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HMSA Barber Historics 2015 – Report and Photos

Chris MacAllister's Lotus 49 DennisGray
Chris MacAllister\'s Lotus 49

The inaugural Barber Historics was staged May 15-17, 2015 at the 15-turn, 2.38-mile Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama. Lotus was the featured marque of the event staged by Historic Motor Sports Association (HMSA) in association with ZOOM Motorsports and Barber Motorsports Park.

The Barber Historics 2015 was patterned after the peerless Barber Vintage Festival, now in its 10th year, held each fall for historic motorcycles. Using a similar recipe, the team at Barber is working with HMSA to make the Barber Historics one of the three top historic automotive events in the country.

The event’s Grand Marshal, George Follmer, also celebrated the 50th anniversary of Follmer driving the Lotus 23B to victory in the U.S. Road Racing Championship over the the powerhouse of Jim Hall and his Chaparral. Follmer went on to win championships in both the Trans Am and Can Am series, as well as successfully competing in INDYCAR, NASCAR, IMSA and Formula One.

Bold words, but Barber Motorsports Park may be the best track in the United States. The track is smooth with long run-off areas. It’s surrounded by a deep green forest as found only in the Southeast. The driver, press and crew facilities were first-class, with TV screens show on track action from each turn. The air-conditioned, roomy and clean building featured large windows that allow great views of the track from the second and third floor rooms. The accessible paddock is divided into three, large tiers. Another attraction was the Barber Motorsports Museum, which houses one of the largest Lotus racing car collections in the world. Drivers and crew alike were positive — even excited — in their description of driving the course. It has been a long time since drivers and car owners have come up to me with praise for an event and a track such as the debut Barber Historics.

Senior Photographer Dennis Gray documented the HMSA Barber Historics 2015 offering the following pictures that highlight the strong field of entrants at the debut historic race. We split up Dennis’ photos into two galleries. The first gallery starting below features our favorite images, all displayed in the full-width view of Sports Car Digest, while the second gallery and race results can be found on the last page of the article and gives a comprehensive view of all the photographs. To see more from Dennis, visit HistoricMotorPrints.com.

HMSA Barber Historics 2015 – Featured Photo Gallery

Chris MacAllister's McLaren M8F
Chris MacAllister’s McLaren M8F
John McKenna's 1963 Shelby Cobra
John McKenna’s 1963 Shelby Cobra
Lloyd Hawkins in his Porsche 935.
Lloyd Hawkins in his Porsche 935.
Doc Bundy's Lotus 79
Doc Bundy’s Lotus 79

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Fred Burke's Cooper Monaco in Turn 8
Fred Burke’s Cooper Monaco in Turn 8
John McKenna's Parnelli VPJ-4
John McKenna’s Parnelli VPJ-4
Robert Bodin's Lotus Elan 26R
Robert Bodin’s Lotus Elan 26R
Three of the Group 1 cars in turn 15. Charles Wagner's Ralt RT4 in the lead
Three of the Group 1 cars in turn 15. Charles Wagner’s Ralt RT4 in the lead

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HMSA Barber Historics 2015 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Two

Ira Schoen's Ford Capri in the lead in Group 2
Ira Schoen’s Ford Capri in the lead in Group 2
Geoffery Kniight's Mazda RX7 in Turn 15
Geoffery Kniight’s Mazda RX7 in Turn 15
Group 2 in Turn 16
Group 2 in Turn 16
Jerry Peter's Porsche 914/6
Jerry Peter’s Porsche 914/6

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Lotus 49
Lotus 49
Chris MacAllister's Lotus 49
Chris MacAllister’s Lotus 49
Chris MacAllister's Lotus 49
Chris MacAllister’s Lotus 49
MacAllister's Lotus 49 leads the Tyrrell 007 driven by Nicholas Colyvas
MacAllister’s Lotus 49 leads the Tyrrell 007 driven by Nicholas Colyvas

The unauthorized use and/or duplication of any editorial or photographic content from sportscardigest.com without express and written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to sportscardigest.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

HMSA Barber Historics 2015 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Three

