New Track “Chuckwalla Valley Raceway”

The first few events are always the most difficult when photographing a new track.  On a regular event on a track that I am familiar with, I generally do the more difficult, outside angles first then do the easier inside shots.  I reversed that order on today’s event since I thought it prudent to familiarize myself with the way the track operates.  Also, the inside shots are safer since I generally hang out on the opposite side of the impact zone.  There is a higher probability of crashes when a rider is new to the course.  In this case, every rider was new to the course.

It was a bit tricky getting the sun movement down.  It wasn’t until my third lap around the track on my SUV that I figured out where the sun was going to move to, correspondingly, the order of the corners I was going to photograph.  Since I’m on foot, I like to hit the corners that are in close proximity to each other.  The order for today was, outside broadside of 3, inside of 4, inside/middle/exit of 7, and finally the inside of 9.  Turn 9 and turn 4 are duplicates.  I just like the different background.

On to the pictures:

If you are thinking it looks like SMMSR, it does.  I’m not as artistic as most people think.  I lack the imagination.  That’s what happens when a business major takes up photography.  If it works, I’m prone to repeat it and will not change or fix it.  Which is why I welcome the opportunity to have a 2nd photo outfit shoot the same event.  If they come up with a better angle, I will shamelessly copy it.  It saves me the trial and error experience of getting to know a new track.  I eagerly await the images produced by the other outfit that was out there today.

Advertisement