Mario Passanante wins the Trofeo Cave di Cusa on home soil and claims the 2026 Italian Historic Car Regularity Championship title. In Campobello di Mazara the curtain falls on a tightly contested CIREAS whose outcome was decided only on the last test of the last race of the season. The double celebration extends to Franciacorta Motori, the team of president Alessandro Molgora, who shared the cockpit with Passanante all year long.
A far-from-obvious result for the team standings, given that Classic Team had put together an equally impressive campaign, keeping the title fight open right up to the final test. Chief among the challengers were Flavio Renna and Paolo Abalsamo: the Taranto crew mounted a mid-season comeback on their RC 4 A112 Abarth that brought them within striking distance of the top, turning the final showdown into a thriller.
The race
Starting from the top, Passanante and Molgora dominated every test of the two-day event, closing out the Trofeo Cave di Cusa with just 252.08 penalty points and an outstanding average — the product of craft and focus. Second place went to Francesco and Giuseppe Di Pietra, who delivered a valuable comeback on the second leg after being forced to recover ground due to carburation issues on their Fiat 508 C. Third step of the podium for Nicolò Gulotta and Paolino Messina, finally in top mechanical shape on their little Fiat 600, which also took them to victory in RC 3.
"Winning the Italian title on home ground," said Mario Passanante, "is a huge emotion. CIREAS is a championship of exceptional calibre, demanding both for the quality of its events and the level of its drivers, and claiming it makes me enormously proud. I share this result with my co-driver Alessandro and the entire team. Our rivals have been outstanding, and I'm sure that, together with the young talents who are getting into the discipline, Renna will be one of the protagonists of the future of this sport."
The route
220 kilometres in total and almost 100 timed tests: the event was flawlessly organised by ASD Cave di Cusa with the support of the Libero Consorzio Provinciale di Trapani. The route wound its way through the Gorghi Tondi reserve, Lake Preola and Campobello di Mazara, giving crews a weekend to remember. In the evening, the people of Campobello packed the main square to experience the Trofeo Nino Buffa amid pressure plates, stopwatches and fireworks. The out-of-standings Trofeo was claimed by brothers Leo and Giuseppe Ippolito on an Autobianchi A112, also carrying the Franciacorta Motori colours.
"I want to thank the Libero Consorzio Provinciale di Trapani and all the municipalities that supported us," says Giuseppe Grego, president of ASD Cave di Cusa. "We are already working on the 2027 edition."
A separate mention goes to the evocative stage inside the archaeological park of Selinunte on the second leg, whose Hellenic tuff artefacts come precisely from the Cusa quarries.
The RC 4 podium and Renna's charge
Back to the race report: just off the overall podium — handicapped by a lower-coefficient car, an A112 Elegant from Classic Team — came Flavio Renna and Paolo Abalsamo. Fourth overall, but a result that handed them the RC 4 national title.
"From the fourth race of the year," comments Renna, "we managed to claw back 100 points, but our car's coefficient simply didn't allow more. We were consistent enough to remain mathematically in contention for the title right down to the final race. Congratulations to Passanante and Molgora for a thoroughly deserved win — they led from start to finish. And a thank you to my co-driver Paolo Abalsamo: without him this result wouldn't have been possible."
From fifth onwards
Fifth overall and third in RC 2 — not entirely a surprise — for Antonio Nizzola and Francesco Messina on the Classic Team Fiat 508, ahead of Roberto Paradisi (winner of the Under-30 standings) and Corrado Corneliani on a Fiat 1100 Special. Seventh overall and second in RC 4 for Antonino Margiotta and Francesco Caro on the Classic Team A112 Abarth; the category podium is rounded out by Francesco Commare and Giuseppe La Chiana on an A112 Elegant.
Eighth overall for Claudio Lastri and Valter Pantani, who with their 1982 Alfa Romeo Giulietta claim victory in RC 5. A success that hands the category Tricolore to San Marino's Isaia Zanotti and Rovigo Corse president Diego Verza, racing a Fiat Ritmo 130 TC Abarth.
"An extremely competitive championship, fought right down to the wire," said Zanotti. "We faced crews of the very highest level, rivals with great sporting and human value who deserve all our respect. And it is precisely the level of our opponents that makes this title even more meaningful. A special thank you to my friend Roberto Gasperoni, who built this wonderful result together with Diego Verza."
Top ten and modern cars
Closing out the top ten and standing on the RC 3 podium is reigning champion Angelo Accardo, co-driven by young Laura Di Giorgio on a strong 1955 Fiat 1100/103 — the pair also winning the Power Stage Classic — along with Piedmont couple Andrea Malucelli and Monica Bernuzzi (second in RC 5), forced to adapt to a Y10 provided by the organisers in place of their usual Fiat Duna.
Among the more recent RC 6 cars, the Rovigo Corse Fiat Barchetta of Enrico Coan and Vincenzo Bianco took the win with 1261 penalty points. Second place for Vaccarello and Prinzivalli on a Fiat 600, third for Turri and Bardelli on a Classic Team Porsche.
Among the spectacular GT cars entered in the Modern Cars class, victory went to Americans Paul Cerighini and Brian J. Lersner on a stunning Ferrari 296 GTS, ahead of the Porsche 911S of Messina's Francesco Bongiovanni and Nicoletta Gringeri.
With the Trofeo Cave di Cusa safely in the trophy cabinet, a season of exceptional quality draws to a close. After the winter break, the Regularity circus will return to the stage in the early months of 2027.
