Overview

Possibly the very first Siata 300 BC to compete on American soil — entered, unfinished, at Ohio’s inaugural Put-in-Bay road race in 1952 — and today the mount of one of the few women to have soloed Italy’s Mille Miglia.

History

Sold new without an engine by Blauschild Motors of Cleveland, Ohio, having arrived in the US through New York importer Tony Pompeo, the car was accessorised to receive — and fitted locally with — Crosley 724cc power. It carries trim number 8 and Bertone body number 4008, with a small Bertone badge on the wing on the dash. The dealer’s initial intention, according to Siata historian John de Boer, was to run the car at Sebring in 1952; it was not ready in time, and was sold instead later that year to Richard “Dick” Yares as a new car. (Unconfirmed) Research by Siata historian John de Boer tentatively links it to the dealership’s promotional entry — car “#1” — at the never-completed inaugural Put-in-Bay road race of 14 September 1952, associated with Blauschild salesman Jim Carroll; his widow, Sally Carroll, confirmed the race circumstances in 2020 but, after 70 years, could not confirm serial numbers with certainty, and de Boer himself flags the identification as ambiguous (it could instead be ST 415 BC or a nearby chassis).

The car’s first solidly confirmed racing history runs from 1952–1955 under Richard “Dick” Yares of Cleveland, including outings at Lockbourne, Ohio (1953) and Watkins Glen (17 September 1955). Around 1955–1956 it passed to Joseph R. “Joe” Blaser, associated with European Automotive in Cleveland, who entered it in the Novice race at Cumberland, Maryland in 1956 (finishing 21st) and drove it as #71 at Put-in-Bay on 9 June 1956, in a field that also contained three other identified 300BCs. Blaser sold the car later in 1956 to Alvin E. Beasley of Mentor, Ohio, whose 1956–1961 tenure was the car’s most prolific competitive period, with numerous SCCA and regional starts including Virginia, Marlboro (Maryland) and, very likely, Akron, Ohio in 1957.

In March 1961 the car left Ohio’s racing scene and began three decades of quiet ownership, traced in John de Boer’s research files through Seth J. Swain, Jr. and David H. Root of Medina, Ohio (both 1961), Ken Wilson of Cleveland (1968–1972), Tony Lewis (1972–1974), Thomas Sheehan in Pennsylvania (1974–1976), Richard E. Buckingham in Washington State (1976–1982), John Kimball in Colorado (January 1982–1986), Ugo Piccagli in Texas (1986–1989) and Michael C. Nolte in California (1989–1991). Since December 1991 the car has been owned by Sylvia M.A. Oberti of California, who bought it — her first competition car — after attending the Mille Miglia as a spectator that year and deciding, in her words, “why don’t I just buy my own car!” She trained under Bob Bondurant and has since driven the Siata solo at the Mille Miglia nine times, most recently in 2021, and shown it at the 2007 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este; her modern campaign is supported through Mark Gessler’s Scuderia Sport. The car is reported to be based in Italy.