Premier 500 Featured Vintage Cup, Season Wrap-Up

Season Wrap-Up

Premier 500 Featured Vintage CuP

WORDS: JOE W. KOURY

The 2021 AHRMA Featured Vintage Cup Series delivered in a big way for the fans and for Tim Joyce. It was a come-frombehind success story for Tim that came down to the final race at Barber Motorsports Park, but it didn’t come easy. I asked Tim to reflect upon the 2021 Featured Vintage Cup Championship. Tim Joyce, on the 2021 campaign. “The start of the season looked depressing because I had nothing to ride until John Turner purchased the BMW R-50 that arrived just in time for Kansas. I had to sit out several races until then but got lucky and pulled off two wins on the underpowered Beemer thanks to untimely mistakes by other riders. That got our hopes up. Chris Candy returned from a sailing trip and brought out the old Candy Manx I’d had so much success on. The most special moment was wrapping up the title on a bike never raced that Maurice Candy left knowing we might need down the road after his passing. The bike ran flawlessly on Sunday after NYC (New York City Norton) sorted out an ignition issue.” Tony Read was the early points leader with two close wins at Roebling Road Raceway over Wes Orloff. His fortunes would shift into reverse at Carolina Motorsports Park when he was knocked out of the Saturday race in the first turn and had mechanical gremlins on Sunday. Wes Orloff took both victories over Dave Roper with Jerry Duke grabbing third Saturday and Helmi Niederer third on Sunday The series headed west to Streets of Willow with identical finishes in both races there: Andrew Mauk, Jeff Ellings, Allen Siekman. At Willow Springs Raceway Andrew and Jeff would split wins by virtue of Jeff’s familiarity with the track. Andrew caught on quickly after his first trip to Willow and won on Sunday with Siekman third. Tim walked away from Heartland Motorsports Park with two wins aboard the aforementioned John Turner BMW R-50 over Andrew Mauk and Wes Orloff; Sunday’s margin was a scant 1.1 seconds. Wes Orloff found the grass entering the chicane during each race but fought back to two third place finishes. Mauk made it a nail biter on Sunday with a midrace pass of Joyce but couldn’t make it stick at the checkers. Tony Read would grab the victory on Saturday at New Jersey Motorsports Park on Andy Findling’s BSA Gold Star ahead of Brian Larrabure and Helmi Niederer. The following day Tim Joyce would get his championship charge rolling with a win over Read and Niederer on the Candy Manx.

Top-three championship finishers Tim Joyce (309), Andrew Mauk (X95), Tony Read (176)

PHOTO BY ETECHPHOTO.COM

Brian Larrabure (Seely G50) was Saturday’s winner at Laguna Seca over Dave Roper and Helmi Niederer. Andrew Mauk stacked up some valuable points on Sunday with a win over Larrabure and Niederer. Tim’s momentum was further boosted with two wins over Andrew Mauk and Tony Read at Gingerman Raceway followed by two more top podium steps the following weekend at Blackhawk Farms Raceway. But Andrew pulled off two wins at Talladega Gran Prix Raceway when mechanical issues with the Manx slowed Tim’s charge. He finished second on the BMW R-50 with Tony Read third on the Gold Star. This set up the much-anticipated Featured Vintage Cup 500 Premier finale at Barber Motorsports Park with Tim just 171 points behind Andrew Mauk. Tim would have to win both days to claim the title and on Saturday he did just that on the Candy Manx to pull within six points. Tim put a little gap on the pack early on Sunday with Tony Read (’68 BSA 500 single) a surprise second place over Andrew Mauk (Honda CB450) and Wes Orloff (Honda CB450). The Beezer had some pull on the Honda twin out of Charlotte’s Web! Andrew eventually passed Tony on lap six. Joyce cruised his Norton Manx to the win and the Championship followed by Mauk, Orloff and Read. Congrats to Tim and thank you riders (nearly 30 total!) for making this a close and memorable championship series.

Tim on the Candy Manx with bike owner Tim O’Brien on the left. Maurice Candy’s son Chris holding the rear of the bike. Nigel Smallbone under the canopy, Adam Cramer in the background. Tim was a big help to the team from the start driving Maurice around the country as he got older.

PHOTO BY JOE W. KOURY

FINAL POINTS TALLY:

9835 - Tim Joyce 9340 - Andrew Mauk 7815 - Tony Read 7650 - Wes Orloff 5882 - Jerry Duke