I sat near Barry at IIC, and had the opportunity to watch all the hard work and wrenching he did that weekend to make the TM car work. It was very apparent that he was a professional, while the rest of us were just hobbyists ("scrubs"). Watching the car improve and transform every round was really impressive, and had everybody in our little area converted into instant fans.
I think for many of us, Barry is the only reason we knew about this car, or cared much at all. When you're the new kid on the block like TM is in this segment, having a big name on your team for credibility is every bit as important as getting big wins. Without Barry backing it, will anybody ever actually care about this car?
Good luck Barry.