Carb Day at Indy

[IndyJeff]

Well today was carb day at Indy. Mainly the cars come out and get the car setup for race day. They also have a pit stop competition and a concert. This years band was called LIVE. Never heard of them. Anyway, I go to the media center after practice and eat my free meal. That is one thing you must learn if you are shooting for the press, find the free meal. So I get done and decide I don't want to fight thru the crowd to get over to where I can get in the pits for the PS competition so I decide to leave the track. While walking to my car my cell phone rings, it is my wife and she has someone for me to talk to. Next thing I know this burly voice says "hello" I reply and asked who this was. Seems my wife ran into Rupert from Survivor and got him to talk to me on the phone LOL
It was pretty cool. Now I am bushed and it is time for a nap. That happens when you get old fellas.
If any of you watch the 500 this weekend, I'll have a Hawaiian shirt on with a black hat that says Sports Shooter.
http://www.classmates.com/photos/4/7/6/2/4762461_thumb.jpg

So if you see me you can say, "Hey I know that dude."

Have a safe weekend everyone.

[CoolToolGuy]

Jeff,

Go get 'em and get some great shots. I'll be looking for you.

Have Fun

[Belmondo]

Jeff:
That reminds me of a story---

We were walking through the pits at Laguna Seca, and we ran into Little Al (Unser). It was my friend's daughter's birthday, and my friend asked if Al would wish her HAPPY BIRTHDAY if we could get her on the cell phone. He agreed, and we were able to track her down. I'm sure it's a birthday greeting she'll never forget.

Most of these guys are pretty nice, but that was 'above and beyond'.

[timmyquest]

This years band was called LIVE.

I didnt know they were still around

"lightning crashes, and oh mother criiiies"

Ring a bell?

Ehh, must be a generational thing.

[IndyJeff]

timmyquest, still doesn't ring a bell.

Belmondo, there is a chance I will see Al today and if so I will ask him if he remembers that. LOL Wouldn't surprise me if he did. So far I have met just about the entire Unser family and they are all a class act.

Well I am about to leave for Media day, another free lunch and then a ride around the track ina a pace car. I am hoping I can get lucky and have my driver be the actor Morgan Freeman who will be the pace car driver for the beginning of the race.

[CoolToolGuy]

I developed a process (no pun intended) while going to Watkins Glen where I would take shots of drivers in the pits or paddock, have 8x10s made of the good ones, and take them back the next year to have them autograph it. I have several great drivers as well as World Champions. For the most part, they didn't mind autographing a photo, especially (it seems) if it was not a traditional 'in the car' shot. :D

I started going to SCCA Nationals about the time a driver using the name P L Newman started racing, trying to be a little incognito (the actor Paul Newman). I did the same thing, and I had a couple good shots. I wanted to get one for me and one for my Mom. He gave an interview around that time where he said that he never signed autographs, and he explained why (related to show business). I was determined to get my prints signed. I caught up with him at an uncrowded part of the track and gave him my pitch. I said I didn't care about Hollywood, I had some great shots of a race driver that I wanted autographed, but he wouldn't budge. He was polite, but firm. Ironic, he was sponsored at the time by Canon. :roll:

Too bad - and I personally boycotted his spaghetti sauce and salad dressing for several years because of it. :(

[Tom W]

I started going to SCCA Nationals about the time a driver using the name P L Newman started racing, trying to be a little incognito (the actor Paul Newman). I did the same thing, and I had a couple good shots. I wanted to get one for me and one for my Mom. He gave an interview around that time where he said that he never signed autographs, and he explained why (related to show business). I was determined to get my prints signed. I caught up with him at an uncrowded part of the track and gave him my pitch. I said I didn't care about Hollywood, I had some great shots of a race driver that I wanted autographed, but he wouldn't budge. He was polite, but firm. Ironic, he was sponsored at the time by Canon. :roll:

Newman gave Car and Driver Magazine the cold shoulder once too, I recall. ;)

Too bad - and I personally boycotted his spaghetti sauce and salad dressing for several years because of it. :(

I boycott them too, mainly because they aren't all that good.

[IndyJeff]

