It didn't rain... so it was Speedway-tastic again...

[gmen]

Seems like many moons since my last speedway dabblings. Rain had wiped out the last four meetings. Conditions had impoved a wee bit for last night's goings-on ;) Here are a few of those pic things:

There was some nice close racing for a change...

http://www.tgsphoto.co.uk/forum_images/norain001.jpg

Sometimes a bit too close...

http://www.tgsphoto.co.uk/forum_images/norain002.jpg

He won't catch us now...

http://www.tgsphoto.co.uk/forum_images/norain003.jpg

Some nice light to be had on the home straight...

http://www.tgsphoto.co.uk/forum_images/norain004.jpg

Where's bike number 1 when you need it?...

http://www.tgsphoto.co.uk/forum_images/norain005.jpg

Strung out down the back straight...

http://www.tgsphoto.co.uk/forum_images/norain006.jpg

The home riders to the fore...

http://www.tgsphoto.co.uk/forum_images/norain007.jpg

That doesn't look too good... (rider walked away)...

http://www.tgsphoto.co.uk/forum_images/norain008.jpg

You've got to focus on that first corner...

http://www.tgsphoto.co.uk/forum_images/norain009.jpg

Another close one to finish...

http://www.tgsphoto.co.uk/forum_images/norain010.jpg

Cheers for peeking.

---- Gavin

[nation]

Wow - excellent shots. Brilliant as usual. Thanks for posting

[Islandiver]

Drifting before drifting was cool.:cool:

[gmen]

Thanks very much for your comments guys... much appreciated.

Just though I'd add this wider view, looking down the back straight, towards the pits area... the 'spectators' are in fact the track staff, officials and riders finding any vantage point they can.

http://www.tgsphoto.co.uk/forum_images/norain012.jpg

...and another new angle on the racing, achieved more by luck than judgement :lol: ...

http://www.tgsphoto.co.uk/forum_images/norain011.jpg

---- Gavin

[Dave_G]

wicked

like your new fluked angle mate!

brilliant shots as ever, 300 2.8 used?

[gmen]

wicked

like your new fluked angle mate!

brilliant shots as ever, 300 2.8 used?Cheers Dave... I just carried on shooting when I thought the riders had got a bit too close... and was quite pleased when I chimped the results.

Yep... all with the 300mm... given up on the zoomy things at the moment. ;)

---- Gavin

[KevB]

Excellent stuff:D

[Dave_G]

Cheers Dave... I just carried on shooting when I thought the riders had got a bit too close... and was quite pleased when I chimped the results.

Yep... all with the 300mm... given up on the zoomy things at the moment. ;)

---- Gavin

what sort of zoomy things have you used for speedway? 70-200? 100-400?

[gmen]

what sort of zoomy things have you used for speedway? 70-200? 100-400?The 70-200mm IS has seen some outings, yep... but it's a lens I've never really been happy with.

I was talking to another shooter over at the track last night and, after a good whinging session, we both agreed that the glass in the 70-200 is probably manufactured by Guinness. This may be a controversial thing to say :lol: so I am donning my tin helmet, flack jacket and Kevlar underwear before the fan is splattered in dubious substances.

---- Gavin

[gmen]

Excellent stuff:DThanks Kev...

There's a slightly more extensive gallery here: http://www.photoshelter.com/gallery-show?G_ID=G00006nNrJz7LHCE&P_ID=&start=0&pagtotal=39 - including a few of the bizarre square crops I had to supply to the paper to fill one of the waiting spaces :lol:

---- Gavin

[zmaerdstyle]

Awesome work!

[Dave_G]

The 70-200mm IS has seen some outings, yep... but it's a lens I've never really been happy with.

I was talking to another shooter over at the track last night and, after a good whinging session, we both agreed that the glass in the 70-200 is probably manufactured by Guinness. This may be a controversial thing to say :lol: so I am donning my tin helmet, flack jacket and Kevlar underwear before the fan is splattered in dubious substances.

---- Gavin

You need to get your paws on a Sigma 70-200 mate.

Purely scientific, mind...:p

[gmen]

Awesome work!
Many thanks zmaerdstyle...

---- Gavin

[CurtTerp]

Very nice........

[gmen]

You need to get your paws on a Sigma 70-200 mate.

