Barber Motorsports Park

Coordinates: 33°31′57″N 86°37′08″W / 33.53250°N 86.61889°W / 33.53250; -86.61889
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Barber Motorsports Park

LocationBirmingham, Alabama, USA
Time zoneUTC-6 (UTC-5 DST)
Coordinates33°31′57″N 86°37′08″W / 33.53250°N 86.61889°W / 33.53250; -86.61889
FIA Grade2
OwnerBarber Motorsports
OperatorZOOM Motorsports
Broke ground2002
Opened2003
ArchitectAlan Wilson
Major eventsCurrent:
IndyCar Series
Indy Grand Prix of Alabama
(2010–2019, 2021–present)
MotoAmerica
Championship of Alabama
(2015–present)
Atlantic Championship (2021–2022)
Former:
FR Americas (2019–2020)
IMSA Prototype Challenge (2017–2018)
Pirelli World Challenge (2014–2016)
Rolex Sports Car Series
Porsche 250 (2003–2013)
AMA Superbike Championship
Championship of Alabama
(2003–2014)
Websitehttp://www.barbermotorsports.com/
Full Circuit (2003–present)
SurfaceAsphalt
Length2.366 miles (3.808 km)
Turns16
Race lap record1:06.8182 (Mexico Patricio O'Ward, Dallara DW12, 2021, IndyCar)

Barber Motorsports Park is an 880 acres (360 ha) multi-purpose racing facility located in Birmingham, Alabama. It was built by George W. Barber, and includes the 230,000-square-foot (21,000 m2) Barber Vintage Motorsport Museum.[1] It has been the site of the IndyCar Series' Grand Prix of Alabama since 2010.[2][3] The Annual Barber Vintage Festival has taken place at the park each October since 2005. Barber Motorsports Park is also the home of the Porsche Track Experience.[4]

Barber Motorsports Park is classified as an FIA Grade Two circuit.[5]

Track

Aerial view of the circuit

The park, which opened in 2003, has a 16-turn, 2.366 mi (3.808 km) road course, designed by Alan Wilson. The track is 45 ft (14 m) wide and is designed to be run clockwise. The layout is compact, with elevation changes of more than 80 ft (24 m).

The pit lane is to the outside of the track, parallel to the front stretch. Two cutoff turns, which are barricaded when not in use, allow the track to be shortened for testing sessions or promoter events.

The area outside of the front stretch, bounded by the track on three sides, is occupied by the multi-level paddock. A building along the front straightaway, between start/finish and Turn 1, houses a media center, a race control area, track offices, garages, and some VIP viewing areas.

The track does not have permanent grandstands. The main spectator area is along the back stretch, between turns 8 and 11; here spectators can watch from embankments, or from temporary grandstands erected for race weekends. From this area, most of the course, except for Turns 2, 3, and 13, is visible. A food and souvenir vending area is located in the vicinity of turns 9/10. Additional spectator areas are outside of Turns 2, 3, and 14. An event-related RV park and camping area is located atop a hill behind the paddock. There is generally no spectator access to the infield. However, an entryway underneath the course at Turn 12 allows emergency and maintenance vehicles to access the infield area.

The track has hosted numerous motorsport races including the IndyCar Series, Grand-Am, Vintage Racing Series events, American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) racing, and MotoAmerica. It serves as the home of the Porsche Track Experience. It has hosted the Keith Code California Superbike School and the Yamaha Champions Riding School. Barber is noted for its landscaping and greenery; the track has been referred to as "The Augusta National of Motorsports".[6]

The IndyCar Series had tests at Barber in 2007 and 2009.[7][8]

The track had also been nominated by the FIA as the official test track for the now-closed down US F1 Team.[9]

Barber Proving Ground

The 14 acres (5.7 ha) Barber Proving Ground opened in 2014 to serve as an additional test facility for the Barber Museum. The configurable track and adjacent 150-foot-by-350-foot wet/dry skid pad are used for a variety of purposes, including defensive driver training, safety instruction, product debuts, and vehicle testing.

Located on the hill overlooking the proving ground is a two-level, 9,800-square-foot (910 m2) building that provides rental space for meetings, luncheons, product introductions, and seminars.

Two multi-use garage units totaling 16,800 square foot (1,560 m2) also stand in the vicinity of the Barber Proving Grounds. The garages support the Porsche Track Experience, Mercedes-Benz USA Brand Immersion Program, promoters’ events, and other programs in the park.

Vehicle Off-Road Courses

Vintage Motocross: Barber Motorsports Park has a 0.7-mile (1.1 km) vintage motocross course. The inaugural event on the motocross took place during the 11th Annual Barber Vintage Festival with AHRMA presenting vintage motorcycle racing. Other uses of the motocross include product introductions by off-road vehicle manufacturers.

