Faggioli leads final Italian hillclimb round at Coppa Nissena

The 71st Coppa Nissena hillclimb will decide the Italian Supersalita championship on 13 September, with two race runs over the 5.45 km SS 122 course near Caltanissetta, Sicily. The event also serves as round 14 of the Italian Mountain Speed Championship South and round 8 of the Italian Two-Cylinder Championship, plus a qualifying round for the Sicilian Historic and Modern Car Hillclimb Championship. Racing begins at 09:00, with live coverage from 11:00 on ACI Sport TV (Sky 228, Tivùsat 52).

Simone Faggioli set the fastest time during Friday's reconnaissance runs, clocking 2'02"86 in his Nova Proto NP 01. The Florentine driver, leading the national championship for Best Lap, has raced the Caltanissetta course since 1997. His closest rival, Stefano Di Fulvio from Abruzzo, is making his debut on the circuit and will pilot a turbocharged Nova Proto. Other competitive entries in the top class include Mirko Torsellini (Siena), Franco Caruso and Samuele Cassibba (both Comiso), all on Nova Proto NP 01 machinery.

In the GT categories, Kadija Mourtaji (Macerata) impressed in her Ferrari 296 Super Cup, while Piero Nappi (Naples) showed strong pace in a Porsche 992. The TCR class features Gennaro Manolio (Basilicata) on an Audi RS3LMS DSG, and Selina Prantl (South Tyrol) on a Volkswagen Golf, who needs only a minimal score to secure the DSG class, Ladies Cup and Under 25 Trophy. In the Racing Start categories, Salvatore Guzzetta (Catania) leads the 2000cc naturally aspirated class on a Renault Clio, while a title battle looms in the turbo division between Salvatore Mondino and Antonio Aquila (both Cosenza) in Seat Leon Station Wagons.

Historic racing entries include Orazio Maccarrone (Giarre) on a Gloria C7, Antonio Piazza (Palermo) debuting a rare Osella PA8 in the 3rd Grouping, and Quintino Gianfilippo (Palermo) in an Alfa Romeo Alfetta GT for the 2nd Grouping. The event is organised by the Automobile Club Caltanissetta.