Those who expected competition and rankings fought until the last round were right in the prediction of the Campagne e Cascine 2023 Coppa 3T, a race organised by the stable of the same name run by president Claudio Gregori, which took place this weekend. Winning the sixth round of the CIREAS Italian Historic Car Regularity Championship were Guido Barcella and Ombretta Ghidotti from Bergamo in a 1938 Fiat 508C from Group 2. The Franciacorta Motori bannermen achieved the result after a close fight to the tune of hundredths with the Paduan brothers Alberto and Giuseppe Scapolo in a twin car but from '37 and bearers of Nettuno Bologna. A duel to the sound of passages on the tubes and painstaking driving that at the end of 80 out of 82 tests (2 cancelled) favoured the first.
"A very demanding race," said Guido Barcella, "with alternating fortunes. If yesterday we had a mechanical failure and problems with the equipment, which forced us to fight with the knife between our teeth to avoid taking penalties, today certainly went better and we are happy about that.
The father-and-son duo will be absent from the next round of the Championship in Sardinia at the Baia delle Ninfe because they are committed to the 1000miglia. Completing the podium in Group 2 were Alberto Diana and Paolo Frassine in a 508 C from 1938. First among the Under 30s, in Group 4 and fifth overall are Nicola Barcella and Claudio Portoghese in the '79 A112 Abarth. Sixth overall, second in RC1 are Andrea Luigi Belometti and Doriano Vavassori in the '29 Lancia Lambda Spider who precede Giuseppe Rapisarda and Danilo Piga in the Morris Mini MK1 of Nettuno Bologna with which they take the lead in RC3.
Andrea Malucelli and Monica Bernuzzi in the tried and tested Fiat Duna 70 of Franciacorta Motori entered the event's top ten in their own right, taking eighth place overall and the lead among the newest cars in RC5.
In great form and with their usual fair play were the standard bearers of the Lodi-based team Castellotti, namely the Under-30 brothers Roberto and Andrea Paradisi in the peppery Fiat 127 L, with which they took second place in RC4. Claudio Lastri and Valter Pantani of Kinzica complete the RC4 podium and enter the Top Ten of the competition.
Among the racing teams, first place went to Franciacorta Motori, while among the women, success went to the duo of Caterina Vagliani and Rossella Torri in an A112.
The race, coordinated by race director Vittorio Galvani, was held in practically summery weather conditions and without interruptions. The winners of the non-competitive aspect of the competition were certainly the farmers, women and men of the Cremona farmsteads who provided the crews with their precious hospitality. Winning the DimmidiSì Trophy, which does not rank, but is based on 20 stages starting after those of the CIREAS, are Giampaolo Limoni Scaglia and Mara Gregori in the A112 Elite of Scuderia 3T. First in the Power Stage Classic that will be broadcast on ACISport channels on Sky's 228 and TopdriverTV on Youtube are Andrea Malucelli and Monica Bernuzzi in a Fiat Duna 70.
The CIREAS continues its seasonal run on 10 and 11 June in Sardinia at the 18th Baia delle Ninfe.
