Comments on: Let’s Give Barber A Chance

By: Scott Simmons

Scott Simmons — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 04:39:38 +0000

It’ll be most interesting to see how Birmingham as a city supports the race. My bet is they will go all out. In all the years the IRL ran here in Nashville I saw very little city and community support other than the fans in the stands. If you didn’t know the race was in town you wouldn’t know it by looking around town. Even the evening news casts barely mentioned the race. As much as I want Indy cars in my hometown the indifference this NASCAR market showed them probably made it an easy decision when faced with the question of leaving.

By: bking

bking — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 02:28:56 +0000

Forgive my poor reading skills! See you at Barber in April.

By: oilpressure

oilpressure — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 01:40:38 +0000

Please re-read the article. I didn’t say Road Atlanta was 4.0 miles. I said Road America was 4.0 miles. I know the difference. — GP

By: bking

bking — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 12:41:05 +0000

Where did you come up with 4 miles for Road Atlanta? It’s 2.5 miles with 12 turns. Barber provides ample opportunities for passing with 4 straights and 16 turns as long as you’re faster and aren’t getting blocked and know how to take a trun better than your competitor. You guys sound like armchair quarterbacks. Have you ever tried to rent Barber? Good luck. It’s sold out just about every usable day of the year. Porsche Sport Driving School, PCA, SCCA, Chin, PBOC, vintage series, Grand-Am DP, GT, GS & ST, etc. Lots of bike activity too, Kevin Schwantz school, AMA, WERA and more. So it’s obviously a track that has demand. I’ve spoken to European drivers and drivers in just about every series that has Barber on it’s schedule. Many drivers like it and consider it a challenge. The facility is top class. Forget about the lawns, flower beds, shrubs, water and sculpture beatifully spread over the rolling hills. Consider the public restrooms. I’ve been to tracks coast to coast. I’ve taken my wife, children and grandchild. I’m sure you know the nasty and difficulties that’s presented. Not at Barber. Track people and racers are a fine group of people, quality folks. And I enjoy associating with them very much. But add the hospitality of Barber staff, volunteers, corners workers and spectators from Alabama and surrounding areas and you’ve got it made. I could care less why IRL made the decision to put Barber on their schedule. I’m just glad they did. People from all over the world come to enjoy the experience that is Barber. I hope you do, too.

By: John McLallen

John McLallen — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 02:31:14 +0000

Barber will be terrific and has every chance of becoming a part of the ICS long term schedule as any other track. This is an excellent facility with a ownership that will make improvements for IndyCar . It also has the city of Birmingham lit up like a pinball machine. The area is excited about it and will get squarely behind it. This race has all of the earmarkings of a win-win for all concerned and I look forward to being there.

By: Brian

Brian — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 15:37:01 +0000

Don’t forget the lawn sculptures… The friction between the series and SMI and ISC/France is a cryin’ shame. You’re right in that the hostility and rivalry between ISC and IndyCar is one of the reasons for IndyCar to look elsewhere for venues, such as Barber M.P. and Andretti-promoted streets and Lanigan-promoted streets…
I like downtown street racing and I love natural-terrain road course racing in Champ Car, IndyCar, ALMS, Grand-Am, SCCA Trans-Am – and on television, AMA Superbike, F1, FIA GT, LeMans series, WTCC, DTM, F2, F3000, A1GP, etcetera.
I’ve watched, in-person and on TV, Grand-Am cars bang fenders at Barber Motrorsports Park. So I’ll be optimistic and hope that IndyCar drivers will pass, with or without track widening. I don’t have any affinity for Birmingham, but I will drive to Barber again from Panama City. I’ll also drive to Saint Petersburg and Road Atlanta and Daytona…

By: Scott

Scott — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 12:38:40 +0000

The problem with barber is that it proves they are thinking short term rather than long term. They are going there for only one reason… Guaranteed fans. That is good in the short run, but terrible in the long run if the racing is bad. The upside is fixe at 30k fans per day. The downside is alienating them when they are bored or the series leaves town, not to mention losing other valuable fans who tire of watching parades on tv.

You mention Edmonton wasn’t condusive to passing despite being wide. Well Edmonton is another track that shouldn’t be on the schedule, at least not in the current configuration. A wide track does nothing if there aren’t hard braking zones and technical low speed turns to bring he cars close enough together to actually use the extra width.

The decision to run at barber screams ‘we are desperate and have no where else to run!’. This desperation will only encourage ISC and others to either push the league out or to drive a much harder bargain in future negotiations.

If nobody expects any passing already, how many casual race fans are going to plan their Sunday around watching the event? Pretty flower beds won’t make anyone tune in.