by John Manzi

Monticello, NY — The Italian-American Amateur Friendship Challenge officially kicked off with a gala dinner hosted by the mayor of Naples, Italy, Luigi de Magistris, on Thursday (April 28).

Photo courtesy of Steve Oldford

Dein Spriggs, Steve Oldford. Mr. & Mrs. Mike Mitchell and Mrs. & Mr. Joe Pennacchio, Team USA, pose after dinner in Naples.

Pier Luigi De Angelo, principle owner of Agnano race track in Naples, guided the invited American amateur drivers to this event held at the elegant Belvedere Carafa Museum in downtown Naples, Italy.

“The people and the food are over the top and the majesty and history of this area goes back thousands of years,” team correspondent Steve Oldford said.

Festivities will continue when Team America will dine with their Italian counterparts prior to the racing action which begins Friday afternoon (April 29) and continues through Sunday (May 1) when the track hosts the world class $500,000 trot, the Grand Premio Lotteria.

“There’s no doubt that amateur racing is moving to a new level and we hope the events here in Naples will continue to promote amateur racing at a world-wide level,” noted Team USA captain Joe Pennacchio.

When the races get underway Friday at Agnano, Pennacchio and Oldford will be joined by Mike Mitchell, Dein Spriggs and Hannah Miller. The five outstanding American amateur drivers will compete against the best that the Naples area has to offer.

Two events are slated for Friday with a race on Saturday and one on Sunday, the day of the Gran Premio Lotteria, where the attending crowds will be in the tens of thousands.