Ok so it is the day after carb day, Media Day. I get out to the track at about 11:30. Lunch is at the Chevrolet Suite. I get in there and find two of my friends at a table near the front. I sit down and lo and behold who is sitting right behind? None other than Morgan Freeman himself. Didn't really talk to him much during the lunch tho. Then we all move outside for a ride in a pace car. They had a couple of Vette pace cars, a couple of the S2 Pace truck/cars from last year and two limited edition 4 door pace cars. I really wanted a ride in a Vette but, that didn't happen. I basically gave up my will to wait it out and went with another guy I know for a ride in the 4 door. Mark Taylor, # 2 in this years Indy 500, was the driver that ahd just pulled it in. As I get in, he gets out. Robbie Buhl jumps in, gets his belts on looks over and laughs, "Hey are you ready for a ride?" We shake hands, I have known him for a couple of years now. I introduce him to the guy in the back. And off we gooooooo!!!.
We head into 1 picking up speed, come thru the short chute and into 2, down the backstretch thru 3 and the whole time he is explaining how you drive a car around Indy. As we go into 4 Pritchard asks Robbie how the wind gust affect the car. We head down the main straight at 145-150MPH and into 1. Robbie says "Ok we know the wind is blowing so we are waiting to see if we catch any gusts." Thru 1. "No wind gusts but we know it is there. Now we enter turn 2 and everything is fine and as we approach the wall, Boom, we catch a gust that pushes us up towards the wall." he twicthes the wheel towards the wall, very close to the wall I might add.
Now when we went by the first time I was maybe 3 feet from the wall. When the simulated wind gust caught us I was about 1 foot frm the wall. It was close, real close and Pritchard said he was looking at the speedometer as we came out of the turn and it read 140.
So we finish up our ride, 150 down the straights, 135-140 thru the turns.

I get abck to where we started and I want to get some shots of Morgan Freeman so I hang around. This guy and I start talking, turns out he is there with Freeman and is Morgans friend. I show him a couple of shots I have from some other races and he asks if I can get him a shot of he and Morgan with the pace car. No problemo bud. So just before Freeman gets out of the car, he approaches him and tells him what is going on. They pose, I shoot about 4-6 frames. Now Freeman is surrounded by people wanting to talk to him so I back off. I get back over to the wall and take a lean on the wall.
Pretty soon this babe, and I do mean babe, comes up and begins to ask me about my camera. She has a D Rebel and we start talking about photography. She asks if I have a card in case they might need a shot of something. I ask her who she is shooting for and she says she has a TV program and is not a photographer. She gives me one of her cards and she is Anita Hall. She co-hosts a racing program that will be on Spike TV soon. She is also a singer I guess, here is a link to her bio page Anita Hall (http://www.ohanaroad.net/images/hosts/anita/anitav2.htm)

So anyway, this Mike guy motions to me that he and Morgan are leaving. Now it is a tuff choice, leave this honey or walk with Morgan Freeman. So I bid her farewell and walk with them to a press conference. Along the way, we talk about me getting a picture of Morgan driving the pace car during the race. I said I could do that and send him a copy. He says if I send him one be sure to send 2 copies so he can autograph one and send it back to me. What a cool, class act guy.

Sorry for the rant guys but, right now I am on a high. The wife and kids are gone to Michigan for a wedding this weekend and I had to tell somebody about my day. I hope you enjoy reading about it, as much as I had living it.

God I love my job!!!!!!!

[Bruce Hamilton]

Now it is a tuff choice, leave this honey or walk with Morgan Freeman. So I bid her farewell and walk with them to a press conference.

*Thwak!* ::smacks Jeff up side his head::
Should've invited the honey to join you, instead you gave her the brush off. Now, she'll probably never call you for a photo shoot.

[CoolToolGuy]

Geez, a bachelor for the weekend AND shooting the 500 - I think John Denver had the line - 'Almost Heaven...'

Sounds like a good one - keep shooting.

OBTW - babe or no babe, I would go with the option that has the best chance of getting you the most work :wink:

Have Fun,

[IndyJeff]

Yeah Rick that is what I did.
Bruce, I didn't think about inviting her along because I don't invite people to other peoples parties, so to speak. I mean if I come walking along with this chick, even tho she was a hottie, it might have queered the deal altogether.

[KartGirlsMom]

I started going to SCCA Nationals about the time a driver using the name P L Newman started racing, trying to be a little incognito (the actor Paul Newman)..he said that he never signed autographs

In the early 80s my husband raced for Mazda the same time PLN raced for Nissan and we would see him often at races. He really just wanted to be one of the racers, not a celebrity racer. He often said that he wished he would have started earlier (he was in his late 50s at that time) to see if he really had what it took.

I worked for a couple of years for some also ran CART teams as a timer/scorer. I will never forget what it is like to be in the pits for the start of the 500. I envy you, Jeff. (humming Back Home Again in Indiana)

[IndyJeff]

na na na na naaaa naaaa KartGirlsMom LOL Just kidding. Trust me I do know how lucky I am and I wish everyone who likes racing could spend at least one day in my shoes during the month of May.
Now race day, the singging of the national anthem, back home again in Indiana, the fly over, the release of the ballons "Gentleman, start your engines"......gives me goose bumps just thinking about it. I always kind of look up and thank God for giving me the opportunity to experience what so few people ever get to. If I remember correctly, the director of photography once told me they issue 750 credentials for photographers and tv during the month of May.
I have thought about hanging up the camera and getting a job with a team, be down in the pits for the race but, I just feel like in the turn is where I belong. I think as long as I am able, I will be out there in turn 3, standing along a fence, camera hanging around my neck, sore feet and sunburned.....having the time of my life!!!

