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|---|---|
| Location | Birmingham, Alabama, USA |
| Owner | Barber Motorsports |
| Operator | ZOOM Motorsports |
| Opened | 2003 |
| Architect | Alan Wilson |
| Major events | IRL IndyCar Series (from 2010) Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series AMA Superbike Championship |
| Road course | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Circuit length | 2.3 mi (3.7 km) |
| Turns | 15 |
| Lap record | 1:20.613 (Max Papis, Chip Ganassi Racing, 2004, Daytona Prototype) |
The Barber Motorsports Park is a large multi-purpose racing facility on a 740-acre (300 ha) site in Birmingham, Alabama, USA, located on the eastern fringes of the city, near Leeds. In July 2009 officials announced that Barber will be the site of the IRL IndyCar Series Grand Prix of Alabama beginning in the 2010 season.[1][2]
Contents |
Track
The park, which opened in 2003, features a 16-turn 2.3-mile (3.7 km) road course, designed by Alan Wilson, viewable from several naturally wooded or grass-covered banks.
The track has hosted numerous motorsport races including Grand-Am, Vintage Racing Series events, and AMA Superbike. It serves as the home of the "Porsche Driving Experience" and the Kevin Schwantz Suzuki School. It also hosts the Keith Code California Superbike School and the Jamie James Yamaha Champions Riding School.
On October 12, 2007, the IRL's IndyCar Series conducted an open test at Barber.[3] In March 2009, the IRL again conducted testing at the track, one of only two preseason test sites prior to the 2009 season.[4] It has been confirmed that a three year contract has been signed for an early season race beginning in 2010. The race will be held in lieu of the Detroit race on April 11th, 2009.
Sculpture
The infield of the track is adorned with a number of large sculptures, including a series of large steel spiders and dragonflies, a pair of lions and a sisyphean figure pushing a boulder.
Museum
George Barber had a serious interest in vintage motorcycles.[5] He recognized that there was no museum that reflects the history of motorcycles around the world. He wanted to preserve motorcycle history in the United States in a way that represents an international aspect and to supply an example of motorcycles that until then could only have been seen in books and magazines.
The Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum began life in 1988 as a private collection of George W. Barber.[6] However, in 1994 it officially opened to the public in Birmingham, Alabama. The Museum was relocated to its new location at the Barber Motorsports Park, Leeds, Alabama, on September 19, 2003.
The Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum features a collection of over 900 vintage and modern motorcycles and racecars. It is considered the largest motorsports museum in the world.[7] The racecars includes Lotus and other international race cruisers. The internationally acclaimed motorcycle collection includes bikes dating from 1904 to present production. There are bikes from 16 countries that represent over 140 different marques from as far away as Australia, New Zealand, and Sweden.
Track records
| Driver | Time | Avg. Speed | Date | Vehicle | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Official | Max Papis | 1 min 20.613 sec | 102.713 miles per hour (165.301 km/h) | 9 October 2004 | Riley-Lexus Daytona Prototype |
| Unofficial | Will Power | 1 min 9.4557 sec | 119.213 miles per hour (191.855 km/h) | 23 March 2009 | Dallara-Honda IndyCar |
| Motorcycle (official) |
Mat Mladin | 1 min 25.047 sec | 97.358 miles per hour (156.683 km/h) | April, 2005 | Suzuki GSX-R1000 |
References
- ^ Tomberlin, Michael (July 26, 2009). "Indy Car race coming to Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama". The Birmingham News.
- ^ "Welcome, Alabama". indycar.com (IndyCar Series). 2009-07-27. http://www.indycar.com/news/?story_id=14737. Retrieved 2009-07-27.
- ^ "Star drivers to test at Barber". The Birmingham News. 2007-10-02. http://www.al.com/sports/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/sports/1191313223257540.xml&coll=2. Retrieved 2007-10-17.
- ^ "Alabama track gets test-run from IndyCar drivers". International Herald Tribune. 2009-03-23. http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2009/03/23/sports/CAR-IRL-Test.php. Retrieved 2009-03-23.
- ^ Ric Anderson and Richard Backus (Premier Issue). "Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum". Motorcycle Classics. http://www.motorcycleclassics.com/touring/destination/barber-vintage-motorsports-museum.aspx. Retrieved 2009-08-24.
- ^ "George’s private collection". 1tail Resource Database. http://1tail.com/sa/event_organization.htm?g={086A9446-E0C8-410B-8C5F-A74620C5FD29}. Retrieved 2009-09-29.
- ^ Barber Museum
External links
- http://www.barbermotorsports.com/
- http://www.barbermuseum.org/
- Coordinates: 33°31′57″N 86°37′08″W / 33.532500°N 86.618889°W
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