Barber Motorsports Park is an multi-purpose racing facility located in
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham ( ) is a city in the north central region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Birmingham is the seat of Jefferson County, Alabama's most populous county. As of the 2021 census estimates, Birmingham had a population of 197,575, down 1% fr ...
. It was built by
George W. Barber
George may refer to:
People
* George (given name)
* George (surname)
* George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George
* George Washington, First President of the United States
* George W. Bush, 43rd Preside ...
, and includes the Barber Vintage Motorsport Museum.
It has been the site of the
IndyCar Series
The IndyCar Series, currently known as the NTT IndyCar Series under sponsorship, is the highest class of regional North American open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars in the United States, which has been conducted under the auspices of ...
'
Grand Prix of Alabama since
2010
File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...
. Th
Annual Barber Vintage Festivalhas taken place at the park each October since 2005. Barber Motorsports Park is also the home of the Porsche Track Experience.
Barber Motorsports Park is classified as an
FIA
FIA is the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (English: International Automobile Federation), the world's governing body for all forms of motor sport where four or more wheels are used.
Fia or FIA may also refer to: People
* Fia Backst ...
Grade Two circuit.
Track
![Barber Motorsports Park Aerial (34804699780)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/30/Barber_Motorsports_Park_Aerial_%2834804699780%29.jpg)
The park, which opened in 2003, has a 16-turn,
road course
Road racing is a form of motorsport racing held on a paved road surface. The races can be held either on a closed circuit or on a street circuit utilizing temporarily closed public roads. Originally, road races were held almost entirely on publ ...
, designed by
Alan Wilson. The track is wide and is designed to be run clockwise. The layout is compact, with elevation changes of more than .
The
pit lane
In motorsports, a pit stop is a pause for refuelling, new tyres, repairs, mechanical adjustments, a driver change, as a penalty, or any combination of the above. These stops occur in an area called the pits, most commonly accessed via a pit lan ...
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
INDYCAR, LLC, is an American-based auto racing sanctioning body for Indy car racing and other disciplines of open wheel car racing. The organization sanctions five racing series: the premier IndyCar Series with its centerpiece the Indianapolis ...
Series,
Grand-Am
Grand-Am Road Racing or Grand-Am was an auto racing sanctioning body that was established in 1999 to organize road racing competitions in North America. Its primary focus was the Rolex Sports Car Series, an endurance racing championship series. ...
, Vintage Racing Series events, American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (
AHRMA
AHRMA (American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving, restoring and competing on historic motorcycles. With over 3000 members, AHRMA is the leading vintage motorcycle racing group in Nort ...
) racing, and
MotoAmerica
MotoAmerica is the organization that promotes the AMA Superbike Series since 2015. Sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) and the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM), it features six classes of road racing: S ...
. It serves as the home of th
Porsche Track Experience It has hosted the
Keith Code
Keith Code is an American former motorcycle racer,
writer, and founder of the California Superbike School.
He has been called "arguably the best known and most successful on-track motorcycle instructor in the world".
Rider training
Code founded ...
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
Augusta National Golf Club, sometimes referred to as Augusta or the National, is a golf club in Augusta, Georgia, United States. Unlike most private clubs which operate as non-profits, Augusta National is a for-profit corporation, and it does no ...
of Motorsports".
The
IndyCar Series
The IndyCar Series, currently known as the NTT IndyCar Series under sponsorship, is the highest class of regional North American open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars in the United States, which has been conducted under the auspices of ...
had tests at Barber in 2007 and 2009.
The track had also been nominated by the
FIA
FIA is the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (English: International Automobile Federation), the world's governing body for all forms of motor sport where four or more wheels are used.
Fia or FIA may also refer to: People
* Fia Backst ...
as the official test track for the now-closed down
US F1 Team
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
.
Barber Proving Ground
The 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, building that provides rental space for meetings, luncheons, product introductions, and seminars.
Two multi-use garage units totaling 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 vintage
motocross
Motocross is a form of off-road motorcycle racing held on enclosed off-road circuits. The sport evolved from motorcycle trials competitions held in the United Kingdom.
History
Motocross first evolved in Britain from motorcycle trials competi ...
course. The inaugural event on the motocross took place during the 11th Annual Barber Vintage Festival with
AHRMA
AHRMA (American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving, restoring and competing on historic motorcycles. With over 3000 members, AHRMA is the leading vintage motorcycle racing group in Nort ...
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 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 “rock crawl,” an articulation, a water crossing with adjustable water level, and of concrete stairs that are 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
spider
Spiders ( order Araneae) are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, chelicerae with fangs generally able to inject venom, and spinnerets that extrude silk. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species ...
s and
dragonflies
A dragonfly is a flying insect belonging to the infraorder Anisoptera below the order Odonata. About 3,000 extant species of true dragonfly are known. Most are tropical, with fewer species in temperate regions. Loss of wetland habitat threa ...
created by artis
Bill Secunda a pair of
lion
The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large Felidae, cat of the genus ''Panthera'' native to Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; short, rounded head; round ears; and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. It is sexually dimorphi ...
s, and a
sisyphean
In Greek mythology, Sisyphus or Sisyphos (; Ancient Greek: Σίσυφος ''Sísyphos'') was the founder and king of Ephyra (now known as Corinth). Hades punished him for cheating death twice by forcing him to roll an immense boulder up a hill ...
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.
Barber Motorsports Park features five large steel gates fabricated b
Branko Medenicathat bear motorsports and wildlife themes. A functional
kinetic
Kinetic (Ancient Greek: κίνησις “kinesis”, movement or to move) may refer to:
* Kinetic theory of gases, Kinetic theory, describing a gas as particles in random motion
* Kinetic energy, the energy of an object that it possesses due to i ...
, wind-powered sculpture created by artis
Edward Lee Hendricksis 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 sculpto
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](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/32/Barber_Vintage_Motorsport_Museum_logo.svg)
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. 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. 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 . In 1997 the Barber Museum sent 21 motorcycles to New York's
Guggenheim Museum
The Guggenheim Museums are a group of museums in different parts of the world established (or proposed to be established) by the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation.
Museums in this group include:
Locations
Americas
* The Solomon R. Guggenhei ...
for exhibit in
The Art of the Motorcycle
The Art of the Motorcycle was an exhibition that presented 114 motorcycles chosen for their historic importance or design excellenceSawetz. "The Art of the Motorcycle is curated by Thomas Krens, Director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, ...
; 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
John Surtees, (11 February 1934 – 10 March 2017) was a British Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and Formula One driver. On his way to become a seven-time Grand Prix motorcycle World Champion, he won his first title in 1956, and followed with ...
and
Dan Gurney
Daniel Sexton Gurney (April 13, 1931 – January 14, 2018) was an American racing driver, race car constructor, and team owner who reached racing's highest levels starting in 1958. Gurney won races in the Formula One, Indy Car, NASCAR, Can-Am, ...
. 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, as well as the largest collection of
Lotus race cars.
About Us
, Barber Museum website 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.
Track records
The fastest official race lap records on the Barber Motorsports Park are listed as:
References
External links
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{{authority control
2003 establishments in Alabama
Motorsport venues in Alabama
Automobile museums in Alabama
Motorcycle museums in the United States
Museums in Birmingham, Alabama
Sports venues in Birmingham, Alabama
IndyCar Series tracks
Lotus Cars