Vroom Vroom: Indy at Barber

We spent the weekend at the Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham. Friday we roamed the park scoping out the different viewing spots, before finally coming back to our old favorite under the trees (on the straight between turns 11 and 12).



Various car clubs gather at the races and park in "car corrals". My husband wished he could take one of these Vipers home with us.



Although not the headliners, two Grand Am series races were also held this weekend, and turned out to be a lot of fun, even though I didn't know much about them. I was surprised at how many of those racers' names were familiar to me though... Hubby loves to watch those "24 Hours of Daytona" type races, and some of it must have rubbed off on me.



Pirelli employee taking a break. (Tired tire girl?)



There was a "fan walk" for the Rolex Grand Am series on Saturday. You have to pay extra for a Paddock Pass, and we didn't have time to fully take advantage of it. But I really enjoyed being able to walk on pit lane. It's even narrower than it looks on tv.

The crews couldn't have been nicer -- we even saw them opening the car doors so little kids could look inside.



Hot Dog Boy was there on pit lane. I took the flyer, and still have no idea what that was about. But he was awfully cute.



In which I pretend to be part of the pit crew... I imagine that Fernando Alonso just sped by in his Ferrari. I held the pit board to give him vital info, since his radio was broken... (Never mind that he's in F1, a series that doesn't come within 1000 miles of this track.)


Marco Andretti demonstrates how to pass at Barber.

The one thing I really got SICK of hearing was how you couldn't pass at the Barber track. I must have heard it a hundred times, from Joe Schmoe in line at the Porta-Potties, to radio announcers, to some of the drivers themselves. (I saw Ryan Hunter-Reay by chance, the only time I didn't have my camera, and he was saying it too.)


Indy Lights drivers take turn 5 three-wide.

But it's really not true. There was not much passing, granted, and it may not be easy, but it is possible.

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Still more photos to process... more later!