Mayor Bridge Littleton had the honor of acting as "green flag sendoff" for the first morning's warm up of the third edition of the 1000 Miglia Warm UP USA. The "Warm Up" prepares crews through timed events for the sporting part of the 1000 Miglia in Italy by competing in a 3-day, 500-mile race through Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C.

The street was packed with vintage automobile aficionados, local sponsors, but it was the school children who seemed to be the most excited, waving their "1000 Miglia" red arrow flags, maybe because it was on a school day. It was quite a social event too, with coffee, lunch and dinners hosted by Salamander Spa & Resort, Beverly Equestrian, Creighton Farms and the Congressional Country Club. Appropriately, their journey ended on Italian soil at the Italian Embassy in Washington, D.C.

The U.S. Warm Up is reserved for Sport, GT and super cars built from 1927 to present and divided between the 1000 Miglia Era Car Class (1927 to 1957) and the Post-1000 Miglia Era Car Class (1958 to present). Six spots to compete in the 2023 1000 Miglia are up for grabs. The winner of the Warm Up USA was the Veteran crew composed of Filippo Sole and Daniele Turrisi driving a 1930 Lancia Dilambda. Shawn and Leanne Till driving a 1931 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 GS Spider earned 2nd place and Axel Marx and Emanuele Tiozzo driving a 1956 Austin Healey 100 M placed 3rd.

The 1000 Miglia 2023 will be a five day race held in June and contested in Italy, and will draw tens of thousands of fans along the routes. For more information and to keep up with events, visit www.1000miglia.it/