Shooting the pits

[hesaias]

Going to Charlotte Motor Speedway tomorrow and am going into the pits during practice. This is the first race pics I will be taking in quite a while. Anybody got any tips or words of caution (I have heard they don't like unliscenced photographers in Nextel Cup Pits)

[JSPhoto]

Unlicensed? I never heard of a license reuired for NASCAR pits.... credentials yes, you must have the proper credential or you won't get into the pits at all. You will get either a "COLD" pass or "HOT" pass. Basically the cold pass is worthless as your not allowed in the pits once the cars are running (actually 1/2 to 1 hour BEFORE they even fire the engines).Same on race day too.
Now if you have a "HOT" pass your allowed in the pits anytime, even when cars are running. Just don't expect to get any driver shots, it's not often to get good face shots even in the pits. It used to be easy to get them.
Actually the best way to get driver shots is to hang out at t he media center, all the top drivers will be there at some point doing media interviews and it's the best way to get them not wearing a helmet....but you still have to deal with the sunglasses with most drivers.
NASCAR drivers used to be available, but now they act like the old CART series
If you get a chance you may be able to catch some drivers at smaller tracks in the area. This year at ORPI (formerly IRP) Kenny Schrader stood next to me during the national anthem, and later talked to me a few minutes, where the younger drivers try and hide.

JS

[hesaias]

I had heard that they did not allow DSLRs in the pit area, but I figured that was not the case. I called the Speedway and they said as long as it fit under my seat, the camera was cool. I have a Lowepro mini treker bag so I will be good.

As far as drivers, I don't care about driver pics. Im after Pit stops and cars. I remember meeting Dale Earnhardt Sr a few times. Richard Petty, Davey Allison, Harry Gant, Ernie Ervan (right after his big wreck), Bill Eliott, etc were very easy to talk to. I really do not care too much for NASCAR these days. All the real competition is gone, its all about making the sponsor look good and being consistant. Thats not what racing should be about, IMO.

Oh yeah, and about PICTURES!!!

[JSPhoto]

Oh, are you sitting in the seats behind the pits? Thats different than actually being in the pits and shooting. They do allow DSLR's in the pits, heck, all the pit shooters use them except a very few that still use film.....few and far between now though.
Shooting on pit road now requires a lot of safety gear at the big races (NASCAR< IRL etc..) due to recent fires and so on.
Have fun though Scott, and bring back some pit action!

JS

[hesaias]

We have hot passes today for Cup practice and qualifying. I have a Game to shoot in Greenville @ 7:30 so we won't be staying for the Bush race. We will be at the Cup race tomorrow night.

[hesaias]

Holy crap was that ever awesome! I have not had time to edit the pics, due to an away game last night, homecoming (little league) this afternoon and the Nextell cup race tonight, but I can say that having a hot pass puts you right there. I sat on the pit wall and shot practice, hung out in the garage while the crews made adjustments to the cars, saw the drivers up close, etc. It was a blast.

I do have a question about the guys in the photographer vests. Who are they and who do they shoot for? How do you get that jersey? They were allowed in the garage stalls, and in places the hot pass would not get you (leaning in the car window to get a shot of Dale Jr putting on his helmet for instance) I was guessing the vest was like an all acccess media pass or something.

[JSPhoto]

The guys in the vests are most likely shooting for the following: AP, the track, NASCAR Illustrated and Stock Car Racing magazine and others. If you shoot a lot you begin to learn who's who without seeing the credentials. The vests sometimes say who they are with though. The AP has vests at Indy for shooters who shoot from certain areas like outside the turns or up on the roof looking down the front stretch towards turn 4. The guy up there shoots with a 600mm lens and it's a job to lug that up there. I know one guy who did that until he had a heart attack up there (literally). He still wants to do it but no one wants a repeat of the last time he did it.

JS

[hesaias]

I shot this one from the Smith tower seats on the front stretch. Please keep in mind, my lens is a 4.5/5.6 80-200. I inly bothered using the flash when I got cleser due to the 200 shutterspeed on my Rebel when I use flash.



My very first night time pan. This is from the exit of turn 4



I thought this one was kinda cool with the people in the foreground. I may darken the shadows some.



Shoulda turned the camera up here.





Another pan



Race Winner Kasey Kahne

[hesaias]

Forgot the shot of the race winner taking the white flag!

[Jimmy B]

Scott did you happen too take any shots of the officials at the track when you were there?
To get a vest you have to be shooting for a publication who sends in the request for your credentials. I have only shot one race weekend in vegas in 01. total blast.
Jimmy B

[JSPhoto]

Scott,
Looks like you had a good time. I wound up shooting soccer....and freezing, then went home and watched the race on TV. Go DODGE! Been a Dodge/Plymouth fan since the 60's thanks to the Petty clan....and who was it that finished 5th? Best finish in a loooooong time for that team. My first car was a 1970 Roadrunner, and now all I have is a Dodge truck and Plymouth van.
You deffinately need an f2.8 lens and although I'm not a big fan of the Rebel it seems to haave done OK. The lighting at Lowes is the best there is, and f2.8 would have made a world of difference, especially in the speed shots where you can see a lot of noise.

I don't know if they do it at the smaller races such as Lowes but at the Brickyard Canon has a place where pros can borrow gear such as lenses to use for shooting the event. If you had the credentials (which you apparently did) you could have borrowed a lens, maybe even a body too and tried out a 1D MKII N.... sorry, I didn't think about that till now

JS

[hesaias]

The only cred I had was my Hot pass. I kinda eased into some spots I prolly should not have been, Like on the Pit wall in Reed Sorensens pit after he DNF'd

I wanted to get between the inside wall and the fence (where you get killed if there is a wreck) but you gotta have a vest to go there.

I may see if my local paper will hook me up next year.

[JSPhoto]

Ah, Ok, that explains a lot As for vests, every track handles the photogs differently. At Indy the only vests that required are for those shooting for the track and for those shooting in specific areas like up high and on the outside of the turns up along the wall. The latter is a really dangerous place to shoot from! The photoogs on the inside of the turns are not required to have vests. It's really a way for the saftey people in the tower to be able to quickly spot the photogs in those locations in case of trouble. It has a secondary use though, and that is to help the photogs get through the crowd quicker.

Shooting for the local paper is a good idea, and it's how I do it. The problem is that most small papers don't bother sending anyone but instead get their stuff off the AP wire
Since our local paper got cut one credential from the 500 I'll be shooting for another paper, and in fact will setting that up this week so we have it all settled now instead of the last minute.

JS