For almost three-quarters of a century, the Targa Florio was one of the most important motor races in the world. It was certainly the most challenging and treacherous. The Targa was initiated in 1906 by Vincenzo Florio, whose family name is still on Marsala wine from Sicily. Florio invited sportsmen from around the world to compete in this early motoring spectacle. Cars were brought into the port of Palermo by ship, then driven to the starting point in Cerda.
The Targa Florio was run annually from 1906 until 1977. It was run entirely on public roads... grandstands and pit structures still stand along the SS120 north of Cerda. As roads improved and speeds increased through the 60s and 70s, it became obvious that the race was just too dangerous to continue.
The race was run on several different courses, through the Madonie mountains and down to the sea. All of the variations crossed through the village of Collesano, where there is a small museum dedicated to the Targa. We drove to Collesano and visited the museum a couple of days ago...
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| View of Collesano... |
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| The entrance to the museum... | |
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A map of the course, through the Madonie and down to the sea...
A few photos from inside the museum...
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| Vincenzo Florio... |
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| Bronze plaque from 1950... |
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| Tazio Nuvolari in his Alfa Romeo... |
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| A letter from Mario Andretti... |
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| Trophies.... |
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| And memorabilia... |
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| Alfa Romeo uniforms... | | | |
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The driving suit if Nino Vaccarella, the "Flying School Teacher" from Palermo, one of Sicily's most popular sportsmen. He won the Targa driving for both Ferrari and Alfa Romeo...
Here's a photo of a very young Enzo Ferrari, driving for Alfa Romeo, long before there was a Ferrari car company... !
And a photo of how the race looked in the late 1960s, as cars were entering Collesano...
The race could not go on forever, but the road does...
Touch any photo to enlarge...
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