photo credit: Kevin McIntosh
500 Premier
An Inside Look at the 2021 AHRMA Featured Vintage Cup Series WORDS BY JOE W. KOURY // PHOTOS BY ETECHPHOTO AND KEVIN M CINTOSH
I
t’s important to consider the significance of ‘Historic’ when the acronym (AHRMA) is unraveled. The American Historic Motorcycle Racing Association is home to some special members and historic motorcycles. There is a difference between vintage and historic, and that’s why AHRMA’s annual Featured Vintage Cup was created, to celebrate some of the most iconic racing motorcycles ever built for roadrace competition. The inaugural Vintage Cup year was 2019 and featured the 350GP class, won by Alex McLean on a 1967 Harley-Davidson Aermacchi Drixton. This year, the 500 Premier class took its turn in the spotlight with over 23 riders competing on at least 15 different brands of motorcycles or variations of these brands. Motorcycles eligible for this class: 1968, and earlier, 500cc four-stroke overhead valve and overhead cam, or 750cc sidevalve machines. The majority are 500cc singles with a few 450cc twins and 350cc singles intermingled. Many consider this to be the Golden Era of roadracing when riders like Geoff Duke, John Surtees, Mike Hailwood and Giacomo Agostini ruled the world championships. It is important to acknowledge and thank the 2021 500 Premier Class Sponsors: Kandy and 12
WWW.AHRMA.ORG
John Snead; Kenny Cummings of NYC Norton (nycnorton.com); Roadracing World (roadracingworld. com). Featured Vintage Cup riders are sprinkled with special perks including enhanced trophies throughout the season, special awards for the series champion, Roadracing World Magazine articles, photos, digital and print coverage, early access to the paddock, racer spotlight features in the AHRMA MAG and the class champion gets their photo on the cover of the AHRMA MAG. Before the weekend at Talladega Gran Prix Raceway, the top four riders had a mathematical shot at the 500 Premier National Championship which is an indication of just how competitive the season has been up to this point. But the championship is not decided by total points. National Series awards are based on a rider’s best finishes in one-half the total number of up to 20 races. Andrew won both rounds at Little Tally with Tim the runner-up both days. Andrew now has a slim 171-point lead in the best of ten finishes for both riders heading into the big finale at Barber Motorsports Park. I smell a showdown. Here are the top five riders:
AMERICAN HISTORIC RACING MOTORCYCLE ASSOCIATION
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021
