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More than 20 engineering students from the University of Alabama at Birmingham experienced the field trip of a lifetime last month during the 16th annual Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix race weekend at Barber Motorsports Park.
Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum Education Programs Manager Dr. Liz Johnson organized a private reception with engineers from Dallara, the exclusive chassis supplier for IndyCar. In addition, students toured the museum and viewed practice from pit lane.
“This was a rare opportunity for our students to engage with world-class engineers and discuss real-world dynamics right in the middle of the action,” said Andrés Morales, who teaches ME 430: Vehicle Dynamics.
The museum’s robust education program engages students of all ages with hands-on, experiential learning opportunities that connect the thrills of motorsports with the worlds of science, technology, engineering, math, art, and design.
Follow the linktr.ee "Education Programs" link in our bio to learn more.
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Apr 26
It’s often said that most of the automobiles and motorcycles exhibited in the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum can be made to run in a relatively short time. That high standard was recently put to the test when an ultra-rare 1992 Honda NR was lifted from its elevated base and transferred to the basement conservation area for a thorough once-over.
First, context: In 1994, Cycle World magazine tested the only example in the U.S. at that time. “The NR is an art piece, a Fabergé Egg of a motorcycle, destined more to a life of collecting dust than stone chips on its belly pan,” wrote the editors. “For fans of high-performance, high-tech hardware, the 32-valve, oval-piston NR truly is the Holy Grail on Michelin TX radials.”
The carbon-fiber-reinforced body panels were removed, inspected, and then reinstalled. Coolant and oil levels were checked and noted, fuel was added, and a remote battery was connected. When the starter button was thumbed for the very first time since the bike left the factory in Japan some 34 years ago, the fuel-injected, 748cc V-four instantly sparked to life.
The NR is now set up for preservation and has been returned to its proper place in the museum. Follow the "Barber YouTube Channel" link in our bio to watch a short start-up video.
Photos: Joe Avila
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Apr 23
A neon rendering of a classic single-cylinder motorcycle hangs above the elevator near the entrance to the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum. It’s one of the first objects from the collection that visitors see when they pass through the front doors.
Joe Parkhurst, who founded Cycle World magazine in 1962, commissioned the colorful artwork for the annual Cycle World Motorcycle Show, which debuted in 1964 with nearly 70,000 attendees at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena.
After the show run ended, Parkhurst displayed the piece in his California home, where it remained for years. Following Joe’s death in 2000, with help from longtime Cycle World publisher Larry Little, the museum acquired the piece from his widow, Claire.
Photos: Joe Avila
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Apr 21
“Brian Slark has travelled through life like a bike-crazed Forrest Gump, doing extraordinary things, triggering ground-breaking movements and befriending astonishing people.”
Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum Curator Emeritus Brian Slark is profiled in the April issue of Classic Bike magazine. Follow the linktr.ee in our bio to read John Westlake’s in-depth interview with Slark.
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Apr 19
On the 10th anniversary of the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum and Barber Motorsports Park opening its doors to the public, @wvtm13`s Mike Royer interviewed George Barber for his “Spirit of Alabama” series. The award-winning broadcaster prefaced the conversation by noting that Barber “could have retired years ago to the beach or to a boat or to anywhere else, but his passion for racing machines and his love for the city of Birmingham kept him here and working every day.”
Regarding the motorcycle-biased focus of the museum collection, Barber told Royer, “A car is a beautiful paint job and a set of hub caps, and you really can’t see the internal workings of that. But a motorcycle you can see the cylinder head, you can see the front suspension, the brakes, and the way different men approached different problems and how they solved them. It was just intriguing. I just fell in love with them.” Added Royer, “It’s often said, even if you don’t care about motorcycles, you need to see this collection.”
Follow the linktr.ee links in our bio to watch both "Spirit of Alabama" segments.
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Apr 16
The Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix has become a spring tradition for tens of thousands of racing fans. Prior to this year’s event, spectators were treated to a special “Milestones in Motion” tribute to the late George W. Barber, founder of the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum and Barber Motorsports Park.
Nine vehicles were selected from the collection to lap the 17-turn, 2.38-mile road course: 1964 Ferrari 158 NART, 1965 Brabham BT8, 1959 Lotus 15, 1956 Lotus Eleven, 1962 Porsche 356B Super 90, 1956 MV Agusta 500/4, 1961 Matchless G50, 1990 Ducati 750 Sport, and Barber’s personal Honda Odyssey minivan.
INDYCAR on FOX lead commentator Will Buxton articulated the emotions felt by all watching and in attendance. “George was a driving force for motorsports, for philanthropy, and for wildlife conservation. George’s legacy is showcased here today with the 16th annual INDYCAR race at Barber Motorsports Park. From all of us, thank you, George. We’re going to miss you.”
Follow the YouTube link in our bio to watch Buxton`s tribute.
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Apr 14
Exclusive museum-member hot laps around the “Alabama Roller Coaster” alongside a Porsche Track Experience driver are going FAST! Only two dates remain this year:
Friday, July 31: two spots available
Saturday, September 19: four spots available
A thrilling Porsche hot lap costs just $44. To register, follow the "Become a Member" link in our bio, log in to the membership portal, and click “2026 Member Hot Laps.”
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Apr 12
The Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum will be closed on Sunday, April 12. We will reopen on Monday, April 13, at 10 a.m.
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Apr 9
