Vinaccia wins Salerno-Croce di Cava hillclimb finale

Luigi Vinaccia took the top step of the podium at the 39th Salerno-Croce di Cava hillclimb, the closing event of the Italian National Absolute Slalom Championship. Driving an Osella PA 6/9 2000 Honda in the colours of Scuderia Venanzio, Vinaccia set a winning time of 2'24"38 over the 3,500-metre course in the second run.

"I'm delighted with this victory," Vinaccia said after the demanding competition. "I had a perfect car at my disposal today and felt I could push hard to achieve an important result that crowns a season in which I've always been among the leading contenders. Given the competition, it was neither easy nor certain."

Gianluca Miccio, who had won the previous day's Monte Faito hillclimb, narrowly missed the podium after incurring a 20-point penalty for clipping two gates in the third run while driving a Radical SR4 Suzuki.

The championship round also decided several national titles. Giuseppe Esposito finished 11th overall but secured his fourth consecutive Italian Kart Cross Group KC championship, piloting a SpeedCar Xtream Evo Suzuki. His teammate Salvatore Venanzio, the 2026 Italian National Absolute Slalom Champion, finished second in the kart cross group after deliberately competing in that category to support Esposito's title bid.

Other national champions crowned at the event included Carlo Romano, who won the Racing Start Plus Group title on a Peugeot 106 Rallye with Scuderia Vesuvio, and "King Dragon," who claimed another Racing Start Group title in a Mini Cooper. Antonio Ruocco, driving a Radical SR4 Suzuki for Scuderia Venanzio, took the Under 23 national championship.

Scuderia Venanzio also secured the national team title. "Vinaccia's victory once again confirms the calibre of an outstanding champion, always a reference point for Neapolitan motorsport," said Antonio Coppola, president of the Automobile Club Napoli. "It is deeply satisfying to see that alongside drivers of his experience, a new generation is emerging capable of asserting itself at national level. The many national titles won this season testify to the quality of our drivers and teams."