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ITA - ITALY
CASALE MONFERRATO
SORRY, SOME DATA ARE NOT TRANSLATED YET
Not to be confused with Casale Monferrato, Circuito Monferrino
Description Circuit opened on March 19th 1973 by Arturo Merzario (Ferrari 312 B2), who set first record in 1’01"1 (144.950 km/h - 90.087 mph). In the same day, there were races of Italian F.3 and Challenge Ford Escort Mexico too. At first, wind carried a lot of sand on the track, but nevertheless the circuit was soon very successful and it was very appreciated for test and races of several Italian and Swiss championships. Among the most important races there were Coppa Autodromo di Casale (Interserie, September 22nd 1974) and Giro d’Italia 1973 and 1974. Bernie Ecclestone too was interested in buying a factory nearby the circuit. In 1973 (see below), 1974 and 1976 some proposal were made for lengthen the circuit. Meanwhile, in 1975 problems arose: Pontestura (in which district the circuit lies) and Cuniolo population complained about noise, while Morano Po administration isin favour of the circuit. In 1976 racing activity was reduced, but it’s not enough and at the end of the same year it was nearly stopped. On August 18th 1977 an excavator broke the gate down and ploughed 500 m of the track, in order to unfit it for use. In 1980 the tarmac was restored and there were rumors about a reopening in 1981. There were some more trials (even recently), but with no results: now the track is inside a park and thanks to its laws this operation is quite impossible.

Curiously several sources reports the same track layout also for Erding Flugplatzrennen, in Germany. Probably an unknown original source made this curious mistake and then it has been spread to other sources.
Location Morano Po
AL - Alessandria - Piemonte
Location Few meters from river Po, in municipal districts of Morano Po and Pontestura, near Casale Monferrato
Latitude - Longitude + 45°09'15"     + 8°20'49"
45.154167     8.346944
UTM Coordinates X = 448667.418  -  Y = 5000284.052  -  Zone 32T
Aerial photo / Map (*) Aerial photo / Map (*) OpenStreetMap  -   Aerial photo / Map (*) Google Maps  -   Aerial photo / Map (*) Bing Maps  -   Aerial photo / Map (*) Flash Earth  -   Aerial photo / Map (*) Wikimapia
Altitude AMSL 124 m - 407 ft
Inauguration March 19th 1973
Closing 1976
Designer  
Sources and links (Translation) (**)
(1) Italian ForumForum --> Europe --> Italy --> Casale Monferrato / Morano Po [ITA]
(2) Italian pilotiemotori.blogspot.it/2014/06/il-circuito-di-morano-sul-po-dalla.html
(3) Italian www.flickr.com/photos/25311068@N07bgiuliano’s photo album, with pics of races held in 1970s
(4) Italian www.grigneme.it/home_file/la%20pista/Morano/morano%20p.htmPhotos taken on February 14th 2003
(5) Italian Autosprint 27/1972 (page 47)Lavori di sbancamento già a buon punto (con mappa)
(6) Italian Autosprint 31/1972 (page 8)Descrizione pista
(7) Italian Autosprint 42/1972 (page 34)Quasi pronto per l’inaugurazione, già si parla di allungarlo a 3,5 km
(8) Italian Autosprint 43/1972 (page 32)Quasi pronto per l’inaugurazione, già si parla di allungarlo a 3,5 km
(9) Italian Autosprint 2/1973 (page 18)Allungamento in vista?
(10) Italian Autosprint 13/1973 (page 12)Come si guida
(11) Italian Autosprint 20/1973 (page 7)Problemi con la polvere alzata dal vento
(12) Italian Autosprint 42/1973 (page 33)Problemi con il sindaco di Pontestura
(13) Italian Autosprint 50/1973 (page 16)Progetto di allungamento a 3,5 km e oltre (con mappa)
(14) Italian Autosprint 51/1974 (page 43)Progetto allungamento a 4 km
(15) Italian Autosprint 49/1976 (page 56)
(16) Italian Autosprint 34/1977 (page 35)Impianto chiuso e "arati" 500 metri di pista!
(17) Italian Autosprint 36/1977 (page 64)Proposte per risolvere il problema della chiusura
(18) Italian Autosprint 47/1977 (page 42)Come salvare la pista
(19) Italian Autosprint 50/1980 (page 25)Riapre nel 1981?
(20) Italian Autosprint 30/1986 (page 38) 
(21) Italian Quattroruote 455/1993 (page 168)
(22) Italian Grace 4/2005 (page 40)Complete article about track history [Publishing date: April 2005]
(23) Italian Quattroruote 720/2015 (page 60)Actual situation (photos and description in brief) [Publishing date: September 2015]

(*) NOTE: a complete and detailed view of the circuit can be found (if available) on Street View by Google Maps and/or Bird's Eye and 3D views by Bing Maps for Enterprise (former Microsoft Virtual Earth): both can be reached using their own link in Aerial photo / Map cell.

