Tobruk to Tripoli race 1939 & 1940

[orouge]

I came across a reference to this to-day. It was said to have been run as an alternative to the 1000Miglia. Can anybody supply more detail especially the results (or where I can find them)?

[Vitesse]

Results of the 1939 race (with acknowledgements to Jean-Maurice Gigleux and others).

-over 2 liter cars:
-1.Boratto-Sanesi Alfa 2500 SS 10h 37.19 141,410 km/h
-2.Biondetti-Monzani Alfa 2500 SS 10h 37.40
-3.Pintacuda-X Alfa 2500 SS
-2 liters:
-1.Briem-Holzschuh BMW 10h 43.10 140,156 km/h
-2.Schaumburg-Roese BMW 11h 01.11
-3.Heinemann-Richter BMW 11h 02.45
-1500cc:
-1.Leoncini-Berrone Lancia Aprilia 13h 02.52 115,146 km/h
-2.Bellucci-Costantini Lancia Aprilia 13h 09.22
-3.Spoletini-De Dominicis Lancia Aprilia
-1100cc:
-1.Rossi-Molinari Fiat 12h 32.00 119,760
-2.Bonomo-Ferioli Fiat 12h 52.01
-3.Leonardi-Scimbaldi Fiat 13h 04.36
-4.Ravano-Lenzi Fiat 13h 35.26
-5.Palmieri-X Fiat 13h 35.55
-6.Avanzo-Fiorelli Fiat 1h 57.32
-7.Adanti-X Fiat 14h 04.32
-8.Comirato-Mme Fiat 14h 08.53
-750cc
-1.Baravelli Fiat 14h 36.40
-2.Bortolon-Mme Fiat 15h 52.43

Boratto was Mussolini's chauffeur, but it seems almost certain that Consalvo Sanesi drove the greater part (or all) of the race.
There seems to be some sort of myth that there was a 1940 event.

These were the scheduled races for Italy in 1940, mainly for sports cars: only the first three took place.

April 7th Targa Florio, Naples (Voiturette)
April 28th Grand Prix of Brescia for the Mille Miglia cup
May 12th Tripoli GP (Voiturette)
May 26th Circuito della Superba
June 9th Parma-Poggio di Berceto Hillclimb
June 23rd Piedmont Cup, Naples
July 7th Circuito di Biella
July 14th Trento-Bondone Hillclimb
July 21st Stelvio Hillclimb
August 5th Coppa Ciano (Voiturette)
August 15th Coppa Acerbo (Voiturette)
August 18th Targa Abruzzo
25/8 Circuito del Carnaro
September 8th Italian GP (Voiturette)

Source: The Motor and Auto Italiana (various dates)

[orouge]

Marvellous, many thanks.

[TIMELORD]

In Robert Daley's "Cars at Speed" there is also mention of a Bengazi to Tripoli race (as well as the Tobruk to Tripoli). Does anyone have any information on the Bengazi race?

[Vitesse]

It was in 1937. Also involving Borrato, but with a purely Italian entry. Martin Krejci has incomplete results:

http://wsrp.ic.cz/prewar1937.html#28