The 21st Annual Barber Vintage Festival wrapped up at Barber Motorsports Park. A rainy Saturday threatened the road racing action, but weather cleared beautifully for Sunday, October 11, 2026, setting the stage for the highly anticipated Open 2-Stroke Money Race under blue skies, giving a fierce field of 14 entries a dry track.
Organized with the generous support of Rising Sun Cycles, Mojo Racing, 4 Anonymous, San Diego Sash Company, and TZ Mike Studzinski, the race put screaming 125cc lightweight Grand Prix bikes, agile 250cc twin-cylinders, and fire-breathing 500cc-plus monsters on the same tarmac fighting for a $4,700 cash purse. Bridgestone Tires also contributed a fresh set of race tires exclusively for the overall winner.
The race quickly turned into a two-rider duel as Ralph Staropoli on a Honda RS250 and Oliver Hutchinson on a Yamaha TZ250 pulled away. Staropoli put on a charging performance, leading the first four laps. On the 5th lap, Hutchinson made a competitive pass going into the iconic Museum Turn to snatch the lead.
Yamaha TZ250, belonging to Oliver Hutchinson (1st place in 250cc)
Honda RS125, belonging to Nobi Iso (1st place in 125cc). Photo by Alberto Gonzalez.
The battle went down to the wire. The two went tire-to-tire down the front straightaway into turn one on the final lap. Deep in the draft air, Staropoli got caught and went wide, giving Hutchinson an opening. Coming into Charlotte’s Web, Hutchinson ran wide too, but Staropoli couldn’t close the gap. Hutchinson held his advantage to win by 20 bike lengths, with Staropoli crossing behind him in a well-fought second place.
The successful transition from a soggy Saturday grid to a blistering, dry Sunday showdown ensured that the 21st edition of the Barber Vintage Festival concluded on the highest possible note, keeping the spirit of classic Grand Prix motorcycle racing fast, loud, and alive.
“Another successful open two-stroke race for 2026. I would like to give a big thanks to all the sponsors who contributed to the purse for this race. I would also like to thank all the riders for coming out to participate. Looking forward to next year to continue the tradition and increase the purse for the race and the number of riders,” said Ralph Staropoli, coordinator of AHRMA’s 2026 Open 2-Stroke purse race.
About Rising Sun Cycles:
Rising Sun Cycles have been importers of new and used Yamaha and Honda Grand Prix road-racing motorcycles and replacement parts and accessories since 1997. They possess a rock-solid reputation of providing fast shipping, support, and satisfaction and pride themselves on giving their customers the best service available, the best parts and accessories, and a staff that understands all aspects of our business.
About Mojo Yamaha:
Mojo Yamaha is a motorcycle racing team focused on classic Yamahas. The team runs monster Formula One racers based on the Yamaha FJ1100 engine pushed out to nearly 1300cc by Larry Cook Racing, as well as the legendary 2-stroke, the Yamaha TZ750. All bikes are housed in frames produced by the renown builder Denis Curtis at CMR Racing. Josh Hayes and Mojo Yamaha won Race 4 of the International Challenge the Phillip Island Classic in 2019.
About Bridgestone:
Bridgestone Tires offers tires for all types of motorcycles including road and off road racing.
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 nearly 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.