Vehicle Off-Road Course: The vehicle off-road course consists of approximately seven miles of trails confined to a 50 acres (20 ha) site adjoining the Barber Proving Ground. It can be configured into different layouts and is also multi-directional. The trails have varying terrain and provide moderate-to-extreme elevation conditions. Natural features such as water, rock, and bridge crossings have been incorporated into the trail system.

Obstacle Course: Consisting of unique obstacles for off-road vehicles and ATVs, the obstacle course is a natural trail consisting of a loop with nine features. These features are a railroad crossing, a concrete course with potholes, a 45-degree off-camber trail, a 15-degree concrete slope with three sets of rollers, a switchback, a 150 ft (46 m) “rock crawl,” an articulation, a water crossing with adjustable water level, and 20 ft (6.1 m) of concrete stairs that are 10 ft (3.0 m) wide. There is an observation deck bordering the obstacle course for people to view the course below.

Seasonal activities

Garden club park tours take place at Barber Motorsports Park year-round and utilize an open-air tram and tour guide. The tour, which is free for garden groups, starts off in front of the Barber Museum. The garden tours feature the park’s various plant collections, such as the 17 cloned Hightower Willow Oaks, which only exist in two places other than Barber Motorsports Park.

Sculpture

The infield of the track has a number of large sculptures, including a series of large steel spiders and dragonflies created by artist Bill Secunda, a pair of lions, and a sisyphean figure pushing a boulder. The Turns 5 & 6 complex is referred to as Charlotte's Web because of the presence of a large spider sculpture prominently placed in the infield near the turn and because it is one of the track's prime passing opportunities.[10]

Barber Motorsports Park features five large steel gates fabricated by Branko Medenica that bear motorsports and wildlife themes. A functional kinetic, wind-powered sculpture created by artist Edward Lee Hendricks is located nearby a pond along the track's perimeter road. Another art commission by Hendricks is located at the nearby Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport. Standing in front of the Barber Museum are three stainless steel monuments by sculptor Theodore Gall, called The Chase. The Gall installation took over a year to create and collectively weighs close to five tons.

Barber Vintage Motorsport Museum

Barber Vintage Motorsport Museum logo
Barber Museum, Birmingham, Alabama
Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum

George Barber had a serious interest in vintage motorcycles and recognized that there was no museum that reflects the history of motorcycles around the world.[11] He wanted to preserve motorcycle history in the United States in a way that represents an international aspect and to supply examples of motorcycles that until then could only have been seen in books and magazines.

The Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum began in 1988 as Barber's private collection.[12] However, in 1994, he established the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. It opened to the public in its original Southside Birmingham, Alabama location in 1995 (29 years ago) (1995). In 1997 the Barber Museum sent 21 motorcycles to New York's Guggenheim Museum for exhibit in The Art of the Motorcycle; the exhibit also traveled to Chicago and the Guggenheim Museum Bilboa. After the success of The Art of the Motorcycle, Barber set out to create a unique facility complete with a track. In designing the complex, Barber consulted with world champion racers John Surtees and Dan Gurney. In 2003, the Barber Museum was relocated to its permanent home in Barber Motorsports Park.

The museum contains more than 1,600 vintage and modern motorcycles and racing cars. It is considered the largest motorcycle museum in the world,[13] as well as the largest collection of Lotus race cars.[14] The motorcycle collection includes bikes dating from 1904 to present production. More than 900 motorcycles are on display. They come from 16 countries and represent over 140 different marques from as far away from the US as Australia, New Zealand, and Sweden.

Motorcycle stack display in Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum

Track records

The fastest official race lap records on the Barber Motorsports Park are listed as:

