MM2005

The 2005 event was the third Mille I attended. This was a significant year as it was the 50th anniversery of Stirling Moss' victory and he was scheduled to again drive the Mercedes 300 SLR, N722. Because of its victory in the 1955 event and roll in the career of Stirling Moss, the Mercedes 300 SLR, N722 was probably the most famous race car in the world at least for 2005. Adding to its allure was the anouncement by Mercedes Benz, that this would be last Mille Miglia for the car and after this year it would reside on display in the factory museum.

This year the cars were staged in the Piazza Loggia before being routed down the Via X Giornate to the Piazza della Vittoria. Unfortunately I didn't get to spend much time at the technical inspection as I had planned. And in spite of my preparations manage to leave important lens for my Pentax K1000 at home and miss judged the selection of film speed. As a result many of the photographs were not as sharp as those I had made at the previous Milles.

Here a group of Gull Wing Mercedes enter the Piazza Loggia. The building on the right is palace for which the Piazza is named. Unfortunately the palace was under going extensive renovations and it exterior was covered, eliminating some wonderful backgoround for a lot of photos.

Note the red flags in the backgoround of this and the following two photos. I believe they are associated with a protest targeted at the organizers of the Mille Miglia. Apparently some of the support workers felt that they should be paid for their efforts and staged a protest. The protesters had a faux entry consisting of a crud cardboard car which they carried on their sholders. They entered the queue on the Via X Giornate. As a result of the unusual Labor-Management that only exists in Italy, the protesters were allowed to carry their faux entry through technical inspection in the Piazza della Vittoria. As I didn't see their entry at that evening's start, I can only assume they failed to pass inspection.


Sylvia Oberti of the United States stands next to her entry, a 1955 Alfa Romeo 750 Competizione.	Sylvia is a regular entrant in this event and unlike the other entries, she drives the entire route solo.


A Mercedes 300 SL entry, also a vetran of the Carrera Panamericana.	This Lotus 11 entry is a member of the Brescia Team, "Scuderia Brescia Corse".


A Bugatti is pushed down the Via X Giornate to the Piazza della Vittoria.	The buildings on the left side of the of these photos border the Piazza della Vittoria.


Looking south across the Piazza della Vittoria from the steps of the Torrione just east of the post office steps.	The Post office located on the north side of the Piazza della Vittoria. In the foreground is the official poster for the 2005 Mille Miglia, featuring the 300 SLRs, N722 of Moss and Jenkinson, and N658 driven by Juan Manual Fangio.

A late afternoon shot of the Piazza della Vittoria. This is where the cars exit the technical inspection and return to city streets. The clock tower in the center is the 60-meter high Torrione.	Upon exiting the Piazza della Vittori the cars encounter the intersection of three streets, Via Dante, Via S. Faustino and C.SO M. Liberta. Some of the cars in this picture are parked while others are attempting to navigate the intersection.

A Porsche 356 exits the Piazza della Vittori following inspection.	A french entry of unkown manufacture which appears to be atleast 10 years before its time.


This Jaguar C-Type appears to be vetran of the other vintage events.	I don't think this C-Type was entered. Is polished bare metal finish caught my attention.

This A strikin Aston Martin DB2.	This BMW Isseta with it starting numbers.


The Start-Finish line on the Viale Venezia, looking east prior to the start.	Viale Venezia Start-Finish, looking east.

The Polizia Stradiale motorcycle escort line up. One of these bikes deoarts to trail every 25th car leaving the Start-Finish.	Sometime since the year 2000, they Polizia Stradiale exchaned their Moto Guzzis for BMWs.

The italian TV Journalist from two networks filing their pre-start stories.	The Viale Venezia Start-Finish in the minutes before the start.


An early Alfa Romeo takes the start.	A 1933 Fiat 508 S Coppa Oro, N78.

Another Alfa Romeo starter.	A late 1930s BMW entry.

A 1955, Porsche 356 Speedster, N168 leaves Start-Finish.	A Polizia Stradiale gets ready ready to begin escort duty.

This grainy photo shows the Mercedes 300 SLR N722, taking what is most probably its last Mille Miglia start, with Sir Stirling Moss driving, almost 50-years to the day they first left Brescia. This particular car eluded me. I had always hoped to get up close to N722 during the technical inspection in the Piazza della Vittoria, but always arrived too late to see it processed. Of the three Mille Miglias I've attended this is the closest I would get to N722. Ironically later in 2005, I came across it at Pebble Beach. And although I was able to get very close, it just wasn't the same as seeing this car roll through the streets of Brescia.

Not every car that takes the start makes it to the finish. I encountered this unfortunate Masterati 200 SI on a street in Brescia after leaving the start.

At the 2003 Mille Miglia I attend the finish, which was almost as interesting as the technical verification. I had watched most of the 2003 finish from the grandstand across from the Start-Finish. But when leaving towards the end, I discovered that many of the finishers had simply pulled over at the first oppurtunity and headed for one of the many cafes around the Piazzale Arnaldo.

Unlike the start, at the finish, the cars do not pass over a raised platform. The camera crews, press and well wishers made it rather difficult to see the cars from the grandstand. So for 2005 I didn't stay long in the grandstand. Unfortunately some intersting cars, such the Mercedes Benz 300 SLR N722 had already gone through. Most of the following photographs were made outside a cafe called "Bunny", near the Piazzale Arnaldo.


This view is on the Viale Venezia looking back towards the Start-Finish line. I wasn't supposed to be here. But I found a gap in the barriers, and nobody said anything so.......	I tried walking back towards the Start-Finish line, but found to presence of the Carabinieri prooved too intimadating to proceed any further.

This is looking towards the Piazzale Arnaldo. Many of the cars didn't move very far past the Start-Finish before pulling over.


This interesting looking entry, N363 is Veritas RS 2000 from 1948,	This grainy shot shows a 1956 Fiat V8 Zagato, N317, pulling out from behind a 1953 Fiat V8 Zagato, N238.


Sylvia Oberti of the USA finishes in her 1955 Alfa Romeo 750 Competizione. She drove the entire 1000 miles herself.	A 1954 Osca MT4 2AD, N167 allows a 1955 Ferrari 750 Monza, N276 to pass before pulling out.

A 1951, Ferrari 340 America, N246 passes a pair of pre-war BMWs. The vehicle in the foreground, N129 is a BMW 328.	This italian entry, a 1955 BMW Isetta was one of two which completed the event.

This Ferrari 500 Mondial, N333 is one of Stirling Moss's competitors from 1955, carries its starting numbers from that race.	A 1953 Jaguar C-Type, N305.

A streamlined BMW 328, N81 from 1938.	After finishing the Mille Miglia this 1951 Ferrari 275/340, N190, sports a bottle of wine on its bonnet, capturing the spirit of the evening.


More detail of the Aston Martin cockpit.	The immaculate engine of a Bugatti entry.


A BMW 328 makes its way down Via Cairoli in the late afternoon.	Front badges on a Lotus 11 Entry.


Porshe Spyder detail.	Aston Martin DB3 detail.