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CLASSIC CARS AT THE CALIFORNIA MILLE 2017
The California Mille was founded in 1991. Originally recognized by the Mille Miglia organization in Brescia, it is held each Spring beginning on the last Sunday in April.
The California Mille got its start when John Lamm of Road & Track and Martin Swig went to the 1982 Mille Miglia in Brescia, Italy with Martin’s 1955 Alfa Romeo 1900 Zagato. They were the only Americans there. John wrote an article about the event in Road & Track and many Americans discovered the Mille Miglia. Martin proceeded to return each year in various Alfa Romeos. One night during the Colorado Grand Race, a group including Ivan, the late Gil Nickel, Lou Sellyei and Martin had dinner and Gil suggested they start a California event.
The first California Mille, recognized by the Brescia group and sponsored by Alfa Romeo, was started in October 1991 and 50 cars participated. The northern coast and Sierra Nevada mountains offer a combination of great scenic roads, light
traffic and charming destination hotels.
The committee felt that they could provide exceptional hospitality while offering an exciting driving experience because of the endless choice of scenic, challenging, traffic-free coastal and mountain roads.
The key to making the event a success was to keep the event small (around 70 entries) in order to use charming, smaller hotels and restaurants. The 27th Annual California Mille will be held on April 24-27 in Celebration of Historic Italian Race. Free Car Show Atop Nob Hill, April 23, 2017.
The public is invited to see the cars and meet the drivers (from 15 states and two entries from Switzerland) between 11 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
The California Mille will depart at 8:00 a.m. on April 26 for Fort Bragg, Westport, the stunning “Lost Coast,” Petrolia, and Ferndale. Day 3 will end with an overnight in Mendocino.