The Alfa Romeo Owners Club 2020 National Convention hosted by the Alfa Club of the Rockies was postponed until July 2021.

Along with just about every other organization in the world, AROC has looked for ways to keep our membership engaged with the cancellations and/or postponements of National and Chapter events.

Those ways have consisted of Chapter level Zoom meetings, Detroit Chapter's Zoom tech sessions, posting of those tech sessions on the new AROC YouTube channel, AROC Chapter Presidents Zoom with the AROC Board, and now a new type of virtual event is on the way with the intention for all AROC members to have an opportunity to engage with other members.

The name of the event is COncorso Virtuale Italiano Dell’automobile 2020.  AROC Director Doug Zaitz came up with the title name for the event that kept it related to the COVID-19 virus causing all the schedule changes.  AROC Director John Justus began putting the online car show together along with input from AROC Director Arno Leskinen

AROC National is going to present a web based “virtual not a concours” car show. This will be available for all AROC members who would like to display their Alfa(s) in an online virtual concours setting. AROC members will then be asked to vote on a Winner for each class and a Best of Show overall winner.

The voting will be done online, like our Board of Director elections, and the awards will be presented at the AROC Virtual Convention w/Business Meeting & Board Officer election on July 25. 2020 and the results will also be announced in the September issue of the Alfa Owner.

Alfas through 1995 – 4 classes

• Open class – Spiders, roadsters, GTCs, convertibles
• Closed class – Alfas to 1995 - Closed - Sprints, GTVs, Milanos, Berlinas, Supers, coupes, sedans
• Competition-prepared class – race, rallly
• Preservation class – 1995 or older, semi / non-restored but still driven

Modern - 5 classes

• 8C class – includes coupes and Spiders
• 4C class – includes coupes and Spiders
• Giulia class – includes all levels; base, Ti, Ti Sport, Ti Carbon, Lusso, Quadrifoglio, etc
• Stelvio class – includes all levels: base, Ti, Ti Sport, Ti Carbon, Lusso, Quadrifoglio, etc
• Competition-prepared class – race, rallly

Other - 2 classes

• Commercial class – includes police, taxis, trucks, vans, etc
• With Character class– those with special paint schemes, modifications, or strange locations
  

• One entry per member per class
• Member submitting chooses the class to enter (this will be reviewed by agents of the Event Czars to ensure proper or appropriate class)
• One Photo under 2 MB. It is up to the entrant to determine the content and angle of the photo to best represent their Alfa. Photo-shopped pictures are discouraged.
• No objectionable or obscene photos and no copyrights violations.

Eligibility:
Open to any current AROC member and their immediate family.

Entry Information needed:

• First & Last Names
• AROC Membeship #
• Primary Chapter
• COVID-2020 class you are entering (see Class list above as these are NOT standard AROC concours classes)
• Year, Model, and special edition on the entered Alfa – 40 characters max - Ex: 1978 Spider Nikki Lauda
  
• Comments with information about the Alfa Romeo you are submitting – 75 characters max
• One photo per car and smaller than 2 MB. It is up to the entrant to determine the content and angle of the photo to best represent their Alfa. Preferred photo format is a 4 x 6 photo. Do not post unapproved photos copyrighted by others.

Below you will find answers to questions already asked by AROC members and hopefully this will help you with while entering your Alfa in the COncorso Virtuale Italiano Dell’automobile 2020.

How many photos can I have?

• One photo per car per class.  Several members with multiple Alfas have entered multiple classes.  One Spider went in Open, one Milano went in Closed, one 4C Spider went in 4Cs, and one Giulia Quadrifoglio went in Giulias.

Can I change a photo?

• No, you cannot change a photo, but you can tell us to delete an entry and re-enter that class with a new photo. Send your request to covid-support@aroc-usa.org.

What does Open class contain?

• Any Alfa with a fold down top or no top: Spiders, convertibles. 
• Spiders with removable hardtops are Open. After market sunroofs on Berlinas are not.

What does Closed class contain?

• Any Alfa with a non-removable hardtop. 
• Coupes - include any model with letters “GTV” in the model, Sprints, Jr Zs, TZs, Speciales, Montreals, etc
• Sedans - Berlinas, Supers, Milanos (75s), 164s, etc

What would be in Preservation class?

• Barn finds
• Entries that have visible rust
  
• Body work needed
  
• Alfa Red paint that faded to a whitish pink
• Spiders with fogged rear windows

What is NOT photoshopping?  

• Cropping the porta-a-potty out of the side background
• Resizing the photo so your Alfa is more prominent
  

What is photoshopping?  

