by John Manzi for NAADA
MONTICELLO, NY- For the
third time this year the North American Amateur Drivers Association (NAADA)
will be looking forward to hosting a contingent of European amateurs drivers.
After competitions earlier this season against the Spaniards and the Hungarians
the Americans are preparing to host amateur drivers from Italy in early August
with competitions set for Yonkers Raceway on Sunday, August 4th
followed by a rivalry at Monticello Raceway on Tuesday, August 7th.
NAADA will field a different
team at each venue but the visiting Italians will drive at both tracks. And the
Americans will have to be at the top of their game to compete with the veteran
Italian drivers. Heading the visitors team is Zorzetto Otello who has 495
career wins. He'll be joined by Michelotto Piergiovanni (125 wins), Michelotto
Roberto (81 wins) and Ruffato Raffaello (118 wins).
“We hosted them (the
Italians) two years ago and they drove circles around us here in the States.
But we got revenge when we out-drove them in Italy last season. And this year
they might have to bring St Anthony of Padua with them if the want help in
finding the winners circles here,” joked Joe Faraldo, the president of
NAADA.
The Italians will be
arriving in the States on Thursday, August 2nd and in the evening
treated to dinner at Bruno's Ristorante in Howard Beach, NY.
However,
prior to the upcoming International Challenge all local amateur clubs are
assisting in securing drives for the four visiting Italians in the Hambletonian
Amateur Races at the Meadowlands on Friday, August 3nd. After the
races there NAADA will entertain the visiting Italians with dinner at
Guantanamera, a Cuban restaurant in New York City.
The
following day (August 4) the visiting Italian contingent will watch the
Hambletonian and then be NAADA's guests for dinner at the famous BBQ emporium,
The Dinosaur BBQ in Harlem.
On Sunday,
August 5th the competitors will don their battle gear for a pair of
races over the Hilltop oval and afterwards head to the Bronx for dinner at Zero
Otto Nove.
Monday,
August 6th is reserved for shopping in the Big Apple and in the
evening NAADA will take their counterparts to dinner at the River Palm Terrace
Restaurant in nearby Mahwah, NJ.
The final
races in the Italy v USA Challenge will be at Monticello Raceway on Tuesday,
August 7th. After the competitions there dinner will be at Yiasou
Cafe in Liberty, NY.
Wednesday
August 8th is reserved a tour of Historic Track and the Harness
Racing Museum in Goshen,NY and then for a shopping spree at Woodbury Common in
nearby Central Valley.
Thursday
the Italian contingent will return home.
