Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix 2026

Barber Motorsports Park was created as a passion project by motorcycle collector George W. Barber, who built a facility on 880 acres east of Birmingham, Alabama, that goes far beyond a mere racing circuit. Construction began in 2002, and the track opened on May 18, 2003. To this day, it remains closely linked to the adjoining Barber Vintage Motorsport Museum, which houses one of the world’s largest motorcycle collections across approximately 21,000 square meters and gives the facility its unique museum character.

Since 2010, the course has been a permanent fixture on the IndyCar Series calendar. After the commitment was officially announced in July 2009, the first race took place on the weekend of April 9–11, 2010. The Grand Prix has been organized by the local group Zoom Motorsports since then, which has helped establish the event as a permanent fixture in the series’ spring schedule. Additionally, Barber has been the venue for the popular Vintage Festival every October since 2005, underscoring the facility’s roots in historic motorsport.

The course, designed by track architect Alan Wilson, strategically utilizes the region’s hilly topography. Across 3.83 kilometers, 17 turns wind through terrain with striking elevation changes of up to around 24 meters, giving the track a flowing, undulating character. This combination of tight technical sections and fast, topographically defined stretches makes Barber one of the most scenically impressive and driver-demanding venues on the IndyCar calendar.

In this demanding layout, Pato O’Ward has held the track record since 2021 with a time of 1:06.818, a benchmark that stands to this day and underscores the circuit’s demands on drivers and machinery. Most recently, Álex Palou prevailed in Birmingham in 2025, joining the list of winners who have made the Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix one of the season’s most prestigious races. Thus, Barber Motorsports Park continues to combine tradition, museum heritage, and thrilling motorsport into an extraordinary package.