Barber Motorsports Park Now Official

DanicaFan · 27 Jul 2009, 19:13 (Ref:2509406)

It's official now, Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama has signed a 3 year deal with the IRL to host a race there. The inaugural event is next year on the weekend of April 9-11th.

This track looks so cool. However, the big problem I see is that its too narrow of a track and the pit areas are too small. If they fix these problems it will be an awesome place to race. If they dont, Im afraid it will be just a parade with many turns in it.

mountainstar · 27 Jul 2009, 19:41 (Ref:2509423)

The track was designed as a bike track and at least for what I have seen it's pretty damn narrow. I've not been on it yet to say 100% if I like it or not.

In any case, it's a strange choice.

Peat · 27 Jul 2009, 19:58 (Ref:2509441)

I think its a great addition to the championship. Spectacular racetrack!

**gomick** · 28 Jul 2009, 00:54 (Ref:2509609)

Better than another oval....

Aloysius · 28 Jul 2009, 03:10 (Ref:2509643)

I'm glad were getting more road courses, and Barber is a nice flowing track, but there are more deserving circuits that could provide better racing. I'd really like to see the return to Road America.

JagtechOhio · 28 Jul 2009, 05:42 (Ref:2509663)

Alabama? The new bastion for open wheel racing in America...or do they plan on adding fenders and beer sponsors? Maybe they could add Utah too, and follow the winding road courses down the path of obscurity. Nelson Ledges, here come the big boys!

Tim Northcutt · 28 Jul 2009, 18:17 (Ref:2510104)

Quote:

Originally Posted by mountainstar

The track was designed as a bike track and at least for what I have seen it's pretty damn narrow. I've not been on it yet to say 100% if I like it or not.

In any case, it's a strange choice.

I second all of that, and will add that the straights are fairly short as well...IMO, I do not think it is suited to 700 hp OW racing, although the venue itself and the setting looks beautiful on TV.

mountainstar · 28 Jul 2009, 19:22 (Ref:2510142)

Also it sounds they will limited attendance to 30000 on race day.

In some of the PR spin they made it sound like Cleveland, Houston, et al were fighting for this race versus Barber. AFAIK, all those other races never came close to happening or getting the funding for.

Purist · 28 Jul 2009, 20:38 (Ref:2510192)

Houston and Cleveland might have some backing potential if the old promoter/organizer is on-board. Houston isn't such a loss, though it wasn't bad at all for being a temporary course. Cleveland, in early April? We'd have issues like happened at least that one time at Nazareth, except the lake effect would make it worse.

Barber is no narrower in true track width than Mid Ohio, Road America, or Watkins Glen. The primary problem is none of the straights are very long. The start/finish straight is 1595ft. The "straight" heading into the infield hairpin is ~1600ft. The "straight" leading out of the infield hairpin looks to be ~1650ft. If the esse at Turns 9 and 10 can be taken flat, that could give a run down the back side of the course of ~2800ft, which wouldn't be too bad. I'm just not sure that the Indy Cars can take those two curves flat-out.

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