The Scuderia Friuli ACU competition offers three different tests drawn from the strongest and most appreciated tradition, to be run over two days, with which the event presents itself as one of the most exciting of the Italian season for historic cars.
Registrations open until Wednesday 3 July.
Last days of registration open for 59th Friuli Venezia Giulia Rally-28th Historic Eastern Alps Rallyscheduled for July 13 and 14. The deadline, according to the regulations, is Wednesday, July 3.
Therefore, the iconic double event proposed by Scuderia Friuli ACUvalid as it is sixth test of the Italian Historic Car Rally Championship (CIRAS) and opening challenge of the Zone 5 Rally Cup is ready to start the engines, with Cividale del Friuli still beating heart. The heart of a rally characterized by a route that brings back to its history and tradition, embraced by the Torre and Natisone valleys, territories that have always welcomed the rally with enthusiasm and affection.
A TRADITIONAL PATH As per “tradition”, two separate competitions are planned, one for the historic “tricolore” cars and one for the modern ones, a mix that has been proposed in this race for years and that has always received wide approval. The route is punctuated by eight special tests for the historic tricolore race and six for the Coppa di Zona with two days of competition. The design of the “piesse” has largely remained that of the previous edition, slightly changed to further free up, also from transfers, the locations involved in the event.
TWO DAYS OF COMPETITION The racing programme includes the start of the race from Cividale at 2.20pm on Saturday 13th July, after which the first two special tests will be tackled, two passages on the famous “Trivium-Stregna” (Km. 13,050) and then move on to Sunday 14 July with six engagements for the historic cars and four for the “modern” ones. The other special tests proposed will be the “Soffumbergo Valley” (7,480 km) of the “Canebola-Masarolis”(Km. 14.160) and the arrival of the cars participating in the Zone Cup will be, again in Cividale, from 1.31 pm while the historic tricolor race will wave the checkered flag from 4.40 pm. Here are the “piesse” described in their distinctive characters:
SPECIAL TEST N. 1-2 “TRIVIO/STREGNA” – KM 13,050
It is proposed in the 2023 version which starts in a very green area at the exit of the town of San Leonardo, practically before the left bend of the Krop waterfalls, proceeding on a particularly interesting road with well-designed curves, hairpin bends and short straight stretches you reach the hamlet of Altana, crossing it in the middle of the houses after a slow mixed stretch you reach the other hamlet of Iainich, you cross it and after a slightly uphill and straight stretch you reach the famous “Trivio” which consists of a crossroads of three roads from which the name. This is an irreplaceable meeting point for enthusiasts who delight the eyes with the controlled skids of the competitors to take the various routes. This year the lower part of the Trivio was chosen again, the road that offers the narrowest reversal leaving the upper road to form a real grandstand for the public who can enjoy the passages of their favorites from above and in safety. From here, in a very guided and fast section with beautiful well-designed curves, you reach the border of the municipality of Stregna and also in this case with a sharp U-turn to the left you reach the hamlet of Tribil Inferiore, then on a downhill section you reach the small bridge that prevents the extreme very tight U-turn that takes us, after a nice straight, to the hamlet of Presserie where the test ends.
SPECIAL STAGE N. 3-5-7 “VALLE DI SOFFUMBERGO” – KM 7,480
This is also a classic test in the Torre valleys, the start will be set in the locality of Colloredo di Soffumbergo to travel along via Prestento to take a steep climb with hairpin bends and short straight stretches to reach Valle di Soffumbergo, from which you can admire an exceptional spectacle, the view of all of Friuli which, on sunny days, can reach all the way to the sea. It is not for nothing that Valle is called the “balcony over Friuli”. Valle is also famous for the very popular chestnut festival that takes place at the beginning of autumn.
Sharp turn to the left and down the rather steep descent dotted with beautiful hairpin bends in a green forest which takes us to the end of the test which is set in Costalunga.
SPECIAL STAGE N. 4-6-8 “CANEBOLA/MASAROLIS” – KM. 14,160
After a short stretch of transfer road you reach the town of Canal di Grivo’ and after the right turn you reach the start of the test. This test is also characterized by a trend with curves and hairpin bends always uphill more or less accentuated. You reach the small hamlet of Gradischiutta, once the start of the test, still uphill and you reach Canebola.
Once you have crossed the town, after another series of hairpin bends and short straights, you reach another gathering point for enthusiasts, the famous “Bocchetta di Sant’Antonio”. Here we will probably organize a slowdown to safely take the new road proposed in this direction for our Rally, which takes us to the right turn of the “Madonnina del Domm”, another guided descent on a road that is nothing short of perfect with a smooth asphalt that doesn’t have even a single imperfection, thanks to the recent passage of the Giro d’Italia, which requires asphalting many sections of the road to have it. Always downhill, you reach the town of Tamoris and then you reach the end of the stage in the town of Masarolis which in the times of the “old” Eastern Alps was the arrival point of the classic Canalutto-Masarolis.
