About - Hey ya’ll, welcome to Birmingham! No not THAT Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA! Barber Motorsports Park is located in Leeds, AL, a suburb of Birmingham. A 2.38 mi (3.83 km) permanent road course, it has hosted the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama since 2010. It also hosts many motorcycle and sports car races each year. Known for its rich, flowery landscapes and quirky, humorous sculptures, it is also home to the Barber Vintage Museum. The Museum houses over 1,200 motorcycles, along with the world’s largest collection of Lotus cars.
The Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama is usually run in the month of April. The weather at that time of year can be tricky. Spring comes early in the Southeast, but the temperature can vary day-to-day, from warm to cold, stormy one day and beautiful the next, even fairly hot with sunburns. You probably better pack for many conditions! Attending a race at Barber is a very relaxing event, so kick your feet back, and “Lets Go Racing!!!”
Tickets -All tickets at Barber are General Admission tickets. There are very few grandstands, so as to keep the park like setting. Fans bring chairs, blankets, coolers, and even “Pop-Up” tents to watch the events. Since all tickets are General Admission, fans are free to move about the facility to see the different views, (which I highly recommend on your first visit). You will be amazed at how much a turn changes as you move around it. Tickets are around $70 for a three day pass. All children 12 years old and under are admitted free with an accompanying adult. There are a few upgrade packages available, so see www.barbermotorpark.com for purchasing and detailed information.
Paddock Pass -The paddock at Barber Motorsports Park is one of my favorite places to attend. You never know who you are going to meet there. I have met seven Indianapolis 500 winners and numerous Le Mans, Daytona, and Sebring champions. Keep your eyes open as the paddock is tight and busy. A separate paddock pass must be purchased to enter. The cost is around $50, but well worth the expense in my opinion. As the Grand Prix weekend has typically been a double event, alongside the Grand Am Road Racing Series, there is much to see. It is the best chance to meet drivers and to see the cars up close. Concessions and restrooms are available in the paddock. Again, stay alert in the Paddock. It is very busy and fairly cramped.
At the Track - As mentioned earlier, the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama is usually held alongside the Porsche 250 of the Grand Am Road Racing Series, as well as the Grand Am Continental Tire Series, and the Mazda Road to Indy races (Indy Lights, Star Mazda, etc.). This makes for a packed three day weekend. During the down time, check out the Fan Zone along the back straight. It has concessions, restrooms, souvenir trailers and many games and sponsor booths. The Fan Zone is host to the Indycar Series autograph session, as well as numerous tweet-ups and driver meet-and-greets. (On a side note, I once saw Sebastian Bourdais riding a bicycle through the Fan Zone calmly looking at the souvenir trailers. Most fans did not recognize him in shorts and a t-shirt, so keep your eyes open!) There is also a car coral with a hefty number of Porsches and BMWs. As far as seating, most fans sit on the back straight, as that is where the most room is. All seating areas are nice in their own ways, but the widest views are along the back straight. A free shuttle runs continually around the track with several stops along the way. Again, I recommend moving about the facility to see the different views, especially on Friday when the crowds are smaller.
Away from the Track - The number one item to see “away from the track,” is not away from the track at all! As mentioned earlier, the Barber Vintage Museum is a fantastic place to view some track action, cool off (or warm up!), and see over 1,200 motorcycles and Lotus cars. It is located on site at the entrance to the facility. Admission is $15 for Adults and $10 for Children. Hours of Operation are extended during race weekends. Also keep your eyes open for “hidden” sculptures all around the track and facility. If you need chairs, tents, tarps, coolers, etc., there is a Bass Pro Shops store on the entrance road to Barber. They carry camping supplies and cold/rainy weather gear. The Shops of Grand River are located across Interstate 20 and feature many of the common American stores such as Nike, Gap and Polo Ralph Lauren. There are various race themed events during the Grand Prix week throughout the city. See www.barbermotorpark.com for details.
Hotels - When looking for a hotel, as with many cities, location makes a big difference. There are not many hotels directly beside the Barber Motorsports Park. The neighboring cities of Vestavia Hills, Hoover and Bessemer offer the best options for places to stay. Birmingham has a bypass named Interstate-459. Any hotel on the south side of Birmingham along this corridor would be best. Hotels along US Highway 31 in Hoover will be near the Galleria. It is a Mall/Shopping complex with numerous restaurants and theaters. Hotels along US Highway 280 in Vestavia Hills will be near The Summit (another Mall) and many more restaurants and theaters.
Also Try - While you are in Alabama, you might want to try a southern tradition, BBQ. One of the best places for this is Dreamland BBQ in downtown Birmingham near the University of Alabama-Birmingham. Also near this area is “Five Points South.” There you will find many restaurants and entertainment locations in a college-town type atmosphere. If you arrive in Birmingham early, a couple of attractions include the McWane Science Center for children, and the Vulcan Park and Museum. Vulcan is a giant statue over-looking the city from Red Mountain. If you travel through Atlanta, GA, Centennial Park in downtown is a very nice place to gather and relax. It is surrounded by CNN Center, The Georgia Aquarium, and The World of Coca-Cola.
