Indy Car going to Double Header Weekends

[e30Racer]

Whether I'm right or wrong, I've always considered the club racing "double" weekends as a sort of "gimmick" so to speak (yes, this is coming from a guy that doesn't club race). I understand some of the benefits of running two races over the weekend. Increased attendance, more bang for your buck, more bang for your traveling, etc. But I also feel that this increase to the sheer number of races has eventually led to a diluting of the racing series. But its not up to me.

Well, IndyCar has decided to go this route with two race weekends being "double headers". Their reasons? They can fit two races in on one weekend and it gives fans more to do ($$$). I'm not much of an IndyCar fan anyway, but just thought this was interesting.

[nicktcr]

So their weekend at Barber will be twice as dumb now?

[rodhx]

Didn't they do this once in 2012?

[HPEVOX]

Indy haters! I'll be at barber again this year

[engled]

Yeah, I don't get the "Indy Hater" thing.

[nicktcr]

I just liked attending events at Barber when I could just go there and park...not have to buy a $300 parking pass only to ride a bus in. I also liked being able to sit where I could actually see the track, not the back of a family that has no earthly clue about cars whatsoever. It isn't just the fact that there is a crowd there, it's the kind of people I meet in the crowds that make or break automotive events for me, and the Indy crowd is not one I like. Call me a hipster if you want, but I liked it before it was popular :P

[HPEVOX]

What's this parking pass you speak of? We just drove in and parked in one of the parking zones around the track; no fees to park. Get there early enough to get a good place to stand and a paddock pass is always nice.

[nicktcr]

What's this parking pass you speak of? We just drove in and parked in one of the parking zones around the track; no fees to park. Get there early enough to get a good place to stand and a paddock pass is always nice.

Well they may have changed it last year. But the first year or so you had to buy parking passes to park at the track. If you didn't buy the pass, you had to park at Birmingham Race Course and ride a shuttle bus into the park and get dumped off at the museum and walk in. It was a nightmare.

Also, ticket prices (including paddock passes) were so much more expensive than any other event I had ever attended there. That was a turn off, even if I didn't have to buy them when I went.

I guess the other thing that kinda ruined it for me, was that they combined it on the same weekend that Grand-Am was there, which is the big race for me, as that's my favorite series that makes a stop there (except for us of course <3).

[jledford]

They should just do it like World Superbike and have two races on the same day. Throw a support race in between them and you're good to go.

[HPEVOX]

Well they may have changed it last year. But the first year or so you had to buy parking passes to park at the track. If you didn't buy the pass, you had to park at Birmingham Race Course and ride a shuttle bus into the park and get dumped off at the museum and walk in. It was a nightmare.

Also, ticket prices (including paddock passes) were so much more expensive than any other event I had ever attended there. That was a turn off, even if I didn't have to buy them when I went.

I guess the other thing that kinda ruined it for me, was that they combined it on the same weekend that Grand-Am was there, which is the big race for me, as that's my favorite series that makes a stop there (except for us of course <3).

It sounds like it has improved then. You can park on site for free now. Not sure what pricey is really since it's the only one I have been to so can't compare it to another track/event pricing as far as ticket and paddock passes. I love the combo! get to see one class of car in the paddock and all while watching others race and vice versa. Also you got to do rides in the barber porsche vehicles around the track. 4 people in the panamera scooting around that thang mainggggg

[chuck schultz]

I think you have to buy tickets early to get free on-site parking.

Of course, I bought my "tickets" when I started working corners about a dozen years ago. . .

<<---------- (that's me with the blue flag)

[Cholewa]

We've had SCCA car corrals every year, $30 to park.

I'll agree that a 3 day pass is pretty expensive, and the paddock pass is absurd, but it's a big event.

I didn't go last year, but the year before we got there early, picked a spot in the trees by 11 and had no problems, and then the next day got a spot on the hill by 15-16, had an EZup, a bunch of food/drinks, and it was righteous. The year before that (first year) we brought an umbrella and sat on the hill by the museum, and then went over to turn 2-3 and hung out with some friends at their ezup. A lot fewer people that year, but still a great weekend.

It's all about being prepared, getting there early (which means taking rex lake and not I20), having all of your food/drinks for the day, shade, blankets, etc. plopping down and relaxing. I know the last few years the vendor areas have gotten larger and the high priced private tents have taken up more prime real estate, but there's plenty of good spots to watch the race. I actually like the 15-16 spot we had, because we could see the hairpin and part of the back straight, plus everyone going onto the front straight, AND a jumbotron. Same with the trees by 11, better view of the hairpin, the entire back straight, all the downshifting fireball goodness of 11, and natural shade. Plus it's close to the corral so there's no trolley riding. It's a bit harder to set up there since it's much more of a hill, but it's not too bad.


I'll be back this year, ready to go with a few cases of beer and a ton of food.

[DelanieC]

Barber isn't going to be a double-header, just Detroit, Toronto, and Houston. As an Indycar fan, I love the idea of a double-header. I like watching races better than practice sessions. I always get there super early and set up chairs at the end of the back straight.

Last year when I bought tickets I used the Google to find a coupon code. I think it was 10% off for the Birmingham Realtors Association or something. The parking situation was crazy that first year but it has been way better the last couple years.

As much as the yuppies (who just want to go to an event and get rid of the money burning a whole in their wallets) and the rednecks (JUNIOR!!! ima wear my junior shirt to the race with them girly cars!!!!!!!) get on my nerves, without their money I bet Barber wouldn't be able to justify Indycar's crazy sanctioning fee.

That being said, it would be nice if Grand-Am had its own weekend again.

..... freakin' hipsters

[chuck schultz]

11
15-16,
2-3
15-16
11
downshifting fireball goodness of 11

Make that:
15
2-3 (correct)
15
12
downshifting fireball goodness of 12

See http://www.barbermotorsports.com/ind...-of-AL-Map.pdf

[DelanieC]

Every year one of the track announcers comes on the PA and refuses to use the official 17 turn track map and complains about it for a bit. So yeah, that makes my spot just before turn 12.