By Steve Scott
Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt." That's the Special Olympics oath. It inspires thousands of physically and mentally challenged athletes in 125 countries worldwide who participate in the Special Olympics each year. But they aren't the only ones inspired by it.
It's also the credo that has helped Sylvia Maria Antonietta Oberti become the first woman to finish solo the historic Mille Miglia (1,000-mile) vintage auto race in Italy. She has competed in the grueling rally in each of the past three years, and has used her participation to raise some $13,000 for the Special Olympics.
Ms. Oberti grew up in Fresno, California, and is currently a counselor for the physically and mentally challenged. Since 1981, her company in Oakland, California, has provided counseling to empower disabled men and women to achieve independence. And when we say "her company," we don't mean "the company she works for"-it's her company.
While her work may gain her many loving fans on this side of the world, it would be impossible to match the adoration that rains on her half a world away, as she snakes her red 1951 Siata 300 BC Spider through Verona, Ferrara, Roma, Bologna, Brescia and the other villages and towns along the scenic race course in rural Italy.
"Belladonna da California" (beautiful lady from California) and "Sola Sylvia" are among the shouts of encouragement she receives at every stop. She is mobbed by autograph seekers and praised by professional race car drivers for her driving skill, and she has received impressive silver trophies for her courageous finishes in the 1992 and 1993 Mille Miglias.
Unfortunately, between the accolades and the adulation, there is a thousand miles of blacktop through often mountainous terrain and whatever inclement weather there happens to be. Sylvia began the 1992 Mille Miglia in a torrential downpour with thunder and blinding flashes of lightning-the kind during which most of us would not leave the house.
"Four hours of solid rain," is how she describes it. Did we mention that Sylvia's car has no top? She was outfitted with helmet, goggles, driving moccasins and waterproof, polypropylene, thermal underwear under a red Gortex driving suit. Water would accumulate at her feet, and her seats were of the true "bucket" variety, giving her a nice puddle to sit in.
Her car also does not have a gas gauge, speedometer, odometer or emergency brake. "It's not like a common, everyday car," she says. We guess not.
"You need to get a sense of how far you've driven by the feel. You have to become part of the car ... And you kind of figure out how fast you're going, but you have no idea how far you've gone. The map gives you an idea of the mileage, but if it's steep or you've been going really fast, you're using more gas," she says.
As for why she subjects herself to the rigors of a three day auto race, she confesses it's partly about the joy of owning and driving a very rare automobile. "It's partly about achieving goals you set for yourself," she adds. And achieving goals is an important part of what she teaches those she counsels.
SYLVIA IS WELL-KNOWN and loved in Italy as a "daughter of Italy [who has] become the first woman to solo and finish the Mille Miglia," as the P.A. announcer shouted above the crowd's roar at the finish of the 1992 Mille Miglia.
Because she was driving solo instead of with a co-pilot, as most entrants do, Sylvia had no one to help her monitor her three stopwatches, take over the wheel if fatigue set in or lend an extra set of eyes when the fog reduced visibility to 20 feet.
Why go solo? One thing is for sure: It's not for lack of offers from would-be co-pilots. "You and about two thousand other guys," was her reply when one gent stated his desire to go along for the ride. "There were always lots of thumbs out," she recalls.
If you ask her why she goes it alone, she may reply that such a question is not likely to be asked of the men who drive the race solo. She may also mention something regarding the accommodations and tight quarters that partners must share. Or the speed concessions from adding the weight of a passenger to her tiny car. Or the inherent danger of such an outing (a friend of hers was killed in a crash during the 1990 Mille Miglia).
BETWEEN 1927 AND 1957, the Mille Miglia was an all-out speed contest. But, in 1957, a Ferrari driven by Count Alfonso de Portago flew into the crowd, killing him and 13 spectators. That was the last of the increasingly frequent accidents that were marring the Mille Miglia and, in 1957, the Italian government banned the race. Stories hold that the race was then run clandestinely, and its mystique grew.
In the spring of 1982, the race was restarted under much stricter rules. Only cars built during the era of the race's heyday are allowed to enter, and the race is a test of driving skill and precise timing. "The point is not to go as fast as you can, but to consistently make your time throughout the race. Points are only given when you get to each checkpoint exactly when you're supposed to," says Sylvia.
In 1993, she achieved an impressive third-place finish among drivers from the USA, behind Peter Sachs in a 1956 Maserati AG6 Zagato and Don Orosco in his 1958 Scarab Mark I. Both of these racers had co-pilots.
Cars are separated into classes based on their ages, rather than the type of car. Before the 1992 race, Sylvia said, "I have a very small 4-cylinder engine, and it could be racing in the same group with a 12-cylinder Ferrari. There's no comparison. Hands down, the Ferrari would wipe it off the road. But it's not just the speed. The skill of the driver is to maneuver around all the obstacles under the most adverse conditions. It's luck, too. There are breakdowns and accidents that you just can't anticipate."
Sylvia Oberti's bravery clearly is not to be questioned. And, as for winning, she has already won-the hearts of thousands of people on two continents. We sincerely look forward to the next chapter of this story, to occur next May in Italy.
So, you're wondering what in the world a Siata is and how can you get one of those cute little cars? Well, we hate to dash your hopes, but it happens that only 50 were made by the Societa Italiana Applicazione Transformazione Automobilistiche of Turin, Italy, in the early 1950s. (Do we need to explain why the car is referred to by the initials?)
Sylvia Oberti's Siata was the seventh unit built of the 50 and is one of about 25 left in existence. Hers is equipped with a Crosley 723cc engine. The body was built by Bertone, who also built bodies for Ferrari. Sylvia's little racer has seen action at many major road-racing tracks across America, including Watkins Glen, Elkhart Lake and Road America, but the Mille Miglia is by far the longest race in which it has ever competed. It is kept at the Museo Dell Automobile in Romano D'Ezzelino, Italy.
If you are inspired by Sylvia Oberti's story and cause, you can make a check payable to the California Special Olympics. Or make a pledge per mile for Sylvia's outing in the 1995 Mille Miglia. Send inquiries or pledges to The Oberti Company, Dept. AWM, 3629 Grand Ave., Oakland, CA 94610; 510-839-0687, fax: 510-839-0762.
AMERICAN WOMAN MOTORSCENE 15