• Solarizing the photo
• Making it a chalk photo
  

Check out the Alfa Owner October issue with a jam packed full series of articles about the Cortile Della Corsa 2019 AROC Convention hosted by our Three Rivers Alfisti Club.

Reporting is by Dave Hammond and Bob Abhalter.  In some cases, I've linked back to the convention pages so you can see all of the schedule details in case you don't recall when reading the articles.

By Enrique Zuniga for Alfa Owner magazine
edits and additional details by Bernard Martin

Here's where you will find a list of the DRIVING events that will be going on at the 2019 Alfa Romeo Owners Club Convention.  With a theme entitled "Cortile della Corsa", the "Courtyard of Racing" promises to deliver some unique and memorable driving experiences.

Alfa Romeo is the SPOTLIGHT marque of the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix (PVGP) and Wednesday is the day in which the city of Pittsburgh stops to celebrate this magnificent annual tradition.

The map here depcits the parade route into the city.

Downtown Parade
Downtown Pittsburgh, only 20 miles from the convention hotel, is the place to be on Wednesday! The day begins with a morning Downtown Parade with Alfa Romeos leading the multi-marque event.  No where else in the country has there been an Alfa Romeo parade of cars into a major city with a police escort!  This is a very unique opportunity for only 40 Alfa Romeo's!  For those entering their Alfa, the cost is only $10 per car.

Downtown Car Show
Celebrations continue with the Downtown Car Show, which will have 40 Alfas on display at Point State Park. Point State Park is where the Headwaters of the Ohio River start with the convergence of the Allegheny River from the north and the Monongahela River from the south: It's the "Three Rivers" for which Pittsburgh is famous!

While there, note that this is a great opportunity for a quick visit to Fort Pitt Museum. Your entry payment for the Downtown Car Show display includes entry into the Fort Pitt Museum.

There are three other mixed marque downtown car shows that the PVGP is holding with celebrations at PPG Plaza, Market Square and US Steel Plaza.

Tune Up at Heinz Field
The day culminates with the evening PVGP Tune-Up Party at Heinz Field. Registration for this event has not yet opened so be sure to the check back on the PVGP Website or updates.

All vehicles that are parking in the Car Showcase must be preregistered and can begin to park at 5:00 pm. Enter from General Robinson Street – there are no other entrances. The bars will not open until 5:30 pm and the food will not be served until 6:15 pm but you are welcome to move in starting at 5:00 pm – please do not show up early, the street will not be closed and we are not permitted to block the street until 5:00 pm.

Time Trials
Track Day is always a special for all club members and this year it will take place at the Pittsburgh International Race Complex (PittRace), a 20-minute drive from the convention hotel. The track opens at 7 am and closes at 8 pm, but since it is in an urban area where noise restrictions apply, competitive driving hours are from 8:30 am until 5:30 pm. (Please note that convention plans to have all track activities concluded before 5 pm.) Spectators should note that there is a very comfortable second floor air-conditioned VIP room that overlooks the track below.

Time Trials are open to all cars (race cars, street cars, Alfas and other marques). There will be timed practice sessions in the morning, with the final Time Trial laps taking place in the afternoon. This is a fabulous opportunity to place your car on a fun, 13-turn, 1.6-mile road course, with elevation changes. Drivers arrive early in the morning to set-up their cars and attend the mandatory driver’s meeting. Cars and drivers are classified ahead of the event and placed into groups according to horse power as well as driver experience, but these groups may be adjusted after the first practice laps. Driving a car on a track is just great fun. Drivers may share a car

Autocross
The Autocross is also taking place at the track. It is open to all cars. Taking part in both the TT and the Autocross will not be an issue, even for those sharing a car. This is a traditional autocross, with AROC car classifications. Autocross laps around the cone-marked course take about 60 seconds, mostly in second gear, but are a blast to experience.

For those who have never driven a course or simply wish to learn the basics in a calm, non-intimidating setting we have created a Novice Only Group.  Novices’ times will not be announced and will only be recorded if the driver wishes so.  Experienced drivers will not be allowed in this group.  The Novice Group setting has proven very rewarding for those always wondering about autocross, but unsure about trying it out.

Important: All drivers who sign-up for Time Trials and/or Autocross will be contacted to go over all details regarding AROC car classifications and safety guidelines. Please note that due to the preparation that organizers must complete, drivers must be registered for these events by the first week of June.

Karting
Go-karts may be rented in 10-minute sessions to drive the track’s 0.82-mile circuit. There is a

Parade Laps
As is our tradition, the track will open around noon for all to drive a few laps around the course, but this year we are offering an “Enhanced Experience”.

