【Event Reports】La Festa Mille Miglia 2019／Day 3: Driven by cheers, aiming for the finish line

Cigalo's event collaboration series, now in its sixth installment, supports active adults who fully enjoy both work and leisure.
This time, we bring you the third report from our journey with the classic car rally, "La Festa Mille Miglia."

The rally entered its third day, the second half of the race, but the weather did not improve, and we were met with cold rain from the morning. While rankings are important in a competition, given the nature of classic cars, I sincerely hope that everyone safely reaches the finish line at Meiji Jingu.

Day three's course was a 490km long drive, running from Fukushima Prefecture through Tochigi Prefecture to Narita City in Chiba Prefecture. Participants raced through the winding roads amidst the beautiful autumn foliage of Tochigi, steadily passing stamp points, and tackling PC competitions set up at multiple locations. At each point, many spectators cheered on the classic cars and their drivers, who continued to run powerfully despite the cold and rain. I, along with the spectators who came to cheer, sent my support through my camera lens, then moved to the next point without waiting for all vehicles to pass.

Especially on mountain routes, options for short-cutting to the next point are limited, so if I don't finish shooting and move quickly, I'll be left behind by the entrants. Since the entrants drive steadily to maintain their times while adhering to traffic laws, the media crew must also chase after them desperately. As I grip the steering wheel, consciously driving safely and surely, I can't help but think, "I wish I could participate as a competitor someday." I truly felt once again that classic car rallies are a very special place, conveying the spirit of cherishing old and good things while also providing the excitement of a competition.

At Ouchijuku in Shimogo Town, which we visited in the first half of the route, the combination of a thatched-roof village reminiscent of the Edo period and classic cars created a mysterious atmosphere. Of course, the eras are different, but this combination somehow fit so perfectly that I found myself continuously pressing the shutter button. Do shared feelings of preserving beauty for the future resonate and make people feel something?

Even on this day, many locals along the roadside and at each point cheered on the entrants with flags in hand. There were many families, in particular, which conveyed that La Festa Mille Miglia is an event loved across generations. Staff members were selling official merchandise in various locations, and customers were also purchasing them, saying, "Another souvenir for this year!"

In the afternoon, we headed for Narita City in Chiba Prefecture, performing PC competitions at places like the roadside station in Nasu Kogen and the short circuit in Utsunomiya. Since there were some sunny spells during the drive, I believe the entrants were able to enjoy driving with pleasant exhaust notes.

During the final section, the expressway journey to Narita, we were again hit by cold rain. Everyone must have been exhausted, but after warming up post-finish, many lights illuminated the parking lot, and preparations for the final day were underway everywhere. Even this scene of maintenance, with beautiful bodies and classical mechanisms, became a picturesque sight. The entrants and mechanics working on them, though serious, seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Next time will finally be the final installment. The route leaves Chiba Prefecture and heads for the goal at Meiji Jingu. We will bring you coverage from the PC competition at Sodegaura Circuit, the emotional finish, and the awards ceremony.