Category Time Driver Vehicle Date
Full Circuit: 3.808 km (2003–present)
IndyCar 1:06.8182 Patricio O'Ward Dallara DW12 2021 Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama
Indy Lights 1:12.7718[15] Toby Sowery Dallara IL-15 2021 Indy Lights Grand Prix of Barber Motorsports Park
Indy Pro 2000 1:16.6098[16] Christian Rasmussen Tatuus PM-18 2021 Indy Pro 2000 Grand Prix of Barber Motorsports Park
Formula Atlantic 1:18.095[17] Larry Howard Swift 016.a 2022 Barber Atlantic Championship round
Formula Regional 1:18.916[18] Linus Lundqvist Ligier JS F3 2020 Barber FR Americas round
DP 1:20.044[19] Brendon Hartley Riley MkXXVI 2013 Barber Grand-Am round
LMP3 1:21.484[20] Yann Clairay Ligier JS P3 2018 Barber IMSA Prototype Challenge round
US F2000 1:21.5837[21] Nolan Siegel Tatuus USF-17 2021 Cooper Tires USF2000 Grand Prix of Barber Motorsports Park
Mazda Prototype Challenge 1:22.754[22] Kyle Masson Élan DP02 2017 Barber IMSA Prototype Challenge round
MotoAmerica (Superbike) 1:22.917[23] Jake Gagne Yamaha YZF-R1 2022 MotoAmerica Superbikes at Alabama
MotoAmerica (Stock 1000) 1:24.691[24] Hayden Gillim Suzuki GSX-R1000 2022 MotoAmerica Superbikes at Alabama
MotoAmerica (Supersport) 1:26.651[25] Richie Escalante Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R 2020 MotoAmerica Superbikes at Alabama
Porsche Carrera Cup 1:27.012[26] David Kolkmann Porsche 911 (991) GT3 Cup 2018 Barber Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA round
USF Juniors 1:27.354[27] Mac Clark Ligier JS F4 2022 Andersen Interior Contracting Grand Prix of Alabama
Formula 4 1:27.882[28] Hunter Yeany Crawford F4-16 2020 Barber F4 United States round
North America Talent Cup 1:39.628[29] Chris Clark Aprilia RS250SP2 2022 Barber North America Talent Cup round

References

  1. ^ "Barber Motorsports Museum". Retrieved 9 November 2021.
  2. ^ Tomberlin, Michael (26 July 2009). "Indy Car race coming to Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama". The Birmingham News.
  3. ^ "Welcome, Alabama". indycar.com. IndyCar Series. 27 July 2009. Retrieved 27 July 2009.
  4. ^ "Porsche Track Experience". www.porschedriving.com. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
  5. ^ "List of FIA licensed circuits" (Press release). Federation Internationale de l'Automobile. 14 December 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
  6. ^ Demmons, Doug (9 September 2010). "Barber Motorsports Park announces title sponsor deal with Honda". Birmingham News. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
  7. ^ "Star drivers to test at Barber". The Birmingham News. 2 October 2007. Retrieved 17 October 2007.
  8. ^ "Alabama track gets test-run from IndyCar drivers". International Herald Tribune. 23 March 2009. Retrieved 23 March 2009.
  9. ^ "US F1 car to make Alabama debut". autosport.com. 8 January 2010. Archived from the original on 11 January 2010. Retrieved 8 January 2010.
  10. ^ Estrada, Chris (7 April 2013). "What to watch for: IndyCar at Barber". NBC Sports. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
  11. ^ Ric Anderson and Richard Backus. "Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum". Motorcycle Classics. Retrieved 24 August 2009.
  12. ^ "George's private collection". 1tail Resource Database. Retrieved 29 September 2009.[permanent dead link]
  13. ^ "Barber's motorcycle museum now certified by Guinness as world's largest". MotorSportsTalk.
  14. ^ About Us[better source needed] Archived July 29, 2010, at the Wayback Machine, Barber Museum website
  15. ^ "2021 Indy Lights Barber Motorsports Park Session Facts". Retrieved 16 May 2021.
  16. ^ "2021 Indy Pro 2000 Championship Barber Motorsports Park Session Facts". Retrieved 16 May 2021.
  17. ^ "FRP AT BARBER with HISTORICS 2022 Atlantic/F1000 Championship Series Provisional Race 1 Results" (PDF). Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  18. ^ "2020 Barber Motorsports Park - Round 7 Official Race Result" (PDF). Retrieved 16 May 2021.
  19. ^ "2013 Barber Grand-Am". Retrieved 19 June 2022.
  20. ^ "IMSA PC Barber 2018". Retrieved 16 May 2021.
  21. ^ "2021 USF2000 National Championship Barber Motorsports Park Session Facts". Retrieved 16 May 2021.
  22. ^ "IMSA Prototype Challenge Barber 2017". Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  23. ^ "2022 MotoAmerica Superbikes at Alabama Medallia Superbike Race 1" (PDF). Retrieved 9 October 2022.
  24. ^ "2022 MotoAmerica Superbikes at Alabama YUASA Stock 1000 Race 1" (PDF). Retrieved 9 October 2022.
  25. ^ "2020 MotoAmerica Superbikes at Alabama Supersport Race 2 Results" (PDF). Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  26. ^ "2018 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Grand Prix of Alabama Race 2 Result" (PDF). Retrieved 16 May 2021.
  27. ^ "2022 Barber USF Juniors Statistics". Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  28. ^ "2020 Formula 4 United States Championship Round 8 Final Results" (PDF). Retrieved 16 May 2021.
  29. ^ "2022 Motoamerica Superbikes at Alabama North America Talent Cup Race 1" (PDF). Retrieved 24 October 2022.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Barber Motorsports Park.
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