Modern road-racing circuits don’t come any better than Barber Motorsports Park. Built by local dairy magnate George Barber adjacent to his world-class motorsports museum, Barber Motorsports Park includes a total of three track configurations. The track opened in 2003 and in addition to motorcycle races, is host to IndyCar, IMSA, SCCA and AMA races in addition to club racing weekends and vintage and historic events. Located in a heavily wooded area near Birmingham, Alabama, the Alan Wilson-designed circuit is the epitome of the modern dedicated road-racing facility, with a sinuous 2.3 mile, 16-turn course its centerpiece.
Like other Wilson-designed circuits, each of the three track configurations requires a very technical driving style to achieve a good lap time. All of the racing surface is a generous 45 feet wide, which helps provide good passing opportunities, while the 80 feet of total elevation change adds to a driver’s challenge and enjoyment by providing blind apexes to a couple of the turns. The beauty of Barber Motorsports Park doesn’t end at the edge of the pavement; whimsical large-scale sculptures grace the beautifully landscaped facility, ranging from a pride of lions, Sisyphus pushing a large boulder, ants, birds and dragonflies to the track’s hallmark, a giant steel spider outside Turn 5.
Directly adjacent to the circuit is the Barber Vintage Motorsport Museum, where you can almost make out the cars and motorcycles inside.
