By alley - Sep 8, 2014, 6:34 PM ET

IMSA: Barfield ready for return at COTA

Former American Le Mans Series race director Beaux Barfield is ready for whatever awaits him when he returns to his post with IMSA at Circuit of The Americas.

Barfield, who left the Verizon IndyCar Series last week after three years as its top cop in race control

, told RACER he's looking forward to officiating in a more familiar setting.

"The first thought that comes to my mind is that I was always concerned about being relatively young in this position, in this job, in this role, and I think, honestly, I could've been too old for the IndyCar paddock with regard to just relating directly to the drivers, or them having some respect or connection to my days as a driver," he said.

"Whereas, even though there is a mix of younger and older drivers in the sports car paddock, there's more guys that I have worked directly with, whether it was teaching, coaching, racing against. And so I think there is a greater level of respect or appreciation for my entire background in that paddock over IndyCar."

Barfield says his move to run IMSA's race control department has been met with mostly positive responses from many of the drivers and owners he got to know in the ALMS.

"That's the sense that I have gotten," he noted. "And some of the open arms and welcoming that I have received come from those who may have been on a pretty difficult end of my officiating in the past. It speaks volumes to me about the respect and the ability to relate, understand and appreciate my background and what I have been through."

Barfield will have his former lieutenant Paul Walter, who took over race control when he departed for IndyCar, back at his side in IMSA.

"Paul was a huge factor in helping us to establish a really good reputation at the American Le Mans Series," he explained. "Him returning to that role he makes me stronger, makes us stronger. Where he's attention to detail, nuts and bolts, very analytical, very in-depth, I'm very instinctual, and that's why he and I make a great team and complement each other. He's as solid as they come."

With the IndyCar season behind him, Barfield is looking forward to his home race at COTA and the modern classic Petit Le Mans event which closes the inaugural TUDOR United SportsCar Championship season.

"I will be in race control as race director starting at COTA, and I haven't looked forward to going to a race this much in a long time," he admitted. "And being able to get back into it at a track that is two hours from my house and then go back to my old home race at Road Atlanta is perfect.

"Petit Le Mans is one of my favorite events on the calendar, period. And then we start getting ready for next year. I can't stress enough how much I'm looking forward to everything I have ahead of me with IMSA."