by John Manzi, for the NAADA

Monticello, NY — Joe Faraldo, the president of the North American Amateur Drivers Association, is making arrangements to travel to Italy to compete in an international amateur driving competition on Friday (July 15) and Sunday (July 17).

The events in Italy will be held in Treviso and Venice and they will be part of the celebration of 150 years of Italian independence.

USTA photo

Joe Faraldo will compete in an amateur driving competition in Italy.

“The U.S.A. will be one of ten foreign countries that will participate,” Faraldo said, “and while I’m there I’d like to help rekindle the friendship that was somewhat strained when the Italians unfortunately failed to make the cut for participation in the 2008 World Cup which was raced on American soil.”

Faraldo is no stranger to the Italian amateurs, having raced in Italy many times over the past few decades, most recently last year at Italy’s southern most city, Taranto, when they held their annual international amateur driving competition.

Luigi Rimbotti, the Secretary to the Italian National Amateur Drivers Association (FEDERNAT) invited Faraldo to the upcoming driving competition and asked him to extend an invitation to his friends in Canada since he had no website or reference address for the Canadian Amateur Association.

“With the blessing of Standardbred Canada, Hal Edwards will don the Maple Leaf colors and represent our northern neighbors,” Faraldo added. “But the highlight during the competitions will be a gala celebration on the 16th of July commemorating Italy’s independence.”