At 9:00 a.m. yesterday morning, under a sun already high and shining, the Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Spider Zagato of reigning champions Shawn and Leanne Till, the first car to start from the N. Madison Street grid in downtown Middleburg, officially kicked off the race. During the first leg, the longest of the edition, the 1000 Miglia Warm Up USA crews cover more than 340 kilometers.
The first block of Time Trials awaited the drivers near the town's school, and once past the pressure switches, the convoy traveled some 50 kilometers westward to Warren County Airport, site of the first Passage Control. Next, drivers and co-drivers also broke the ice with Average Trials along Fort Valley, nicknamed “the valley in the valley” being located between the two northern arms of the Blue Ridge Mountains, followed by another Average Trial at Kennedy Peak that provided the picturesque view of the valley, made even more beautiful by the bright colors that this beautiful sunny day provided. After Passage Control at Shenandoah, the cars made their way to the Barboursville estate with a block of 10 Time Trials on the winery's dirt roads among the Zonin family's Italian-imported vineyards. This was followed by lunch at Ristorante Palladio, one of the most authentic Italian restaurants in America.
The 2:15 p.m. restart Time Control opened the second sector of the race, which immediately included more Trials out of Barboursville Vineyards. The convoy then began the ascent northward, where the crews measured themselves with two more Average Trials among gentle undulations and pleasant curves, the first at Haywood and the second around Carters Run.
Once back in Middleburg, the Salamander welcomes its guests back to the new residential area, where 10 more Time Trials will be held. After a brief stop to wait for darkness, from 7 p.m. the night race sector will make its debut, an absolute novelty of this edition: the stopwatches will start in the private area of Atoka Chase, completely devoid of natural light, with the pressure switches illuminated by LEDs. Race activities will finally end at the National Sporting Library & Museum in Middleburg.
