The Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum supports history in the making at the Goodwood Festival of Speed

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Two world championship-winning racing machines from the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum are set to make international history at the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed, July 11-14.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of John Surtees winning the 1964 Formula One World Championship. To commemorate this achievement, the museum is proudly bringing Surtees’ title-winning Ferrari 158 F1 to the “ultimate summer garden party” on the south coast of England. The 1.5-liter V-8 has been specially prepared for this event so spectators can not only see but also hear this iconic machine in person.

This particular Ferrari is usually featured in a display at the museum dedicated to Surtees’ accomplishments. His record as the only person to win world championships on both two and four wheels is more than enough to warrant such a presentation. Surtees’ friendship with museum founder George Barber, however, led to an exhibit that also showcases his MV Agusta race bikes and personal effects of a life spent competing at the highest level.

Surtees’ bold red Ferrari will be paired with the seminal yellow-and-black “bumblebee” livery found on the 1980 Yamaha YZR500 that carried “King” Kenny Roberts to his third consecutive 500cc Grand Prix World Championship. Roberts will ride his YZR500 for the first time in years, cementing the importance of this occasion. Goodwood will also be the first opportunity to see both machines at the same event and on the same course.

Now part of the museum’s permanent collection, the two-stroke four-cylinder 0W48 was in Roberts’ possession for more than 40 years. This factory machine is important because it features an aluminum frame painted black to emulate the steel tubing of the era, hiding any advantage from competitors’ eyes. Rolling on American-made Goodyear rubber, Roberts won the first three GPs of the 1980 season, setting him on a clear path to the title.

Upon its return to the museum, the YZR500 will reside alongside the Suzuki RGV500 that Roberts’ eldest son, Kenny Jr., raced to the 2000 500cc world championship. Prior to becoming part of the Barber collection, the two-stroke V-four had rarely been seen in public. Now, as part of the world’s “largest motorcycle museum,” both of these historic machines and many others can be seen up close and in person.

“Kenny Roberts and Kenny Roberts Jr. are the only father and son to win the 500cc world title, and this unique history needs to be preserved and told to future generations,” said Brian Case, executive director of the museum. “We are very happy to join the Goodwood Festival of Speed and facilitate both the Roberts Yamaha and the Surtees Ferrari for their runs through the hallowed grounds.”

In April, the museum named Roberts as the grand marshal for the 19th annual Barber Vintage Festival, October 11-13. The always popular event will feature manufacturer displays, seminars, demo rides, spectacular vintage-bike competition, and custom-bike contests, all surrounded by the region’s beautiful rolling hills. The festival is the largest of its kind and draws spectators from around the world.

About the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum

The Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum is a 501(C)(3) not-for-profit located at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama. Celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2024, the museum focuses on various aspects of motorsports design, from displaying motorcycles and cars spanning over 100 years of production to the Barber Advanced Design Center—a high-tech workspace for design exploration. The museum embraces the culture of motorsports enthusiasts by hosting programs such as Barber Design Camp and events such as Barber Vintage Festival. With five floors housing more than 1,800 motorcycles, over 60 Lotus race cars, and numerous vintage and iconic vehicles, the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum is the ultimate family-friendly environment for education, inspiration and exploration with the mission to preserve, interpret and exhibit the history of motorcycles and vintage vehicles in motorsports. The public is welcome, and more information is available at www.BarberMuseum.org.