ON THE MOVE

FAST A DAY SPENT AT THE BARBER MOTORSPORTS PARK IS GUARANTEED TO FINISH AT THE TOP OF YOUR LIST OF GOOD TIMES. PHOTOGRAPHY BY BIG DREAMZ CREATIVE ( FUN ) TIMES

RECORD-SETTING COLLECTIONS

Named the “World’s Largest Motorcycle Museum” by the Guinness Book of World Records, Barber Motorsports Vintage Museum houses more than 1,600 vintage and contemporary motorcycles.

Did you know Joy to Life offers motorcycle tags?

PINK YOUR

BIKE

YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A MOTORHEAD

to enjoy a daytrip to Barber Motorsports Park (but if you are, it’s your nirvana). This multi-purpose racing facility and vintage motorcycle museum right outside of Birmingham has enough excitement and interest to quicken any pulse and satisfy any need for speed.

Encompassing 880 acres in Leeds, the Park is the culmination of the vision and determination of milk mogul George Barber, former owner of Barber Dairies until it was sold to Dean Foods in 1988. The Birmingham native was once an amateur racecar driver, and he never lost his passion for fast cars and motorcycles. It fueled an idea that began as a motorcycle test track before ballooning into the massive attraction and destination it is today, a spot that draws hundreds of thousands each year.

// FAST TRACK

Its 17-turn, 2.38-mile road course racetrack at the heart of the Park is consistently recognized as one of the best in the country, and it brings a slew of drivers and their cars who compete in a full schedule of both professional and amateur races each year, including lighting-fast Indy Car events, and many of which are open to spectators. GET BEHIND THE WHEEL

You don’t have to own a racecar (or even a fast car) to let your inner speed demon loose at the Park, home of the Porsche Driving Experience (PDE). Porsche selected the Barber track as a PDE site since its state-of-the-art circuit design makes it a perfect match for the nimble sports cars. The PDE puts you behind the wheel of a Porsche Carerra 911 with a racing pro riding shotgun to guide your every move.

SPEED UP

Grab tickets now for the Barber Vintage Festival on October 5-7. It’s a celebration of all things motorcycle and has been hailed as one of the most welcoming and well-run events of its kind in the world. Car fans won’t be disappointed either. The museum also has a substantial collection of Lotus and other racecars as well as racing memorabilia.

// FNISHING FIRST

Even when the track is empty, the Park is packed with action, thanks to the Barber Motorsports Vintage Museum. Officially designated the “World’s Largest Motorcycle Museum” by the Guinness Book of World Records, it houses more than 1,600 vintage and contemporary motorcycles — some quite rare, all quite valuable — spanning more than 100 years of production, making it a motorcycle enthusiast’s dream come true. And, 99 percent of the bikes are still able to run. Car fans won’t be disappointed either. The museum also has a substantial collection of Lotus and other racecars as well as racing memorabilia.

// TWO WHEELS FOR THE WIN

But it’s the motorcycles that take center stage. Barber himself has always seen motorcycles as much more than impressive transportation machines and feats of engineering; he appreciates their visual design, and feels they are true works of art. The creative ways the motorcycles are displayed in the museum’s five stories of concrete and glass highlight this view and make it worth a visit even for folks who aren’t die-hard bike or racing fans.

GET IN GEAR: BARBERMOTORSPORTS.COM