Visiting the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum just outside of Birmingham, Alabama, is a pilgrimage for many motorcyclists. Wandering through the world’s largest motorcycle museum easily takes a full day, and even then you can’t possibly absorb it all. And just outside the museum’s windows is the undulating asphalt and rolling green hills of the Barber Motorsports Park that hosts motorcycle and car events throughout the year. Mr. Barber was a visionary and a generous philanthropist, and the world is a darker place without him in it.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (February 18, 2026) — George W. Barber, Jr., founder of the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum and Barber Motorsports Park, died peacefully on Sunday, February 15, following a brief illness. He was 85 years old.
Following graduation from Auburn University, Barber enlisted in the Alabama Air National Guard, serving six years with the 117th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing. He took the helm of Barber Dairies at age 29, guiding it into a leading provider in the region.
Barber’s legendary competitive drive first manifested on the racetrack, where he dominated the Southeastern sports-car circuit. With 63 victories to his name, George was regarded as a leading talent of his era, trading paint with the likes of Dan Gurney and Peter Gregg…