(**) For on-line not-English speaking sources, click on each small flag and you open the corresponding Google Translator page with automatic translation.

Casale Monferrato
Description Original layout and the only one built
Years 1973÷1976
Direction Clockwise   Clockwise
Progetto Proposal NO
No longer operational YES
Car Circuit YES
Motorbike circuit YES
Type Permanent
Inauguration March 19th 1973
Closing 1976
Last update of this page September 4th 2008
Info last update  
Designer  
Distinctive points  
length 2460  m 8071  ft 1.529  mi    
Total area 50  hectares 500000  m² 123.551  acres   (14)

Casale Monferrato
Description Since the beginning of 1973 a lengthen up to more than 3.5 km - 2.175 mi was proposed and they hoped to finish all works within the end of 1973. I ha no map of this proposal, I only know that lengthen was towards Turin (left on my map): they wanted to have a 900 m straight, a half-bend and an ’S’ quite fast such as pits position would have been in the indernal side of the ’S’ itself. Final target was to lengthen the track up to 4.4 km - 2.735 mi.
Years 1973
Direction Clockwise   Clockwise
Progetto Proposal Proposal  YES
Proposal not developed YES
Car Circuit YES
Motorbike circuit  
Type Permanent
Inauguration  
Closing  
Last update of this page October 26th 2007
Info last update December 1974
Designer  
Distinctive points  
length (approx) 3500  m 11483  ft 2.175  mi   (7)
length (approx) 4400  m 14436  ft 2.734  mi Later extension (7)
Straight length 900  m 2953  ft 0.559  mi   (7)

Casale Monferrato
Description First season of this circuit was very succesful (17 races, 2151 drivers, 100,000 spectators in 1974), so an extension was proposed. Project was made by Dr. Nosetto: on the same area used by the original track (500,000 m²) he designed circuit with as few armco as possible and surrounded by tribunes, where all the track is visible from. The only problems were about bureaucracy, but it seemed they could be solves easily: works should have begun in January 1975 and finished within the following Summer.
Years 1974
Direction Clockwise   Clockwise
Progetto Proposal Proposal  YES
Proposal not developed YES
Car Circuit YES
Motorbike circuit  
Type Permanent
Inauguration  
Closing  
Last update of this page October 26th 2007
Info last update December 1974
Designer  
Distinctive points  
length (approx) 3800  m 12467  ft 2.361  mi   (14)
Width 12  m 39  ft      (14)

Casale Monferrato
Description People leaving on the closest village, Ponte Stura, complained for noise of the track. In order to reduce it, a track lengthen and some more works on facilities were proposed. This works were never done and circuit was abandoned. I don’t know what is the difference between two layout shown on my maps: are they contemporary or one was drawn before the other?
Years 1976
Direction Clockwise   Clockwise
Progetto Proposal Proposal  YES
Proposal not developed YES
Car Circuit YES
Motorbike circuit  
Type Permanent
Inauguration  
Closing  
Last update of this page October 26th 2007
Info last update November 1976
Designer  
Distinctive points  
length (approx) 4000  m 13123  ft 2.486  mi Approximated length (15)

Casale Monferrato 1973÷1976

Casale Monferrato 1973÷1976

Extension proposed in 1974

Extension proposed in 1974

Extension proposed in 1976

Extension proposed in 1976

Extension proposed in 1976


PHOTOS

Photos by Joyspeed - October 23rd 2007
Click on thumbnail to open original large photo

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470470470470
View above pitsView from pit laneView of piltane in direction of starting lineStart/finish line

5678
470470470470
Race direction buildingPaddock behind pitsView from National Road Asti-VercelliTrack

91011 
470470470 
TrackTrackStraight 


Updates
Date Track layout Years Description by Map by Thanks to Note
September 3rd 2015     Guido de Carli     Update Description
October 30th 2014     Guido de Carli     Update Description
May 20th 2009   1973÷1976 Guido de Carli   Joyspeed Update Photos (on this site)
September 4th 2008     Guido de Carli     Update Description
September 1st 2008     Guido de Carli   bgiuliano New Photos (link)
August 18th 2005     Guido de Carli     Update Description
May 8th 2005     Guido de Carli     Update Description
April 6th 2005   1974 Guido de Carli Guido de Carli   New Description with map
April 6th 2005     Guido de Carli     Update Description
November 6th 2004   1976 Guido de Carli Guido de Carli   New Description with map
November 6th 2004     Guido de Carli     Update Description
April 6th 2004     Guido de Carli Guido de Carli   Update Description with map
October 29th 2003     Guido de Carli     New Photos (link)
Not all eventual updates issued in last years are already visible in this list
 
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