Not the usual driver photo

And the usual one afterwards :)

I thought I'd experiment with just the trophy and the race suits, deliberately cutting off the drivers. Next step is to crop it to the legs and the trophy.

I've done two crops so far, it's an exercise in colour and composition.
That's where I'd value your advice.
Improvements, please !

Paul, I think I like the last one the best, interesting composition with good color and line - and cutting to the essence of the event :)

Thanks Aaron.
I'll try that as a print and see how it loos on the wall.
My monitor isn't big enough, seems no one makes a 3500x2300 LCD unfortunately.

The trophy simply says:

Le Mans Endurance Series
1000hm Silverstone
13th August 2005
!st

Unless you were there, you wouldn't appreciate how hard won it was.
By 5 seconds after 6 hours of racing.

Wow, that must have been a really exciting race to observe. My problem is I get so involved watching I forget to take photo's!

My problem in the race was the weather (see sports forum)
I was travelling light (no monopod) and shaking so much in the cold that many images are unusable.
I've learned that IS is good for a stop or two, but doesn't work miracles !

I've also learmed to lock the exposure and not let it recalculate to under-expose as the car turns towards me with headlights blazing.