Sometimes, the best events are the ones few people think will ever work. That’s the case with the NTT IndyCar Series at Barber Motorsports Park.
More than 10 years ago, Alabama philanthropist George Barber and Zoom Motorsport CEO Gene Hallman pursued IndyCar for a race at the 2.3-mile, 17-turn road course built by Barber. It took a while for IndyCar to warm up to the idea, however.
“When we started, we literally chased IndyCar around the country for two years,” Hallman said. “We would show up at events unannounced, we would say, ‘We're here, we want to talk.’
“I distinctly the first time I met Tony George (IndyCar CEO at that time), he literally turned around and walked off.”
Barber and Hallman were undeterred, however. They were convinced an IndyCar race would work at their road course, even though it was considered too narrow for the cars. It was originally built as a motorcycle road course, not one for auto racing.
Also, Barber Motorsports Park is located just 38 miles west of one of NASCAR’s cornerstone and most iconic facilities, the massive Talladega Superspeedway.
Alabama was considered home territory for NASCAR.
“We kept at it,” Hallman said. “It culminated in a meeting over in the museum with Mr. Barber, the Governor of Alabama and Tony George. The governor put on this beautiful prep, about the automobile industry in the state, how this race would help support that and vice versa, how it really spoke to Alabama's future in so many ways with Honda in particular being in Lincoln.
“When he summed it up, that's all that needed to be said.”
George added Barber Motorsports Park to the 2010 schedule. George was forced out as IndyCar CEO in 2009, so it was Randy Bernard who was IndyCar’s leader when the then IZOD IndyCar Series arrived at Barber for the first time on April 11, 2010.
Helio Castroneves won that first race by .5703-of-a-second over Scott Dixon with Dario Franchetti third in a race that had seven lead changes among three drivers.
An impressive crowd turned out to line the tree-line hillsides around the race course.
In 2011, an even bigger crowd turned out with more interest in the IndyCar Series event.
Barber’s and Hallman’s perseverance paid off as the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park has become one of the best events on the NTT IndyCar Series schedule.
Sunday will be the 10th Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama. Tickets were sold in 42 states and eight countries around the world. The economic impact of this event is $30 million, according to the Greater Birmingham Convention and Visitors Bureau.
“The star of this show is undoubtedly this facility, Barber Motorsports Park,” Hallman said. “It is the largest philanthropic project by an individual in this state. George Barber doesn't own anything here. He donated a vast, vast sum of money, nine figures, to make this happen. He donated to a foundation. The foundation owns everything here, including the museum. It's his gift back to our community.
This will continue for generations to come. This gift will keep giving back in terms of tourism and economic development.”
It has become one of the best tracks in terms of road racing for IndyCar. It is fast and flowing but has plenty of degrees of difficulty including the troublesome Turn 5 hairpin.
In the nine previous races at Barber, the competition has been fierce and highly entertaining.
“IndyCar is probably the most diverse racing series in the world,” IndyCar President Jay Frye said. “We race on road courses, short ovals, superspeedways, and great facilities like this, which this morning I watched the commercials about it being called the ‘Augusta National of Motorsports.’
“It's been a great 10 years. We certainly, look forward to coming back 10 more years.”
Racing legend Mario Andretti has raced on some of the greatest road courses in the world. On Thursday, he finally got a chance to turn laps in the Honda IndyCar “Two-Seater” that is the “Fastest Seat in Sports.” It’s a Honda promotion with IndyCar that gives VIPs and fans the experience of a high-speed ride around race tracks with such former drivers at Mario Andretti behind the wheel.
Andretti is Sunday’s Grand Marshal.
“Jay said this series is probably one of the most diverse series on the planet,” Andretti said. “It is. There is no other series that can compare to what IndyCar actually provides in our sport.
“I know what I missed in not coming every year to this particular race. It took this official invitation. I'm so happy that it happened because I never had the opportunity to really drive on this course. I was here, like, 10 years ago. I was a bit nervous based on what Marco was telling me, how he likes it, how challenging it can be.
“So (Thursday) I first got the opportunity to get in a two-seater. I love it. I love it. This is a place where you really can attack. It seems like there's a couple different areas where you know you can really improve, so you always got something to look forward.
This facility is just absolutely stunning. From the minute you enter, you know this is a place where you want to be.”
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