Barber deserves more credit as a great American road course

After stalking pole sitter and leader Rinus VeeKay for nearly 70 laps, Arrow McLaren SP driver Pato O’Ward saw his opportunity to finally take the lead of the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama with 23 laps to go.

Last year, poor tire management dropped O’Ward from the lead of the same race, and the 2021 pole winner finished fourth.

This year, a gutsy deep braking move in the tight left hairpin turn five put O’Ward ahead of VeeKay for the race lead, and he drove away for his first victory in 2022.

IndyCar on NBC @IndyCaronNBCStill thinking about @PatricioOWard’s move for the win. #INDYCAR The @ArrowMcLarenSP driver absolutely SENT IT. 🏁

May 2nd 202231 Retweets299 Likes

O’Ward’s win was impressive, as was his entire race.

Two pit strategies emerged as viable candidates for the win Sunday. NTT Data’s analysis of the two pitstop strategy, involving more fuel saving and tire management, and the three stop strategy, requiring more outright speed from the drivers, produced equal chance of victory before the race started, according to NBC’s broadcast.

As VeeKay, O’Ward and other front runners spent the first 2/3 of the race hitting a fuel number and managing tires on the two stop strategy, drivers like the flamboyant Colton Herta and back-to-back race winner Josef Newgarden opted for the three stop strategy. Multiple compelling battles developed with three stop drivers having to carve through the field on the two stop strategy.

In the end, O’Ward saved his stuff for just the right moment, took his opportunity and never looked back. His drive showed the McLaren driver has learned from his weaknesses from last season, when he’d often fade at the very end of runs due to poor tire management. Now, he can keep his equipment under control, eliminates unnecessary risk, and as a reward went home on the top step of the podium.

A subplot for the race become the growing rivalry between Graham Rahal and Romain Grosjean. The two made contact twice in the closing stages of the race, both appearing to be Grosjean’s fault. Some, including Rahal, wondered if it was time for race control to reprimand him.

All in all, it was a great IndyCar race weekend. And though social media isn’t a perfect representation of the real world, it certainly appeared as if the race brought in lots of new viewers who enjoyed what they saw.

IndyCar on NBC @IndyCaronNBC"It was a gentle touch." - @RGrosjean "When we go and punt him, (race control) better not do anything to me." - @GrahamRahal What do you make of the late-race contact between Grosjean and Rahal? #INDYCAR

May 2nd 20229 Retweets84 Likes

One thing that I couldn’t keep out of my brain all weekend was how much I’ve overlooked Barber Motorsports Park on the list of great American road courses.

When racing drivers and fans around the world think of the best courses in the U.S., you’ll probably hear Road America, Laguna Seca and Watkins Glen as the best. These courses have rolling hills, unforgiving runoff areas, and drivers from all forms of racing love pushing cars to the limit at each track and others like it.

These tracks also have breathtaking landscapes, almost as if the natural landscape included the asphalt ribbons from the start.

If the three tracks above are on the Mount Rushmore of American road courses, this is my petition to put Barber in the fourth slot.

The Alabama circuit has only been around since 2003 (it’s younger than I am) and IndyCar had its inaugural race there in 2010. It’s become a staple of the calendar, and sold out tickets on both Saturday and Sunday for this year’s race weekend.

The only barriers to Barber being in the upper tier of American road courses would appear to stem from its youth. IndyCar is the only major American racing series to give it a chance so far. IMSA and NASCAR at any level have yet to try out Barber. IndyCar, meanwhile, keeps selling out the track and seems to have found a great home just outside of Birmingham. A 6 hour IMSA race and a contest with the NASCAR Gen 7 chassis would be phenomenal, but for now only IndyCar gets to enjoy the relatively new gem of American road circuits.

The IndyCar races are also phenomenal. The track is fast, offers enough passing to stay interesting, and features one of the only corner complexes I’ve ever seen show the true speed of IndyCars on video.

Diego Mejia @diegofmejiaCurvas 12, 13, desnivel, cambio de dirección a alta velocidad. Vuela alto @PatricioOWard durante la clasificación. #IndyCar

April 30th 2022111 Retweets2,318 Likes

The track is home to the Barber Vintage Motorsport Museum, filled with plenty of iconic race cars throughout history, and the complex is filled with plenty of interesting art and breathtaking scenery. Its proximity to Birmingham also makes it a destination you can travel to with relative ease. Much easier than places like Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, or Watkins Glen, New York.

Barber might not be the most iconic circuit on the IndyCar calendar or among American road circuits, but it’s quickly becoming one of my favorite American road courses. It has earned its place near the top of American road course circuits through every metric I can consider.

I’d take Barber any day over whatever they’re building in the parking lots in Miami for Formula One. That’s gonna be a mess, I think.