STORY OF THE DAY: Foligno Takes Second at Pescara

Roberto Foligno finished second in the Targa Abruzzo on 15 August 1932 with the number 2 Scuderia Ferrari Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 MM. The event used the fast Pescara road circuit, a roughly 25.5-kilometre lap combining long straights, open countryside and passages through built-up areas. Foligno’s runner-up result placed the Scuderia’s leading sports car prominently in the final classification.

The defining element was sustained speed without the margin for error available on a permanent circuit. Pescara’s rapid sections placed heavy loads on the engine and tyres, while its tighter corners demanded careful braking from high velocity. Foligno kept the 8C in contention and brought it home second, converting the car’s performance into a complete result on an unforgiving course.

The 8C 2300 MM employed Vittorio Jano’s supercharged 2.3-litre straight-eight, twin overhead camshafts and a central gear train between its two four-cylinder blocks. A comparatively short road-racing chassis and light bodywork gave it both high-speed ability and useful agility. That combination was particularly effective at Pescara, where a car needed stability on the straights without becoming cumbersome in the villages.

Roberto Foligno was an Italian sports-car driver whose career included appearances in major road races and entries associated with Scuderia Ferrari. He had competed in the Mille Miglia and was experienced with powerful Italian machinery. His second place in the Targa Abruzzo stands as a significant result because it showed he could maintain the 8C’s demanding pace through an entire high-speed road event.