Purely scientific, mind...:pI used to have an olde-worlde Stigma jobbie of the 70-210mm (I think) f/2.8 variety back in the days of film (yep, that stuff)...

It was a lovely sharp lens.

You may well be onto something.

If I'd been using the 70-200, I would have got the other bike in when I shot this bit of speedway thwunkage...

http://www.tgsphoto.co.uk/forum_images/thwunkage.jpg

---- Gavin

[Dave_G]

Red Cross :(

If my Sigma 70-200 is anything to go by they still are lovely sharp lenses.

What's this 'film' you talk of? lol

[gmen]

Red Cross :(

If my Sigma 70-200 is anything to go by they still are lovely sharp lenses.

What's this 'film' you talk of? lolShould be there squire... not that it's worth looking at anyway :lol:

As for this film gubbins...well... if I was still using it, I'd have had to sell the house, car, wife and kids (in whatever order) to fund the habit!

---- Gavin

[forsaken]

Great shots as always gmen. The poor rider lying on the track looks abit sore

[Dave_G]

Should be there squire... not that it's worth looking at anyway :lol:

As for this film gubbins...well... if I was still using it, I'd have had to sell the house, car, wife and kids (in whatever order) to fund the habit!

---- Gavin

it's there now, well caught - !

fillum? eh? LOL

Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii-gggg-maaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

they're cheap these days mate ;)

[900spg]

Such fantastic shots. Thanks for sharing them with us. I definitely find them inspiring.

[WRC]

Really impressive Gavin. Great shots.

[NordieBoy]

Excellent shots as usual :D

The last speedway thingy I saw would have been Ivan Mauger doing some demo laps at a clinic he was running in Nelson back in the early 80's.

Boring rider, couldn't be bothered putting his foot down in the corners.

:lol:

[gmen]

Great shots as always gmen. The poor rider lying on the track looks abit soreThanks forsaken...it was a hefty tumble... but thankfully he walked away pretty much unscathed.

---- Gavin

[keith baker]

nice shots, where is this speedway track it sounds like it might be worth a visit.
are races weekly or what ?
I live in kent

[gmen]

Excellent shots as usual :D

The last speedway thingy I saw would have been Ivan Mauger doing some demo laps at a clinic he was running in Nelson back in the early 80's.

Boring rider, couldn't be bothered putting his foot down in the corners.

:lol:Thanks Nordie...

Good old Ivan...six times World Champ as well ;)

---- Gavin

[gmen]

Such fantastic shots. Thanks for sharing them with us. I definitely find them inspiring.Many thanks 900spg...

It was a good night of racing which made for some half-decent images... the paper, as always, plumped for the 'newsworthy' pics which didn't make it to the selection here :rolleyes: :lol:

http://www.tgsphoto.co.uk/forum_images/pantaloons.jpg

----Gavin

[NordieBoy]

Any article that gets in a "Two Ronnies" quote can't be all bad :D

[A.Ulleri]

those shots and riders are insane

[gmen]

Any article that gets in a "Two Ronnies" quote can't be all bad :D:lol: I have to say that it made me giggle as well... The sports editor has a very good sense of humour which 'sneaks out' into the reports from time to time ;)

---- Gavin

[gmen]

nice shots, where is this speedway track it sounds like it might be worth a visit.
are races weekly or what ?
I live in kentHi Keith... these are taken at Arena Essex... which is next door to Lakeside shopping centre... just a quick hop across the river for you ;)

---- Gavin

[Dave_G]

Still awesome.

Gavin, I have posted a shot of a Jaguar taken with the Sigma 70-200 f2.8 in my HSCC thread which is as it came out of the camera, just for fun...

[gmen]

those shots and riders are insaneThe lack of brakes on the machines has alway been a source of concern for me :lol:

---- Gavin

[illmatik53]

looked at a few pics and noticed that you were shooting at ISO1600 and 1/400s. Did you shoot any shots at a lower ISO? curious as how they would've turned out. The pics are nice regardless, but i think that I could do with a little less noise. but that's just my personal preference, i'm a stickler for crisp sharpness, heck, i'm still working on getting my pics to the clear crisp sharpness that i like. again, it's just a personal preference though.

what did you use to protect yourself, or better yet, the camera/lens from and stray mud/dirt flying around?