprise the Italy vs. USA Friendship Competition events.
Four top amateur reinsmen from northern Italy will be winging their way to the States on Friday, April 24, as guests of the North American Amateur Drivers Association. Representing Italy in the competition will be Giovanni Bechis, who is one of their top amateur drivers with over 890 career victories. He’ll be joined by Enrico Colombino (268 wins), Livio Calorio (59 wins) and Marco Montaldo (28 wins).
Set to drive at the Mighty M in the first leg of the competition are Todd Whitney (70 wins), Bob Krivelin (102 wins), Harvey Stein (20 wins) and Alan Schwartz (348 wins). Though the same four Italians will drive at Yonkers Raceway, NAADA will field a different foursome there.
The Italian contingent will be met at JFK by a group of NAADA members led by president Joe Faraldo and immediately taken to dinner at an Italian restaurant in Queens.
“We are anxiously awaiting the Italians’ arrival despite the fact that they are great drivers,” Faraldo said. “Of course we certainly would like to humble them but winning and losing is secondary to the camaraderie we’ll share.”