The Salerno Circuit and the growth of the city in the years of the economic miracle (1953-1960)

In the 1950s, the south Italian city of Salerno was recovering from the destruction of the war. The number of inhabitants was increasing and, thanks to the economic miracle, lifestyles were changing. Sport played a significant role in the social-cultural evolution and in the construction of the city’s identity. Motor racing, in particular, was a symbol of modernization and wealth. From 1953 Salerno hosted an important road race, which had a significant impact on citizens, for whom it signified the emergence of a new, more prosperous Italy to which they belonged. Though the race itself was very short-lived – it was not contested after a tragic accident in 1960 – it had achieved a particular symbolic significance for Salerno and its citizens. As such the Salerno Circuit, despite its brief history, exemplifies the strategic role that sport, in this instance motor racing, often plays in cultural politics generally and the promotion of civic identity in particular.