Inside Track BY JAMES KEARNEY PHOTO COURTESY BARNEY POWERS
Cincinnati Region’s
Barney Powers, Sound
Control Worker of the Year
F or Barney Powers, it began back
in 1963. He’d been “trying to
decide on a life-long hobby.” On
a whim, he drove 500 miles from
Cincinnati to Elkhart Lake, Wis., after
work on Friday. He spread out a little
lean-to and woke up to frost. He
walked the four-mile track four times
over the weekend and watched Augie
Pabst Jr. take the win. Later that same
year he went to the U.S. Grand Prix at
Watkins Glen. He remembers a Cobra
passing by on the track as being his
alarm clock. He had his hobby – or
perhaps it had him.
Barney has put in some serious
time with the SCCA. He is only four
years off his 50th anniversary. He
says he has worked every specialty
there is, save for registration and
communications. He was chief of
tech for Can-Am and Trans-Am
events at Mid Ohio back in the day.
He’s met Revson, Gurney, Donahue
and Phil Hill. He remembers events
with 450 cars being teched on Friday
‘‘
night by a crew of 25 scrutineers.
In the mid 1980s, Barney moved
THE ROAR FROM THE CARB CAN CONTRIBUTE
MORE NOISE THAN YOU…THINK Barney Powers
’’
over to sound control. “It’s the
least amount of work you can do
and still get in free,” he laughs.
He says the required skill set for Barney Powers has appropriate sound limit, usually 103 Noise may actually be in the ear
sound control is someone who can worked many decibels. “When we see someone of the beholder, however. Barney
either read or write. Seriously, he specialties since he bumping up against the limits we go says the constant roar of the
looks for folks who can maintain focus started with the Club have a chat with them. We hate to see racetrack may be what really gets
over a long period of time. “If they are nearly 50 years ago. drivers get penalized.” He says they to some neighbors. He says that, on
easily bored, this is not for them.” In 2009, he was are always well received. “Our fi rst some occasions, test equipment
As a lo