Once again, Selva di Fasano is by Simone Faggioli.
This time it was the national anthem, performed in the Dixieland version by Maestro Mino Lacirignola’s Jazz Band, that kicked off the day of competition in the 65th edition of the Coppa Selva di Fasano. Good omen for Simone Faggioli, the reigning Italian champion, who on this occasion completed his first dozen victories in the Selva race. The Florentine driver won his first overall career victory in this race and today, at the wheel of his Nova Proto NP-01 powered by a 3-litre Judd engine, he scored 12 victories, lined up in the Fasano hillclimb. It is the absolute record in the history of this competition, founded in 1946, which the president of Egnathia Corse Laura De Mola wanted to underline this by personally handing Faggioli his well-deserved Coppa Selva.
Today’s race was the second stage of the Italian Super Climb Championship, which brings together the 7 most important hillclimbs in the national field. All of Faggioli’s challengers showed up chasing victory in the championship, starting with Luigi Fazzino from Syracuse (Osella PA30-Zytek) and the Marsala driver Francesco Conticelli (Norma NP01-Zytek), his main pursuers in the standings. Between the two, the latter had the upper hand, finishing second with a gap of 4″23 from Faggioli. Fazzino instead finished third, at 6″19. The best of the local riders was Francesco Leogrande (Osella PA 21/S – Honda), in 16th place overall and winner of the CN class.
Motorsport and political VIP parade at Fasano-Selva.
Where a first-rate line-up wasn’t enough, among the cars that participated in the 65th edition of the Coppa Selva di Fasano, high-level presences in the paddock further attracted attention to the Fasano competition. Cesare Fiorio and Giancarlo Fisichella, regular presences in F.1 a few years ago, met again at the Apulian race: the former wanted to return to his usual specialty during his time with the HF Lancia Squadra Corse in the early Sixties; the other once again responded positively to the invitation of Laura De Mola, president of Egnathia Corse who organized the event, returning to play the role of trailblazer. Alongside both of them, Ezio Baribbi, a four-time Fasano-Selva winner from Brescia, once again came down to Fasano as guest of honour. From the world of politics, the Hon. Maurizio Gasparri and Mauro D’Attis, shown to be passionate about Motorsport. So much so that President De Mola did not fail to propose to both of them to personally participate in the VIP Trophy, in next season’s race.
The winners of Fasano-Selva in the other categories.
In the Racing Start category, Oronzo Montanaro from Fasano won on home soil, setting the best time in both heats on a BMW Mini JCW, ahead of Salvatore Mondino (BMW Mini Cooper S). In RS Plus, the second climb brought no luck to another Fasano native, the favorite Giacomo Liuzzi, who with his BMW Mini Cooper S lost the home victory he was aiming for. Thus it was the South Tyrolean Selina Prantl (BMW Mini Challenge Evo) who confirmed herself in a state of grace, winning the race ahead of Francesco Savoia (Peugeot 106 S16). Another local driver, in this case Anna Maria Fumo from Martina Franca (Peugeot 308), won the RS Cup Group classification, beating Andrea Palazzo on a BMW Mini JCW. The Volkswagen Golf Mk7 powered by Giuseppe Aragona’s supercharged 5-cylinder Audi engine was astonishing: the Calabrian driver beat everyone in Group E1, trailing Alessandro Tortora in the Peugeot 106 Turbo by a good 16.7 seconds. Salvatore Tortora from Salerno also did well in the TCR Group, winning with his Peugeot 308 Sport ahead of Luca Tosino (Audi RS3 LMS). The victory of Lucio Peruggini from Foggia over his strongest opponent, the Roman Marco Iacoangeli (BMW Z4), who was beaten by just 2″76, was not at all a given. The road is clear, however, for the AR1-Furore 4C with a 3-litre Zytek engine, which Marco Gramenzi from Teramo drove to victory in Group E2SH ahead of Amedeo Pancotti (BMW M539).
Colucci confirms himself in the Italian Mountain Speed Championship.
Mercuri wins the Bicilindriche race.
Antonio Colucci’s Formula Arcobaleno single-seater brought the Fasano driver to victory, finishing both heats in the lead. The sum of the times sees Colucci as the clear winner, ahead of Paolo Garzia (Citroen Saxo vts) and Antonino Germanò (Peugeot 106 S16), who in this order confirmed the result of yesterday’s tests. Among the twin-cylinders, the Calabrian Angelo Mercuri won the race ahead of Pasquale Pastore (both on Fiat 500) and Donato Argentiero (Fiat Giannini 650 NP).
The brothers Lorenzo and Leonardo Tano achieve a family double in the 18th VIP Trophy.
After dominating in practice, Lorenzo and Leonardo Tano, the driver sons of actor Rocco Siffredi, occupied the first two positions in the race, taking home victory and second place in the 18th VIP Trophy. The traditional competition between entertainment and political celebrities, which from an idea by Laura De Mola attracts crowds of fans to the Fasano competition, saw the Councilor of the Puglia Region Fabiano Amati in third place this year. In the following positions were classified the world champion karateka Stefano Maniscalco, the star of Dancing with the Stars Lucrezia Lando, the sports presenter of Sportitalia Fabrizia Santarelli, the volleyball player Gigi Mastrangelo and the actress Roberta De Santis. However, the showgirl Francesca Brambilla, the television presenter Savino Zaba and the theater performer Raffaello Tullo did not finish the competition.