All drivers and assengers will gather to hear an explanation about the track and how racers typically drive on it.  Attendees will understand what the red and white markings around the curves are for, what is an apex, what is the line, and what is meant when someone says, “you must slow down to go faster”.

Cars will drive the track in pre-arranged groups according to vehicle powerplant and driver experience.  Cars will take their laps following in single file behind a pace car driven by an experienced driver, familiar with the concepts presented.

By Enrique Zuniga

Even as a convention advisor it is not often that one has an opportunity to visit the venues of an upcoming convention, so when I received an invite to attend an evening convention planning meeting late last fall, I did not hesitate… and the visit quickly became an overnight stay at the convention hotel with a preview of what was in the works for our annual AROC gathering.

I fired up the Spider engine at 5am on the day of the meeting, setting off for the six-hour drive from northern NJ to Pittsburgh via the route with the most curves – the one that cuts through the mountains, of course… It’s always a joy to hear the engine purr turn into a roar as the nimble bella macchina cuts through the curves and cold morning air as the sun keeps rising.

Despite the forecasted possible rain that materialized into a full snow for forty-five minutes, I made it on time to the first venue: DoubleTree by Hilton Pittsburgh Cranberry hotel.

Upon exiting the Spider I met my host: convention organizer and Pittsburgh chapter secretary, and 2019 Convention Chairman, Bernie Martin. I had spoken with Bernie many times over the phone and via video conference, but this was the first time we got to shake hands. As we stepped into the hotel lobby, I was taken in by the spacious feel and natural bright light afforded by the modern, totally open, layout.

The lobby, lounge, dining room and bar are completely unobstructed from any view point and the elevator’s glass wall allows for panoramic observation while riding up five stories. As we toured the hotel’s meeting rooms and business facilities, I took note of the gym, as well as an indoor pool and another pool outdoors. My room was impeccable, and my overnight stay would turn out to be most pleasant.

When we exited the hotel, Bernie pointed out that we were only 20 minutes from the second venue on our list: Pittsburgh International Race Complex. This re-modeled site offers perhaps the most comfortable setting we’ve ever had for our traditional Track Day. 

In addition to the expected driver and meeting room facilities we will have access to the air-conditioned VIP area which is often used to host large dinners and gatherings. I can see many of us enjoying a drink in total comfort while watching the competition taking place on the track below.

We will be running on a 1.6 mile course with 13 turns and exiting changes in elevation. As the track manager drove us around the course a few times, with the fun meter revving high, we commented on the opportunity for every AROC convention attendee to drive this course through what I am calling an Enhanced Parade Laps Experience.

Our traditional Autocross will also take place at the track premises. With the largest
paved area for an autocross that I have ever seen at a convention, this is a course
designer’s dream. Seasoned competitors and their cars will have ample staging room.
Furthermore, we will have a low-key staging area for a Novice Only group. As a full
motor sports facility, this complex also has a Go-Kart course. Karting has become very
popular because it is a blast and the course will be open during our Track Day.

The third venue stop was Jergel’s Rhythm Grille. From the onset, an evening at Jergel’s has been an enthusiastic component of the vision for this convention. Upon reading the website description however, “Jergel's Rhythm Grille" offers a unique live music experience in the Pittsburgh area with a 600-person capacity, full restaurant menu, cigar bar and patio!”. 

My vision was that of crowded bar, with loud music that made it impossible to communicate without screaming and appealing only to a very young age group.

Well, I could not have been more wrong. First, the setting is impressive and enormous. The pictures on the web do not do it justice. In the main floor, off to the side, there is a very cool looking and inviting oval bar with comfortable seating for at least 100 people. Yes, I counted!

The well-thought out bar area is not just generously spacious all around, but it does not collide in the least with the stage and main viewing area in front of the stage. In addition to the first floor, there is the even better second floor, which is the one negotiated for our convention. It is accessible via stairs or elevator, as the Jergel’s manager giving us the walk through pointed out.

Our convention will have full and exclusive access to the second floor, which has capacity for 250 people. The second floor has a square opening that overlooks the first floor, including the stage. The opening is built with a ledge for drinks and food and furnished with 60 plus chairs, each of which provide a front row seat to the stage below.

This floor also has an inviting bar, off to the side, with comfortable seating for 45 people. Furthermore, almost an entire wall of the second floor is lined with large booths and there are plenty of tables arranged throughout. I can honestly say that my vision of a crowded room was replaced with the reality of an easy-to-walk-around-and-mingle adult setting. Two-hundred and fifty of us will fit nicely and none of us will have to fight for a chair.