David Alarado's MARCH 76B
David Alarado’s MARCH 76B
David Alvarado's MARCH 76B
David Alvarado’s MARCH 76B
Jim Kelleher's MARCH 80A
Jim Kelleher’s MARCH 80A
Jim Kelleher's MARCH 80A
Jim Kelleher’s MARCH 80A

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Robert Davis brought his Lotus 7 out from San Francisco
Robert Davis brought his Lotus 7 out from San Francisco
James Roberts in his Lotus 47
James Roberts in his Lotus 47
George Hovsepian's Lotus 7
George Hovsepian’s Lotus 7
Denny Wilson's Lotus Super 7
Denny Wilson’s Lotus Super 7

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HMSA Barber Historics 2015 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Four

George Smith in his Elva Courier
George Smith in his Elva Courier
Mark Osborne's Merlyn Mark 6
Mark Osborne’s Merlyn Mark 6
Fred Burke's Cooper Monaco
Fred Burke’s Cooper Monaco
Lee Lydiick's Merlyn Mark 6A
Lee Lydiick’s Merlyn Mark 6A

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Chris MacAllister's McLaren M8F
Chris MacAllister’s McLaren M8F
Keith Frieser's Lola T290
Keith Frieser’s Lola T290
Shadow DN1 F1
Shadow DN1 F1
Keith Frieser's Shadow DN1
Keith Frieser’s Shadow DN1

The unauthorized use and/or duplication of any editorial or photographic content from sportscardigest.com without express and written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to sportscardigest.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

HMSA Barber Historics 2015 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Five

MGB GT driven by David Blakey
MGB GT driven by David Blakey
Houghton Smith's Datsun 240Z
Houghton Smith’s Datsun 240Z
Don Norby's Jaguar E-Type
Don Norby’s Jaguar E-Type
Robert Bodin's Lotus 19
Robert Bodin’s Lotus 19

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Jeffrey Carr's Elva Mark VI
Jeffrey Carr’s Elva Mark VI
Michael Kaleel's Lotus 23 in Turn 8
Michael Kaleel’s Lotus 23 in Turn 8
Miles Whitlock in his Lotus 18
Miles Whitlock in his Lotus 18
Tom O'Grady's Merlyn Mark 6A in Turn 8
Tom O’Grady’s Merlyn Mark 6A in Turn 8

The unauthorized use and/or duplication of any editorial or photographic content from sportscardigest.com without express and written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to sportscardigest.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

HMSA Barber Historics 2015 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Six

Mark Osborne's Merlyn Mark 6
Mark Osborne’s Merlyn Mark 6
Robert Maurer's Elva Mark 7 following Jim Gewinner's Lotus 23B
Robert Maurer’s Elva Mark 7 following Jim Gewinner’s Lotus 23B
Robert Davis in his Lotus 23
Robert Davis in his Lotus 23
Peter Hardsteen's Lotus 51B
Peter Hardsteen’s Lotus 51B

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Fred Burke's Cooper Monaco exits Turn 8
Fred Burke’s Cooper Monaco exits Turn 8
As the rain starts to fall, Tom O'Grady's Merlyn Mark 6A exits Turn 8
As the rain starts to fall, Tom O’Grady’s Merlyn Mark 6A exits Turn 8
Robert Davis in his Lotus 23
Robert Davis in his Lotus 23
A soggy Robert Davis in his Lotus 23
A soggy Robert Davis in his Lotus 23

The unauthorized use and/or duplication of any editorial or photographic content from sportscardigest.com without express and written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to sportscardigest.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

HMSA Barber Historics 2015 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Seven

Robert Bodin's Lotus 19 in the rain
Robert Bodin’s Lotus 19 in the rain
Mark Osborne's Merlyn Mark 6
Mark Osborne’s Merlyn Mark 6
Oops
Oops
Whimsical 8 foot tall Ostriches
Whimsical 8 foot tall Ostriches

