Tuesday 22 September 2015

Di Traverso Party

Marco Belli (above, #6) threw a sliding celebration and Sideburn contributor Peter Guld was invited along...

Unless you're a pensioner, looking for a relaxing weekend, it’s a normally not a good idea to travel to Misano Adriatico, one week before the Misano MotoGP race. This year was an exception. Italian flat track legend, Marco Belli invited me for a party that he organised to say a big thank you, to his partners, who were involved in his Di Traverso Flat Track School.

The list of the partners is impressive, companies like Deus Milano, Riders Magazine, Yamaha Italia, MotoShop Parma, Dainese, Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli... There was no question, if the Italian holds a party, it will be different. Belli invited his long term friend Graziano Rossi, the father of Valentino, and many other Italian and European flat track riders and race car drivers. Later in the afternoon Loris Reggiani, former-GP star, arrived at the event, and didn’t hesitate before jumping in a car. Drivers gave lucky passengers rides around the track in muscle cars. People could put their name down and, of course, the longest list was next to the name Rossi, but Graziano was happy with it, because it meant he could spend time in a car, not in the sun. 
Belli and Signor Rossi planned car vs. bike races, but it was postponed, so the biggest surprise just came when the flat track ace, after few practice laps in a cross-car, showed up in a big BMW and raced against Graziano and his Audi R8. 

The fans shouted like it was the last lap of MotoGP race when these two mad Italians produced the hardest car race of the event. 

It’s cliche, but true: If you are going to an event where a guy whose name is Rossi is involved, it will be something special. After the event, during the night, a blonde lady was driving a go kart, prepared with dirt tyres, pretty fast. She was in shadow, but seems to be like a pro, and she was sliding crossed with full throttle. I realised it was Graziano’s daughter, Clara Rossi (below). 

At the end of the great event no one was in doubt that Marco Belli said thanks to his partners with style.


Words and photos: Peter Guld

Belli in a buggy

Belli, Rossi, Reggiani




 Graziano on his bike...

And in his car.

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