1000 Miglia Warm Up USA Kicks Off, and It’s Headed to the Italian Embassy

One of Italy’s most famous races just started in the United States—sort of. While the next edition of the 1000 Miglia is scheduled for June 2025, the 1000 Miglia Warm Up USA event kicked off in October 2024 at Summit Point Raceway in West Virginia to give participants a preview of what the real event is like.

The four-day, 500-mile event begins with a training day that takes the 20 participating crews from Summit Point to Middleburg, Virginia. The first two legs start and end in Middleburg, while the third and final leg takes participants through Washington D.C., and ends in front of the Italian embassy. It’s a regularity race with 118 time trials and eight average trials, so the goal isn’t to drive flat-out.

Our own Aaron Robinson is at the event, co-driving with contributor Lyn Woodward are participating in the event, using Lyn’s ’67 Porsche 912. “The organization that runs the famous 1000 Miglia in Italy is trying to expand the experience into overseas markets such as the U.S. with satellite events,” says Robinson. “The U.S. event is meant as a training ground to introduce American teams to the rules and eccentricities of the Italian event. You can win the Mille, but people who think it’s just a wine and cheese tour would be shocked at how difficult it is to do well.”

For spectators and enthusiasts, the 1000 Miglia Warm Up USA previews the cars that will participate in next year’s 1000 Miglia. The event is split into two categories called 1000 Miglia Era and Post 1000 Miglia Era, respectively. It’s all in the name: The first category is open to cars that raced in the original 1000 Miglia between 1927 and 1957, while the second one is for models built from 1958 to today. The roster never disappoints: this year, the highlights include a 1957 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 GS Spider Zagato.

This isn’t merely an excuse for drivers to log miles in their classic; there’s a lot at stake. The prizes include six spots in the 2025 1000 Miglia, including four for the 1000 Miglia Era category.

“It is a LOT of driving,” shares Robinson. “So be prepared for tired butts, scratchy eyes, and hoarse voices from the constant driver-codriver communication, especially if you’re in an open car. Our ‘67 Porsche 912 team is running with matching pairs of aviation headsets so we can communicate at something less than a shout. And the spectacular fall colors of Virginia are in full explosion, which is an exquisite backdrop for these long days.”