[Tom W]

Hey, I've been to Indy 4 times - never in the pits or even the infield, but I was happy to be there nevertheless. Best seats I had weren't those start/finish line seats we got the first time, but the ones high up in turn 3 looking right down the back straight. Great action. Too bad I didn't have anything but an Olympus P&S that time.

The 500 is a great spectacle. Jeff - I hope you enjoy the race and drop a couple of nice shots here at the forum for the rest of us to enjoy.

[mson]

Jeff,

Will you be shooting the US Grand Prix? I'm not a fan of oval racing, but there is something special about the 500, I plan on attending at least one in the future. I envy you this weekend! I'm sure you will get some great shots

[IndyJeff]

Well, rain delays and they start the race then more rain delays and they start the race then more rain and they end the race early, about 25 laps to go or there abouts.
It was a pretty good race but I am very sad. I have come to the realization that the D60 is not going to work. One crash in my turn and I muffed it. Well not completely. I got them sliding to the wall, lost all but one half of one of the two cars then found one of them again. The 3fps is just not fast enough so I am going to have to invest in a 1D sooner or later. With my old film camera 5fps was fast enough that you could kind of see what was going on enough to track it but, 3fps is just way to slow to see what is happening.
Ran into that hottie again, we talked for a few minutes and then parted ways. Damn I wish I was 20 years younger and single LOL.

Anyway here are a couple of shots from the race.

The crash

http://racing-action-images.com/mediac/400_0/media/crash52_2.jpg

http://racing-action-images.com/mediac/400_0/media/crash52.jpg

And of course the winner, Buddy Rice (15) and second place Tony Kannan (11)
http://racing-action-images.com/mediac/400_0/media/Rice_Kannan.jpg

[Belmondo]

All my life I've dreamed of going to the 500.

The closest I came was this year. I drove through Indianapolis during race week.

Someday.

Someday.

[CoolToolGuy]

Jeff,

Very interesting race. I was out, and came home during the rain delay. Caught the remainder on the tube. I like it when they are not just runaways, and weather adds another level of interest that shows how versatile the drivers are and how the teams plan for contingencies.

Now I guess I'll have to stay up late all this week and watch Letterman gloat - or should I watch Leno to see if he's jealous? Geez, two car guys on late night TV, what a quandary. :?

Have Fun,

[KartGirlsMom]

It was so exciting to have Buddy win and Dan finish 3rd--both previous karters and FF2000 racers--yea!

The 3fps is just not fast enough so I am going to have to invest in a 1D sooner or later. With my old film camera 5fps was fast enough that you could kind of see what was going on enough to track it but, 3fps is just way to slow to see what is happening.
But the 10D is fast enough, right? I'm stretching it budget wise with my 10D quest, there is no way I can afford a 1D (well maybe I could tell one of the kids to pay for her own college :) )

[IndyJeff]

The threat of rain did add a bit of suspense at the end. I run the 3rd turn photographers pool every year and had Dan Wheldon. I pay for 1st, 2nd, 3rd so when I began to feel a few light rain drops I knew I was at least getting a payoff. Then Junquira's crew came on and told him the leaaders would have to pit soon and he would inheirt the lead. They kept coming by, lap after lap under yellow. I had been hoping the rain would stay away until that time. Fortunately at last it finally started to come down hard enough that the track was getting wet and the white flag came out. I can't remember now but I think the leaders could only have gone another 2-3 laps under yellow.

KartGirlsMom, the 10D will still work for you. I just didn't for me for the first time, altho this is the first time I have ever lost a car like that. Plus in studying my shots I should have pulled it back to about 135 instead of leaving it out at 200. I was standing deeper in the turn than I normally do so I was a lot closer than I normally am to the actual imapct. That contributed to not getting both cars on impact, too tight...rats!

[kong]

Jeff, I have a 10d and was able to get 6 shots off of the crash, with both cars in. I think you were looking or thinking of the hotties???? LOL

[IndyJeff]

No hotties on my mind then, only race cars. My problem was I was too tight with the 200 (320 in digital). I got off 8 frames, what happened to your other 3 kong? Miss the beginning of the crash?LOL I had 3 frames before the impact and the 4th frame was when it got too tight for both cars, damn I kicked my self for not backing off to 135. Would have been a hell of a shot. Oh well, next time I am that deep, I will back off a tad bit, or just shoot with a 50mm like you did LMAO Just kidding ya.

[garethhhhh]

This years band was called LIVE.

I didnt know they were still around

"lightning crashes, and oh mother criiiies"

Ring a bell?

Ehh, must be a generational thing.

They were always on the radio when I used to live in South Africa.
Nobody over here has ever heard of them by the looks of it, pity cos they're really good. :(


Great story Jeff, I envy you :mrgreen: