Hall sweeps AHRMA 2024 Vintage Cup at New Jersey Motorsports Park
(Knoxville, TN) Old bikes plus new pavement added up to fast and exciting racing at New Jersey Motorsports Park.
Rounds 10 and 11 of AHRMA’s 2024 Vintage Cup series, which highlights its 350 GP class, were held June 22 and 23, at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, NJ as part of the 2024 Bridgestone Tires AHRMA Roadracing Series.
Rob Hall, aboard a 1965 AJS 7R won both days while a veritable talent show of bikes and racers tried to chase him down.
“An old racer friend used to say to me, ‘It’s gonna be hot and hazy, fast and crazy.’ Going into the 350GP Vintage Cup at NJMP this past weekend was no exception. With temps in the mid-90s and new, black tarmac, we had some heavyweights heading into quite a heated points battle under the sun,” said Kenny Cummings of NYC Norton.
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 Alex McLean, on Rob McKeever’s 1967 Drixton-framed Aermacchi took the hole shot into turn one with Hall in second. Hall overtook McLean in turn four, and was able to maintain and increase his lead, taking the checkered flag unchallenged. McLean was second, with Christopher Spargo, who was aboard a two-stroke 1967 Yamaha TD2, third.
The balance of the grid in order of finish included: David Roper riding a Team Obsolete John Surtees Special 1960 AJS 7R, Vincent Barbone on a 1967 Kawasaki A1, and Brian Larrabure on 1967 Harley-Davidson Aermacchi Ala D’Oro.
On Sunday, McLean repeated his strong start and led into the first turn with Hall in close pursuit. Hall passed McLean halfway through lap one but was unable to increase his lead. McLean overtook Hall at the end of the front straight, leading into turn one but Hall again took the lead on lap two. Hall increased his lead to take the win unchallenged with McLean second and Spargo third.
The rest of the racers, in order of finish, was Larrabure, Borbone, and Roper riding his 1970 Harley-Davidson ERTT.
“Rob Hall has really gelled with the Seeley, and Alex McLean knows how to get that Drixton through the corners, while Chris Spargo is always threatening on that peaky Yamaha, so it was anyone’s race to lose this weekend,” Cummings said. “Hall managed the double and thus cemented him as the guy to beat now that we’re midway through this exciting 2024 season.”
Greg Tomlinson, 2024 Chairman of the AHRMA Board of Trustees said, “I’m stoked at the bikes that are on the track for our Vintage Cup this year and double-stoked that we have some super-fast racers who can really show them off.”
Rounds 12 and 13 of the AHRMA National Road Race Series will be July 19-20 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Salinas, CA.
“We’ll be enjoying the California sun next at Laguna Seca. I’m anxious to see how this points chase unfolds as the season progresses,” Cummings said.
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, June 22, 2024
1 – 270 Rob Hall, 1965 AJS 7R, Charlotte, NC
2 – 122 Alex McLean, 1967 Harley-Davidson Aermacchi Drixton, Jacksonville Beach, FL
3 – 19 Christopher Spargo, 1967 Yamaha TD2, Hopkins, MN
4 – 7 David Roper, John Surtees Special 1960 AJS 7R, Hicksville, NY
5 – 860 Vincent Borbone, 1967 Kawasaki A1, Hampstead, NH
6 – 14 Brian Larrabure, 1967 Harley-Davidson Aermacchi Ala D’Oro, Calabasas, CA
Sunday, June 23, 2024
1 – 270 Rob Hall, 1965 AJS 7R, Charlotte, NC
2 – 122 Alex McLean, 1967 Harley-Davidson Aermacchi Drixton, Jacksonville Beach, FL
3 – 19 Christopher Spargo, 1967 Yamaha TD2, Hopkins, MN
4 – 14 Brian Larrabure, 1967 Harley-Davidson Aermacchi Ala D’Oro, Calabasas, CA
5 – 860 Vincent Borbone, 1967 Kawasaki A1, Hampstead, NH
6 – 7 David Roper, 1970 Harley-Davidson ERTT, Hicksville, NY
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.