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James Hagan's Tyrrell 011
James Hagan’s Tyrrell 011
Chris MacAllister's Lotus 49
Chris MacAllister’s Lotus 49
Eddie Lawson's Wolf WR4 and #11 Andrew Beaumont's Lotus 76
Eddie Lawson’s Wolf WR4 and #11 Andrew Beaumont’s Lotus 76
Dan Marvin's MARCH 76B
Dan Marvin’s MARCH 76B

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HMSA Barber Historics 2015 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Eight

Andrew Beaumont's Lotus 76
Andrew Beaumont’s Lotus 76
Andrew Beaumont's helmet
Andrew Beaumont’s helmet
Andrew Beaumont's Lotus 76
Andrew Beaumont’s Lotus 76
Andrew Beaumont's Lotus 76
Andrew Beaumont’s Lotus 76

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Daimler SP250 driven by Larry Ligas
Daimler SP250 driven by Larry Ligas
John McKenna's 1963 Shelby Cobra
John McKenna’s 1963 Shelby Cobra
Michael Wright's Porsche 914/6
Michael Wright’s Porsche 914/6
"Charlotte" poses behind Don Norby's Jaguar E Type
“Charlotte” poses behind Don Norby’s Jaguar E Type

The unauthorized use and/or duplication of any editorial or photographic content from sportscardigest.com without express and written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to sportscardigest.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

HMSA Barber Historics 2015 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Nine

Robert Davis in his Lotus 7
Robert Davis in his Lotus 7
Leonard Sutphin's Datsun 1600 Roadster
Leonard Sutphin’s Datsun 1600 Roadster
Hayes Flynn's Alfa Romeo GTV
Hayes Flynn’s Alfa Romeo GTV
Clark Lance's Lotus Elan
Clark Lance’s Lotus Elan

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Ira Schoen's Ford Capri
Ira Schoen’s Ford Capri
Doc Bundy's Lotus 23B
Doc Bundy’s Lotus 23B
Jim Gewinner's Lotus 23B
Jim Gewinner’s Lotus 23B
Lawrence Huang's Oreca FLM 09 drops down the hill into Turn 9
Lawrence Huang’s Oreca FLM 09 drops down the hill into Turn 9

The unauthorized use and/or duplication of any editorial or photographic content from sportscardigest.com without express and written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to sportscardigest.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

HMSA Barber Historics 2015 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Ten

15 Race cars ran 10 miles on public highways to Mountain Brook, joining 80 collector cars for a get-together
15 Race cars ran 10 miles on public highways to Mountain Brook, joining 80 collector cars for a get-together
A young lady enjoys Fred Burke's Cooper Monaco
A young lady enjoys Fred Burke’s Cooper Monaco
State police accompanied the race cars into Mountain Brook
State police accompanied the race cars into Mountain Brook
Alex MacAllister in his Ralt RT1
Alex MacAllister in his Ralt RT1

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John McKenna's Parnelli VPJ-4
John McKenna’s Parnelli VPJ-4
Doc Bundy's Lotus 79
Doc Bundy’s Lotus 79
Ron Maydon's Arrows FA1
Ron Maydon’s Arrows FA1
Eddie Lawson's Wolf WR4
Eddie Lawson’s Wolf WR4

The unauthorized use and/or duplication of any editorial or photographic content from sportscardigest.com without express and written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to sportscardigest.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

HMSA Barber Historics 2015 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Eleven

Chris MacAllister's McLaren M8F
Chris MacAllister’s McLaren M8F
Chris MacAllister's McLaren M8F
Chris MacAllister’s McLaren M8F
Lloyd Hawkins in his Porsche 935
Lloyd Hawkins in his Porsche 935
David Smith's Porsche 935
David Smith’s Porsche 935

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Lloyd Hawkins in his Porsche 962
Lloyd Hawkins in his Porsche 962
Lawrence Huang's Oreca FLM 09
Lawrence Huang’s Oreca FLM 09
Alex MacAllister in his Chevron B19
Alex MacAllister in his Chevron B19
Keith Frieser's Lola T290
Keith Frieser’s Lola T290

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HMSA Barber Historics 2015 – Main Photo Gallery (click image for larger picture and description)

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[Source: HMSA; photos: Dennis Gray]