At this point it was clear that Jergel’s has a great setting, good food, drinks and reasonable prices, but I still had to ask about having to scream over music in order to communicate?

As it turns out, Bernie was already several steps ahead of me. The evening reserved for the convention features the music of accomplished musicians "Three Car Garage" who have already been selected and confirmed specifically by our chapter hosts.   We will be on the second floor enjoying a lovely evening, and others not associated to our convention may also enjoy our evening, but from the first floor only.

Last, the main parking lot in front of the entrance has been reserved for Alfa Romeo cars only.

The last venue we visited was the Pittsburgh Golf Club, founded in 1896. The convention will hold a Friday dinner at the Club as well as Car Show and Concours weekend. As expected, the grounds are beautiful, the place is immaculate, and classy with a sophisticated vintage feel. Our Alfas will feel very much at home in such elegant premises.

After a very full day, Bernie and I returned to the convention hotel for a full planning meeting. I got to meet some great AROC members. The majority were from the Pittsburgh chapter, of course, but there were other volunteers from neighboring chapters as well. A lot was discussed, but it is very important to note that while our convention is taking place, the city of Pittsburgh will be hosting the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix, a major charity event which includes two weekends of historic races.

Our host AROC chapter, Three Rivers Alfisti, has been proudly participating heavily in the PVGP event for many years. While our convention is a distinct event, with activities open to AROC members only, the Car Show and Concours weekend will take place within the PVGP setting, which also includes spectating the historic races that take place on that weekend.

Furthermore, Alfa Romeo has been named as one of two featured marques of this year’s PVGP, and therefore AROC convention attendees may register for overlapping activities. All PVGP historic Alfa Romeo racers, AROC members or not, will be staying at the convention hotel.

The following morning, I got into the Spider for the drive back to northern NJ. This time however, hoping to avoid another unpredicted snow storm, I opted for the reliable, albeit boring, interstate highways. The interstates have these wonderful easy-to-read and up-to-the-minute informative electronic boards. As I drove these kept displaying a warning for “POSSIBLE EXTREME WHITE-OUT CONDITIONS”… Thankfully those conditions never materialized, and I was able to think about my Pittsburgh visit and enjoy the notion that we are going to have a great convention!

By Enrique Zuniga

The hotel for the 2019 National Convention is The DoubleTree by Hilton Pittsburgh – Cranberry. The negotiated rate is $119 per night. We cannot emphasize how important it is to book your hotel room early.

The Three Rivers Alfisti convention organizers have arranged for the entire hotel to be Alfa Romeo. All AROC convention attendees, as well as any and all Alfa Romeo vintage racers, and any Alfa VIPs attending activities related to historic racing will be staying at this hotel. All hotel parking lots will be for Alfas. (RVs and trailers are welcome, but please contact the convention in advance.)

It is paramount to realize that the all Alfa hotel is predicated on early bookings. All hotels only make money when their rooms are full, and they will not risk not having their rooms sold out. Hence, they monitor bookings months in advance.

If for whatever reason attendees are not reserving rooms, the hotel will simply market our projected-but- unreserved rooms to other groups or individuals. If an attendee waits too long and cannot book a negotiated-rate reservation, it hurts in two ways:

1. The attendee will have to pay a higher, non-negotiated, rate at the convention hotel or at an alternate hotel, and
   
2. The convention doesn’t get hotel credit for filling the higher-rate room. Hotel credits are important because the hotel provides meeting rooms at a discount and free guest room amenities based on the number of nights that are filled.
   

Make reservations via this link on the Convention website or directly with Hotel
DoubleTree by Hilton
910 Sheraton Drive
Mars, PA 16046
Tel: 1-724-776-6900
Please mention that the group discount is under "Cortile Della Corsa"

“Motor Trend’s judges agreed that the Alfa Romeo Giulia is the new ultimate driving machine,” said Ed Loh, Motor Trend Editor-in-Chief. “Alfa Romeo developed a car that is perhaps the finest handling sedan on the market.”
 
Motor Trend judges evaluated 26 models with 46 variants on three separate courses at a professional automotive test center before finalists are selected. Out of its third-largest field ever – Motor Trend’s judges narrowed the field to eight Car of the Year finalists, including the Alfa Romeo Giulia.
 
Its a great time to be an Alfisti!  Now, Let's see Alfa Romeo back in Formula One!.

