Official Patron of the Mini Mille Miglia Sir Stirling Moss OBE
A slot car version of the Mille Miglia. In aid of the Alzheimer's Research Trust. Una versione dell'automobile di scanalatura del Mille Miglia. Nel sussidio del Alzheimer' fiducia di ricerca di s.
Welcome Hello and welcome to the Mini Mille Miglia. First of all let me tell you what the Mini Mille Miglia is and how it came into being. Watching the full-size version of the current Mille Miglia in May 2008 when those beautiful historic cars drove through the ancient streets and around the main square of Assisi captured my imagination and spawned an idea.
As many slot racers know, I have built a digital slot car track in the stables of our villa, themed on the Italian countryside around where I live. The most recent addition is a valley complete with a small village. The village has a square that is similar to the square in Assisi and the idea for reproducing the event in miniature was born.
The Mini Mille Miglia is a miniature version of the current Mille Miglia, using working models of those same cars. We will be photographing and filming the cars in an environment that pays tribute to these noble and historic cars. Copies of the film will be available on DVD shortly after the event, with proceeds going to the Alzheimer's Research Trust.
About the Event The Original Mille Miglia The Mille Miglia was a 1000 mile road race that took place in Italy between 1927 and 1957. One of the most famous winners was the duo of Stirling Moss (our patron) and Denis Jenkinson in a Mercedes 300SLR in 1955, car number 722. Sir Stirling claims he never looked forward to the event‌it frightened him! The race was stopped in 1957 following a terrible accident in which a driver and codriver were killed together with 11 spectators.
The Present-day Mille Miglia The event was re-introduced in 1977 as a tour instead of a race. The only cars that can take part are the original cars, or the same make and model. Today’s event hosts nearly 400 cars, and contestants pay handsome sums to be part of the action. Many famous racing and rally drivers take part and cars are brought in from all over the world. The event is heavily oversubscribed and the rules are tightening up each year. Watching and hearing these historic cars driving through the Italian countryside and ancient streets of towns and villages is awesome. What it must have been like when they were actually racing one can only imagine.
The Mini Mille Miglia The Mini Mille Miglia is a miniature version of the current Mille Miglia, for 1/32nd scale slot cars. The track is 30 metres long in total and modelled on the Italian countryside. It has a 20 metre two-lane circuit incorporating a series of cypress-lined hairpin bends up to a castle, through a castellated gateway, and over an arched stone bridge. Being digital the track can also be used for car rallies. At the press of a button drivers can opt to leave the main circuit and follow a single-lane route through a 10 metre valley with a forest, a tunnel, a large viaduct and the village.
1:32 Models Models of these historic cars are often fragile and have taken many hours to build so we want to create a competition that keeps the risk of damage to a minimum and shows off the models in an environment that pays tribute to these noble and historic cars and the drivers that so bravely raced them. We will be photographing and filming the cars throughout the event and a video will be available afterwards, with proceeds going to the Alzheimer's Research Trust. Entrants get a free copy as part of their entry fee.
Do I need to come? No, you don't have to come to Italy to take part. You can simply send a car, or cars, they will be driven carefully by experienced drivers and returned to you after the event. Of course, if you do wish to come you would be very welcome. The more help the better and there will be prizes for the winners. We can arrange accommodation for you nearby but you do need to book early as July is busy time of the year. If you wish to bring your wife or partner too, you can. There is plenty to do in this beautiful part of the world. We have a swimming pool and you will have free use to that and, as part of the event, we plan to have a barbecue in the garden by the pool.
How much will it cost to enter? There will be a small entry fee (15 euros for the first car and 7 euros for additional cars). The proceeds after costs will go to Alzheimer's Research. If you wish to donate more it would of course be very welcome. You will get a photo of each car you enter, and a free copy of the video. Additional copies of the video will be also be available.
Hazel Lane The event is dedicated to the memory of Hazel Lane, an extraordinary woman. She was one of the few survivors in a horrendous air crash nearly forty years ago when a plane carrying a group of mothers on a one-day shopping trip to Switzerland hit a mountain as it was coming into land in thick fog and snow at Basle airport. She dragged herself out of the plane and into the snow with the one uninjured part of her body, her right arm. The cold slowed down her blood-loss and undoubtedly saved her life until rescuers found her, but could just as easily have killed her. Over the years she had an endless stream of operations, including replacement joints in both hips and both knees.
However, her courage and determination paid off and she overcame her fear of flying to go on many trips including one around the world, and even a flight in Concord! This was no ordinary woman! Sadly, she died of Alzheimers Disease in 2007 at the age of 78. My last remaining memory of her was as she waved me goodbye, with a smile and a tear. She died a few days later.
Sponsorship We are seeking sponsorship for the event. There is the opportunity to sponsor one of a fleet of modern Ferrari, Lamborghini, or Porsche and these can be liveried in your company colours. Members of the public will get the opportunity to race these cars at intervals throughout the weekend so they will get a lot of coverage. The cars will then be used when the track is hired out for other events so there will be plenty of ongoing publicity too. Please see our website for full details. http://www.mini-mille-miglia.com There are also opportunities for advertising banners around the track or credits on the photos and video in return for a contribution towards running costs or a donation to the charity.
Digital or Analogue? The track is digital but we can also run analogue cars singly on the track, except in the Pursuit event which involves two cars at a time. If you don't want your precious car to be driven at all then you can still enter as it can be included as still shots within the video and in the Concours d’elegance.
Qualifying Cars We have put together a list of eligible cars together with links to suppliers and manufacturers. You can buy a ready-to-run slot car or build your own from parts or even make one from scratch!
Time and Place The first Mini Mille Miglia (MMM) will take place on 4th and 5th July 2009 at the 'Oasi Verde' community centre of Castello delle Forme, Umbria, Italy. Castello delle Forme is midway between Perugia and Todi on the edge of the Tiber Valley in the centre of Umbria, Italy. Please visit our website for full details. http://www.mini-mille-miglia.com