Bobby Rahal, a former Indy 500 winner and one of the co-founder of the Legends of Motorsports series, talks with crew members prior to his practice session on Thursday.
“The best thing about this type of racing is that you get to see these great cars, and there’s always great stories associated with them,” said series founder Bobby Rahal. “You talk to the guys that own them, they love to share exactly what happened with the car over the years.”
Rahal, an international racing champion and former winner of the Indy 500, brought the series that bears his signature to Barber Motorsports Park over the weekend. Last Thursday, as he prepared to take his first-ever practice lap on the road-course track, Rahal said the series appeals to fans of all kinds of cars.
“I think the best part is, the spectators, the people who come here, the families, they can literally get within inches of the cars and learn about them,” he said. “So it’s as much an educational event as it is a sporting event.”
Information packets about the series refer to it as “a celebration of racing history.” Rahal is one of three co-founders, along with professional driver Zak Brown and businessman Peter Stoneberg.
Approximately 80 cars were entered for the series’ first-ever event, including some historic Formula One cars, the first of their kind to come to Barber. All of the drivers are also their owners.
“These are the cars they grew up watching,” said Erin Cechal, a representative for the series. “Each of these drivers respects the others; you’ll see more racing and not a lot of rubbing.”
Still, as Rahal is quick to point out, the weekend was not a car show.
“They drive them pretty hard,” he said. “This isn’t a parade. They love them; it’s their passion, and I think that’s maybe what separates it from a lot of other racing.
“A lot of other racing, it just gets to be a business. There is no business to this. It’s their passion, it’s their hobby, it’s what they love to do and love to be a part of. That makes it special.”
There was another piece of racing history on hand, as well: open-wheel great Mario Andretti attended a Saturday-night gala at the Barber Motorsports Museum, and hung around long enough to serve as Sunday’s grand marshal.
Rahal said the series works perfectly with the museum on the grounds.
“You got the best of all worlds, really,” he said. “Some of these cars ran throughout most of North America from the mid-‘60s to the early ‘70s.
“They were unlimited race cars; there were hardly any rules, so they were the most powerful race cars in the world at the time. Even today, I think they’re probably the most powerful going right now. It’s just that they’re 45 years old.”
For more information on the Legends of Motorsports series, visit www.legendsofmotorsports.com. For more on upcoming events at Barber Motorsports Park, visit www.barbermotorsports.com.
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