Alabama GP - Experience of a lifetime!

[02for2]

Just got home yesterday from Birmingham, AL where I spent the past week with an all-access pass to the inaugural Alabama Grand Prix at Barber Motorsports Park. My wife's company, which handles all the catering and concessions for all the major golf tourneys in the country was asked to do the hospitality catering and concessions for this event, so I went as a tag-along.

Located in Leeds, a B'ham suburb, Barber Motorsport Park is a 2.38 mi. road course set on 800 acres of Alabama countryside. Completed in 2003, it is arguably one of the finest race facilities in the country.

The Grand Prix weekend consisted of a Continental Tire and Rolex Series race along with the third stop on the calendar for both the Firestone Indy Lights and IRL series.

My pass was all-access incl. Hot Pit access. While at the track for 13 hrs. each day, I spent the time going everywhere, filling up three 4Gb. cards in my camera. I had access which even those with Media credentials didn't have and it's gonna take me several days to edit the shots and I'll post them on my imagecave album - I'll post a link to it.

It was truly a week of highlights, but amongst the most special was staying at the same inn as the Sam Schmidt Motorsports crew (the winningest team in Firestone Indy Lights history) and sharing 'adult' beverages each night with the crew until the Applebee's closed. I got especially close to Chief Mechanic of the #7 car, Dave Higuera. Their car and driver, J.K. Vernay, earned the Pole position in qualifying on Sat. and finished in first place in Sunday's race . Dave was quite a guy with a distinguished career having been crew chief for Bobby Rahal and Chief for Chip Ganassi. His insight into the sport was absolutely amazing.

On Qualifying Day, I attended a private breakfast for 16 people. At my table sat Bobby Rahal, Hurley Haywood and Michael Andretti. Across from us were AJ Foyt, George W. Barber (founder of the Track and Motorsport Museum) and Roger Penske. While sitting with Bobby Rahal, I mentioned my recently acquired 2002 and said I knew it was a car he loved and that I'd seen his restored 73 '02Tii. We spoke of them for 10 min. I mentioned the LED tail lights we had prototyped and he expressed real interest, giving me his email addy and saying he wants to be our first customer!

Later in the day, I met Marco Andretti (5th) and Helio Castroneves (1st), Milka Duno (24th) and I got to walk Danica Patrick (18th) from her Go Daddy paddock to her pit for the qualifying session.

As I was walking to the upper paddock area during qualifying, a cart pulling a car up the hill stalled as it's clutch began to slip. I stepped over the help push the car, along with it's crew. A guy jumped in next to me and said: "Thanks a lot guy...", I looked over and it was Patrick Dempsey (aka McDreamy), the co-driver and co-owner of the team and I was pushing his #40 Mazda RX8. They went on to finish 10th in the Rolex Sports Car Series GT class later that day.

Especially nice was the Porsche Corral set up in turn #14 and sponsored by PCA and the Alabama Chapter for PCA members (I also own a Boxster). They had a nice covered area across from the Porsche parking with tables, chairs, soft drinks, snacks and a large screen TV and numerous drawings and giveaways. In one of PCNA's presentations, they had a trivia round giving away prizes for the correct answer. I won a Panamera Turbo model for correctly answering the weight of the new Boxster Spyder's top - 14 Lbs., which I had just read about on the flight down. Parked in front, they had a parade of cars throughout the week incl. some PDK Boxsters, 911's, a Panamera (the first one I've sat in) and several significant racing Porsches. Hurley Haywood and Bobby Rahal gave presentations. I spent quite a bit of time there through the week. Special thanks to Alabama Chptr. Pres. Rick Teer, VP Brynley King and especially the Event Chairman, Porter Fell - their hospitality could not have been better!

The local BMW club had a reserved parking area too, but it was way off to the side, no '02's at all, lots of newer models. But, they didn't have a hospitality area like Porsche, so I never got there.

It was an incredible week and certainly one of the most memorable weeks of my life. I hope you enjoy the pics.

Cheers!

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[pureaudio]

That sounds amazing.

[prosado]

That's simply awesome. High five to your wife for letting you tag along!

[shelby4130]

I honestly thought you won a Panamera Turbo when I first read this. I didn't even think of just a model, but the model of car. Sounds like an awesome trip.

[bills2002]

Glad u enjoyed our little corner of America o2. I also was there 12 hours plus all three days. I was a little surprised we didn't run into each other but understood when I read who you were hanging out with ;-)

Y'all come back now. Y'hear?

[jgerock]

I was at the track in March attending a Porsche Sport driving school. The track was in the middle of settting up for the race.

Each student got some seat time in the Panamera Turbo (this is the base model!)

The Barber track is fantastic

[02for2]

This was my first trip to Alabama, but I have spent significant time in every other southern state. Meaning absolutely no disrespect, I had always thought of Alabama as a fly-over state. Boy was I wrong!

We flew in last tuesday, stayed in Trussville. Our first night, we went downtown and had dinner at Ocean. Fabulous food - some of the best Halibut I ever had, great bottle of wine and superb service. The next night we went to Highlands Bar & Grill, again the equal of anything I've had elsewhere.

We spent the rest of our stay locally because we were up so early. We did have an excellent sushi dinner in Trussville at a place called Komina and wonderful mexican food at a place called Frontiers.

It looks as if we'll be getting a longterm contract to produce the event, and I plan on returning next year. We may plan to stay on a week after the race to better learn the area.

One thing which really struck me was how courteous, nice and genuine everyone we met was. We travel alot and this is becoming less and less common. Alabama really did themselves proud!

[02for2]

Here's a shot of my sun hat - the autographs (L-R) are:

Chip Ganassi

Marco Andretti

Bobby Rahal

Dave Higuera (Chief Mech. - Sam Schmidt Motorsports)

Danica Patrick

I also had more than a dozen others on 2 Ball Caps, but I foolishly left them in the Command Center Ofc. and they vanished. Someone got a nice souvenir!

Cheers!