Below is the Cover story in the November Issue of "Alfa Owner"  it's the monthly magazine published by the Alfa Romeo Owner's Club.  The article was written by Enrique Zuniga announcing the formation of our chapter, The Three River's Alfisti!!

​Located in the western foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, at the point where the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers meet to form the Ohio Rriver, lies a city well known for its steel history, bridges and sports – and often ranked as one of the best places to live in the world! It’s Pittsburgh, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s largest western city, with a population of over more than 3,000 three hundred thousand and almost two and half2.5 million within the greater metro area. For automobile enthusiasts, it is also a city with a well-established tradition for car events, such as the annual Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix and International Car Show that has been going on for 35 years.

Unsurprisingly, this area is also home to a good number of Aalfisti, who for several decades had hoped to establish a formal Alfa Romeo owners group. While the desire had not materialized, it was not for lack of interest. Locals will relate some of the attempts made over the years, such as the Allegheny Alfisti of the late 1970’s. This was the effort by Howard West, Don Wannagat, Kevin Benzenhoefer and others, to form an Alfa Romeo Owners Club chapter in the Pittsburgh area. Despite holding meetings for several years, a chapter was not formed.

Then, in 2010, invigorated by the 100-year celebration of the Alfa Romeo marque during the Vintage Grand Prix event, local organizers and Alfa enthusiasts, Jim Shaw and Marianne Fenoglietto once again considered the creation of formal Alfa owners group. It would be an AROC chapter in Western Pennsylvania. As Spider owners, they organized driving events,
which brought other enthusiastic Alfa owners together. The idea enjoyed great support, but while the interest never waned and the formation of a chapter was a topic of discussion for several years, formal steps to organize the group were not taken.

In 2016 however, with the establishment of the Ron Lewis Automotive Group as an Alfa Romeo dealer in the Pittsburgh area, the elusive goal was to find a path towards reality. While returning from corporate Alfa Romeo training, during an extended flight delay, the Ron Lewis Sales team found themselves on the airport tarmac with Jim Neville, the Alfa Romeo chairperson for the Pittsburgh Grand Prix Italian “Cortile” Car Show. A few months later, in April, the dealership hosted the area’s 2017 launch event of the Alfa Romeo Giulia. Enveloped by the energy at the event, Jim Neville was joined by Bernard Martin (Cortile event Managing Director), and together they approached the dealership about joining their endeavor of establishing an AROC chapter.

​Their proposal was enthusiastically embraced by Gwen Lewis and Jobie Glessner. The newly formed partnership quickly took concrete steps, with Gwen hosting local Aalfisti meetings at the dealership and contacting AROC National on behalf of the Pittsburgh group. Conversations, meetings and a bit of work took place from April through June, as Jim, Bernard and Gwen took the lead to establish a formal Alfa Owners group in the Pittsburgh area.

Three Rivers Alfisti, a.k.a. Three Rivers AROC, is our newest chapter. It was officially launched during the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix week, at the Cortile Italian Car Show, on Saturday, July 15, 2017.

Jim Neville
President
​Jim is a long-time Alfa enthusiast and owner of an award- winning 1967 Duetto Spider. He is Vice President of Oil and Gas at Equipment & Controls, Inc. in Pittsburgh PA. “It’s perfect timing for the Three Rivers Alfisti to officially kick off at the Cortile Italian Car Show Saturday July 15, 2017,” said Jim Neville, first President of Three Rivers Alfisti, said. “Alfa Romeo’s return to the U.S., and the launch of our new Chapter, present a great opportunity for owners to share their love for these automobiles.”

Gwen Lewis
​Vice President
Gwen is also Vice President of Marketing/Online Operations at the Ron Lewis Automotive Group. Ron Lewis Alfa Romeo is the newest franchise addition to the family-run dealership group. “To celebrate the launch of our Chapter, Ron Lewis Alfa Romeo will subsidize a 1-year Standard membership of any new Alfa Romeo customer betweens July 15, 2017 and -December 31, 2017,” said Gwen Lewis said. “We’re excited to welcome our customers to the joys of Alfa Romeo ownership and to introduce them to a local group who share the same affinity.”

Bernard Martin
Secretary/Webmaster
​Bernie is the Founder and President of Rapid Production Marketing in Pittsburgh. In 2009, Bernie created the Italian Cortile in conjunction with the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix. Owner of a 1988 Alfa Romeo Spider, Bernie completed a 2,890- mile round trip journey to the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance in March 2017 in his Alfa.  “We’re already receiving positive feedback about forming the Three Rivers Alfisti,” said Bernie Martin said. “All the pieces are in place to make this Owner’s Club a success after many years of trying.”