Hall and Spargo back to swapping wins in AHRMA 2024 Vintage Cup at Blackhawk Farms Raceway
(Knoxville, TN) – The 2024 American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) Vintage Cup has boiled down to a cutthroat duel between two players racing two very different motorcycles: Chris Spargo, riding a Yamaha TD2 and Rob Hall on a Seeley 7R.
Rounds 14 and 15 of AHRMA’s 2024 Vintage Cup series, which highlights the 350 GP class, were held August 3 and 4, at Blackhawk Farms Raceway as part of the 2024 Bridgestone Tires AHRMA Roadracing Series.
Hall won handily on Saturday, Spargo, after a close battle, won Sunday.
“If you polled the AHRMA paddock you’d get close to a unanimous tally that Spargo and Hall are two of the favorite AHRMA sons out there, always smiling, always chatting, and have fantastic throttle action as witnessed this weekend,” said Kenny Cummings of NYC Norton. “Some may say these 1960s-era Grand Prix machines should be in a museum, but seeing these bikes put in the fast racing times as they were intended is something to behold. All the 350 GP riders pushing hard weekend-after-weekend have created some legitimate racing excitement throughout the season.”
Sponsored by Hagerty Insurance, Roadracingworld.com, and NYC Norton (nycnorton.com), AHRMA’s 2024 Vintage Cup features the 350 GP class which includes 350cc four-stroke and 250cc two-stroke powered machines built up to and including 1968. Featured bikes from this era would include bikes such as the AJS 7R “Boy Racer”, 350 Manx Norton, Benelli 350-Four, Aermacchi 350 Road Racer, Yamaha TD2, and more.
In Saturday’s race, Hall took the lead from the start, followed by Spargo and David Roper riding his 1970 Harley-Davidson Aermacchi. Roper crashed out during lap one, with Hall, Spargo and Tim Joyce, riding a 1967 Triumph 350 built by Nigel Smallbone, carrying first through third. Hall lead uncontested for the entire race, ending 15 seconds ahead of Spargo who captured second and Joyce rounding out the podium. Craig Light, on his 1973 Bultaco, took fourth.
On Sunday, Spargo got the hole shot, leading Hall through the first lap. Spargo held off Hall through lap six, never more than a few bike lengths between the two of them. Roper pulled up the remaining podium position in third place and Light took fourth.
Greg Tomlinson, 2024 Chairman of the AHRMA Board of Trustees said, “I’m amazed by how competitive the Vintage Cup is this year. Our goal for the Cup is to highlight really cool bikes. This year it’s also highlighting really, really cool racing, which is a win win!”
Rounds 16 and 17 of the AHRMA National Road Race Series will be September 7-8 at Pittsburgh International Race Complex in Wampum, PA.
The annual Vintage Cup spotlights one of AHRMA’s road racing classes with extra attention on competitors in the selected class during each race event. Enhanced awards for the Vintage Cup competitors are presented separately from other class trophies during the Saturday awards ceremony at each AHRMA National Road Race event. Highlights from each Vintage Cup race will be reported in RoadRacingWorld.com’s online edition. At the conclusion of each season, the perpetual Vintage Cup trophy will be engraved with the national champion winner’s name and presented to the winner at the National Awards Banquet to keep for one year.
2024 Bridgestone Tires AHRMA Roadracing Series, 350GP – Vintage Cup Results
Saturday, August 3, 2024
1 – 270 Rob Hall, 1965 AJS 7R, Charlotte, NC
2 – 19 Christopher Spargo, 1967 Yamaha TD2, Hopkins, MN
3 – 309 Tim Joyce, 1967 Triumph 350, Springfield, VT
4 – 79A Craig Light, 1973 Bultaco, Peachtree City, GA
Sunday, August 4, 2024
1 – 19 Christopher Spargo, 1967 Yamaha TD2, Hopkins, MN
2 – 270 Rob Hall, 1965 AJS 7R, Charlotte, NC
3 – 7 David Roper, 1970 Harley-Davidson ERTT, Hicksville, NY
4 – 79A Craig Light, 1973 Bultaco, Peachtree City, GA
5 – 83 Gregg Bonelli, 1968 Suzuki TM250, Robinson, IL
About AHRMA:
The American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to competing on fantastic classic and true vintage along with a wide range of modern motorcycles. With over 3,000 members, AHRMA is the largest vintage racing group in North America and one of the biggest in the world. The association has grown steadily over the years, reflecting the increasing interest in classic bikes.
