March 15-16, 2003 -- Birmingham Regional/SARRC

Two weeks later we had the privilege of being the first people ever to race at the brand new Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama. Barber is a magnificent facility and is very convenient to Chattanooga. The timing tower is a three-story structure with large open viewing platforms on the top two levels. I am told that you can see 75% of the track from there. Some of the unique features include bronze sculptures scattered around the grounds and tire walls composed of brand new Firestone tires. (I am told the tires are all factory rejects. I'll hold the jokes.) The track is very challenging with groups of sequential and blind turns and a considerable amount of elevation change.

Anthony Henderson, Will Perry, Vesa Silegren, and Art Thompson made the trip from Chattanooga for a regional race on Saturday and a SARRC race on Sunday.

Anthony started the weekend on a bad note by backing his Vee into one of the tire walls. With assistance from one of his competitors, and even some welding by construction workers at the track, he got the car back together in time to not miss any sessions. Anthony ultimately finished second in both the Regional and, after an incident early on and a hard fought battle afterwards, also in the SARRC. That incident was a miscalculation in the turn six braking zone by Anthony, which resulted in contact with the Vee he was chasing. That car spun and Anthony bobbled but continued on. Anthony then led for several laps until the other Vee driver finally caught back up and passed him.
 

2003 Races

November
   ARRC
October
   VIR School
   Roebling Road
August
   Road Atlanta
July 
   Road Atlanta
June
   Charlotte
May
   Kershaw
April
   Roebling Road
March
   VIR
   Birmingham
   Road Atlanta

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Will and Vesa, who also drove an ITC Honda, swapped the lead in the SARRC, catching me on the last lap with ITB driver Stu Brummer caught in the pack. Each time I looked in the mirror I saw a different car leading as they overtook me. Will won and Vesa finished second in both the Saturday Regional and Sunday SARRC race. I was fourth on Saturday, after spinning and tagging the tire wall in the same turn that got Anthony earlier. I finished fifth on Sunday.

"March Mayhem" was broken in to parts for web publication.
Part 1     Part 2     Part 3