Do you believe that the fastest, most competitive auto racing in history takes place today? If you do, consider that Lewis Hamilton doesn't have to win a brutal thousand-mile race on twisty public roads to be taken seriously.

That's what drivers of yesteryear had to contend with in the Italian Mille Miglia race. A race that was so dangerous and at times so deadly that organizers had to cancel its annual running after only 30 years. A much shorter life span than other famous races.