I hope you greatly enjoy the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama and surrounding areas. I look forward to this event every year and I hope it becomes a favorite event for you too.
The Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama is usually run in the month of April. The weather at that time of year can be tricky. Spring comes early in the Southeast, but the temperature can vary day-to-day, from warm to cold, stormy one day and beautiful the next, even fairly hot with sunburns. You probably better pack for many conditions! Attending a race at Barber is a very relaxing event, so kick your feet back, and “Lets Go Racing!!!”
Tickets -All tickets at Barber are General Admission tickets. There are very few grandstands, so as to keep the park like setting. Fans bring chairs, blankets, coolers, and even “Pop-Up” tents to watch the events. Since all tickets are General Admission, fans are free to move about the facility to see the different views, (which I highly recommend on your first visit). You will be amazed at how much a turn changes as you move around it. Tickets are around $70 for a three day pass. All children 12 years old and under are admitted free with an accompanying adult. There are a few upgrade packages available, so see www.barbermotorpark.com for purchasing and detailed information.
Paddock Pass -The paddock at Barber Motorsports Park is one of my favorite places to attend. You never know who you are going to meet there. I have met seven Indianapolis 500 winners and numerous Le Mans, Daytona, and Sebring champions. Keep your eyes open as the paddock is tight and busy. A separate paddock pass must be purchased to enter. The cost is around $50, but well worth the expense in my opinion. As the Grand Prix weekend has typically been a double event, alongside the Grand Am Road Racing Series, there is much to see. It is the best chance to meet drivers and to see the cars up close. Concessions and restrooms are available in the paddock. Again, stay alert in the Paddock. It is very busy and fairly cramped.
At the Track - As mentioned earlier, the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama is usually held alongside the Porsche 250 of the Grand Am Road Racing Series, as well as the Grand Am Continental Tire Series, and the Mazda Road to Indy races (Indy Lights, Star Mazda, etc.). This makes for a packed three day weekend. During the down time, check out the Fan Zone along the back straight. It has concessions, restrooms, souvenir trailers and many games and sponsor booths. The Fan Zone is host to the Indycar Series autograph session, as well as numerous tweet-ups and driver meet-and-greets. (On a side note, I once saw Sebastian Bourdais riding a bicycle through the Fan Zone calmly looking at the souvenir trailers. Most fans did not recognize him in shorts and a t-shirt, so keep your eyes open!) There is also a car coral with a hefty number of Porsches and BMWs. As far as seating, most fans sit on the back straight, as that is where the most room is. All seating areas are nice in their own ways, but the widest views are along the back straight. A free shuttle runs continually around the track with several stops along the way. Again, I recommend moving about the facility to see the different views, especially on Friday when the crowds are smaller.
Away from the Track - The number one item to see “away from the track,” is not away from the track at all! As mentioned earlier, the Barber Vintage Museum is a fantastic place to view some track action, cool off (or warm up!), and see over 1,200 motorcycles and Lotus cars. It is located on site at the entrance to the facility. Admission is $15 for Adults and $10 for Children. Hours of Operation are extended during race weekends. Also keep your eyes open for “hidden” sculptures all around the track and facility. If you need chairs, tents, tarps, coolers, etc., there is a Bass Pro Shops store on the entrance road to Barber. They carry camping supplies and cold/rainy weather gear. The Shops of Grand River are located across Interstate 20 and feature many of the common American stores such as Nike, Gap and Polo Ralph Lauren. There are various race themed events during the Grand Prix week throughout the city. See www.barbermotorpark.com for details.
Hotels - When looking for a hotel, as with many cities, location makes a big difference. There are not many hotels directly beside the Barber Motorsports Park. The neighboring cities of Vestavia Hills, Hoover and Bessemer offer the best options for places to stay. Birmingham has a bypass named Interstate-459. Any hotel on the south side of Birmingham along this corridor would be best. Hotels along US Highway 31 in Hoover will be near the Galleria. It is a Mall/Shopping complex with numerous restaurants and theaters. Hotels along US Highway 280 in Vestavia Hills will be near The Summit (another Mall) and many more restaurants and theaters.
Also Try - While you are in Alabama, you might want to try a southern tradition, BBQ. One of the best places for this is Dreamland BBQ in downtown Birmingham near the University of Alabama-Birmingham. Also near this area is “Five Points South.” There you will find many restaurants and entertainment locations in a college-town type atmosphere. If you arrive in Birmingham early, a couple of attractions include the McWane Science Center for children, and the Vulcan Park and Museum. Vulcan is a giant statue over-looking the city from Red Mountain. If you travel through Atlanta, GA, Centennial Park in downtown is a very nice place to gather and relax. It is surrounded by CNN Center, The Georgia Aquarium, and The World of Coca-Cola.
I hope you greatly enjoy the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama and surrounding areas. I look forward to this event every year and I hope it becomes a favorite event for you too.
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