IRL Grand Prix of Alabama -Barber Park

Well I'll be. Milka's in front of a piece of bread!

 

Click on the pics for driver info.

http://www.indycar.com/drivers/

 

Such a beautiful racetrack but it dosen't look like you can walk the whole circuit. Never been there. Maybe I'm wrong.

 

From some of the shots, it looks like you'd fall on your face if you tried, on some of those gradients.
More elevation change than a dozen of the "new" F1 tracks, combined.

Shades of the "corkscrew".
Looks like a fun track.

And it seems that you *can* pass on it, after all.

 

Maybe not, but you can walk around it, and that's not terribly far because the circuit is so compact. Or you can take the trams that run constantly. Visually, the comparison to the Augusta National Golf Club (home of this weekend's Masters) is not inappropriate.

 

And there were no retirements! Everyone was running at the end, even "rolling roadblock" Duno and the delayed Sato.

 

Nice well run event. It was great to see Indy Cars close to home. No complaints on my end!

 

looked like a decent event, fair amount of passing. how was it as a "show"?

I did a DE at Barber last month and was blown away by the place. the track was awesome, and the museum and grounds set the standard for motorsports facilities. But I wasn't convinced that something like Indycars could put on a great show there (mainly due to the lack of long straights followed by good passing opportunities)

 

I enjoyed the race, but LOVED the track. Better half and I both want to go for a school and to check out the muesum. Place looks like a ton of fun to drive and all that history to oogle over would make for a great vacation.

Bummer Rahal's Legends of Motorsports is happening there in May. I'd give my right arm to see that. But, there is no way we leave Indy during May. Heck, that's one of the reasons we moved here. LOL!

 

What was the Ferrari open wheel race car they showed on the brief tour of the museum for TV?
CH

 

If it was the same one I saw last month, john Surtees' 1964 championship winning car (may have been a replica, not sure if the originals survived)

 

well it'll soon be down to a one week event......

 

Thanks for the details. Just caught a brief look from the back and it sort of reminded me of the red cars in the John Frankenheimer movie 'Grand Prix'.
Interesting to how they stack up the bikes there for a display that doesn't take up too much space.
CH

 

looks like danica was "running upfront" as she is so accustomed in irl...nice qually and finish @ p 19!!!

 

I missed the race--what was the deal with "retro" paint schemes I read about?

 

They said that Surtees himself confirmed that it was authentic. Apparently, John himself beat at the sides of the monocoque with a hammer to make more room, and the hammer marks were visible on this car.

 

I passed up this weekend, but I'll be there for that! The Historic Grand Prix organization will be bringing their vintage F1 cars.

 

According to Barber, that was the exact car. They called John Surtees in to verify it, and he pointed out the mallet markets inside the cockpit where they hammered it out to give him more thigh room.

Edit: Damn you Gatorrari! ::shakes tiny fist::

 

That was the fuel tank he hammered out; not the monocoque. You could see how it had been flattened

 

Yep. I've been hired to run LoM's Track Orientation Program on Thursday! I'll be in the bow-tie...

 

writeup on Autoblog: http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/12/indycar-2010-grand-prix-of-alabama-spoiler-alert/#continued

direct link to photo gallery: http://www.autoblog.com/gallery/indycar-2010-grand-prix-of-alabama
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My Surtees pics from an Oct visit to the museum: http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showpost.php?p=139069471&postcount=2