Grand-Am’s top-tier sports car series returns to Barber

Published 4:30 pm Thursday, July 17, 2008

For more on the races, visit: www.barbermotorsports.com

The Grand-Am Road Racing Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 returns to Barber Motorsports Park for the 6th annual Porsche 250 presented by Bradley Arant today through Sunday.

The weekend will feature Grand-Am’s Rolex Series and KONI Challenge Series, as well as the Ford Mustang Challenge Series and the BF Goodrich Skip Barber National Series.

Also included in the weekend’s event schedule is the SunTrust MOTO-ST Series. Making its debut at Barber Motorsports Park, this endurance motorcycle series includes three distinct motorcycle classes and will feature timed qualifying Saturday and a 500K race Sunday. This weekend’s competition features the fourth of seven rounds for the SunTrust MOTO-ST Series.

Movie and TV actor Patrick Dempsey, star of ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy, will return to Barber Motorsports Park to compete against Grand-Am’s best Rolex Series racers throughout the weekend. This is Dempsey’s sixth start in the No. 40 Hyper Sport Mazda RX-8 that he co-drives with Joe Foster.

“With six different series, including four and two-wheel racers, this event should prove to be the most action-packed weekend in the history of Barber Motorsports Park,” said Clark Virden, marketing director of Zoom Motorsports. “The overall support for this event has been outstanding over the past six years. Grand-Am has continually been a great partner with the Park, and we’re thrilled to have both Porsche and Bradley Arant return as title and presenting sponsors.”

Scott Pruett and Alex Gurney will also compete at the event. Both were involved in the closest finish in Rolex Series history when Pruett sling-shotted Gurney on the final lap at Daytona to win by .08 seconds. Gurney is the defending winner of the Porsche 250 presented by Bradley Arant, returning with Jon Fogarty in the No. 99 GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Pontiac Riley.

Ticket prices range from $20 to $45 and are available on www.barbermotorsports.com or by calling 1-800-240-2300. Kids ages 12 and under are admitted free with a paid adult. Additional attractions include the expanded Fan Zone, featuring both a variety of industry vendors and a Chick-fil-A Kid Zone on Saturday as well as the return of the Car Corral.

The Porsche 250 for the Rolex Sports Car Series race begins at 2 p.m. and is televised live on SPEED. For additional event information, including schedule of events and ticket prices, visit the park’s Web site.