Owner Insight:

I have always dreamed of being in the Mille Miglia.  I am a certified car nut.  After the Rocket 88’s Mille Miglia experience last year with its previous owners, I saw it for sale on BringaTrailer.com early one Sunday morning just as it was posted.  I was surprised to find that the owners, whose names were on the doors of the car, were good friends who had been roommates at the Naval Academy and had wished the same thing about the Mille Miglia as I have.  When they found out that I am retired from the Army, we formed a bond of sorts and they have helped us in the registration process this year.  Last year, the Rocket 88 did not complete the race due to mechanical problems.  Since we have a weekend home in Virginia Beach, I checked the car in with Dan Short and FantomWorks to make the car mechanically reliable for a grueling 1,000 mile road rally on the narrow streets of Italy.  In order to participate in the Mille Miglia, the make and year of car must have raced in the original Mille Miglia during 1927 or 1957.  The Oldsmobile Holiday Super 88 Coupe is one of only a handful of American cars that actually participated in this prestigious race.  In addition, the car must receive an international certification from the Historical Vehicle Association to attest that all components are original stock or period modifications.  It must also have a documented chain of ownership since the car was new.  Currently, we are in the process of registering the car for the event.  Only a small percentage of cars get accepted, but I am hopeful that the car will once again be accepted.    My good friend, Larry Ledbetter, a retired Air Force fighter pilot, will copilot the car with me through the Mille Miglia.  Our goal is to place in the top 50 of 450 cars that enter the race.  The Mille Miglia is a time-speed-distance event, so your position is determined from how accurately certain segments of the race are driven to the assigned speed, adjusted by a coefficient based on the age of the car.  We are fortunate to have been “adopted” by the Scuderia Sports Mille Miglia Racing Team this year, headed by the President of the HVA, Mark Gessler.  Mark has participated in a number of Mile Miglias over the years, placing as high as second place in 2010 and 14th place in 2014.  Mark and his team will train us to use our electronic calculators to accurately maneuver through the timed segments most accurately.  Overall, we are very excited at the prospect of realizing our dreams of the Mille Miglia.  Dan Short and FantomWorks will have a big part of our success with their comprehensive mechanical overhaul and rebuilding of practically every component of the drive train, suspension and brakes.

–Steve B.