From 1939, the long trip to the 2000 year

1900. The dawn of the twentieth century, that was born in the sign of the progress and the technology, saw the first appearances of the new "infernal" machines that, driven by even more crazy people, aroused surprise and amazement, dismay and terror in some cases. Since then the civic administration of Parma regulated and restricted the use of that machines to protect the public safety of people and animals. In the early years of the century were circulating in Parma and the province more than fifty cars, rapidly growing in number and variety of types, in 1907 already worked in the city two garages for the housing of machinery, one of Giuseppe Rossi in Vicolo della Steccata, and the other, better equipped, even for "the complete cleaning and the works on the engines", called" Central ", belonged to Fiorenzo Scipioni in Via del Leon d'Oro.


In that period a committee of sport-cars fans already formed under the auspices of the glorious "Pro Parma,"  and in 1913, as part of celebrations for the centenary of the birth of Giuseppe Verdi, organized the first ascent competition in Parma-Poggio Berceto.
Finally, during the war of Libya and the first world war, in the newly auto-centre which was followed by the establishment of the Corporation of "Autieri", many people from Parma (among them Lupo Corradi Cervi of Salsomaggiore and Luigi Average of Parma) won honor by driving the powerful lorries Fiat & Spa travelling in convoy in the desert and in the muletracks of the Alps.
It was necessary, however, that the storm caused by the First World War passed to make possible the development of the car and its use as a tool for business, transport and recreation.
On 12 November 1921, in a room on the first floor of the Macina Hotel, thirty pioneers of the steering wheel met and decided to form a partnership known as Auto-Moto-Club Parma for the development and growth of the motoring sport and the organization of car-competitions and social outings, which had as emblem a cogwheel within the insignia of the city.


From this meeting takes origin the actual association called A.C.Parma.
The fee was 25.000 lire, plus the admission fee of 75 lire for ordinary members and 100 lire for the sponsors. Their number exceeded rapidly the 100 registered members.
In 1922 for the first time was dispuated a sport competition, organized by the association: a motorcycle race on the Parma-Vicofertile-Collecchio-Parma circuit, won by the beginner Tazio Nuvolari against his eternal adversary Achille Varzi.


The R.A.C.I. was created as a moral authority by the royal decree of 14 November 1926, it follows that, by following the decree of 24 November 1934, was granted the legal personality to the provincial offices of this institution, including naturally Parma. (...)
But it was especially after the war that, already between 1945 and 1948, the association is active in the motoring sport by the organization of events of enormous success (among the earlies of that period in Italy, Parma circuit on the path Viale Umberto I-Stradone-Rustici-S. Martino-Conforti-Palestro-Rimembranze and Umberto I that was won by Tazio Nuvolari).
The sporting matrix of AC Parma yet emerged clearly with the rebirth of the Parma-Poggio, which lasted in 1955 (when, for the death of the competitor Della Favera, was interrupted). The Fornovo-Monte Cassio, the European Mountain Trophy (in 1962), the Salsomaggiore- Monte S. Antonio and the Castione-Neviano entered, with their protagonists, in the history of the Italian motoring. Are to be mentioned also the regularity races and promotional events, with tourist and sporting aspects, such as the car meetings, which marked a turning point in the spread of the radio installation inside the cars.


The various editions of the "Golden Wheel" reserved for women, in Italy and especially in Parma, proposed not only the approach with the car but also the competitive spirit of the sport.
On the other hand Parma, with his province, was second to none in the car world: in the 70's in that area spreaded about 118,673 cars.



(Page edited by Nunzia Manicardi - text by Domenico Sassano (former Director AC Parma) from the book "AC Parma 1913-1998" - Courtesy of AC Parma)