NHRA -- Need help

[PhatPhoto]

I was wondering if anyone has any tips or tricks in helping me get great pictures at the drag races this weekend. They are also going to be racing at night. So everything is very fast moving.
I am a novice and do not have any real fancy gear. All I have is a EOS Digital Rebel with 2 lenses (which are the standard ones I guess) I also have a tripod.
So any help would most wonderful.
Thanks in advance,
JAS

[PhotosGuy]

Motorsport Shooting Tips, Tutorials and Advice
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=151056

Drag Racing 101 (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=330847)

PANNING:
Some tips on panning in these threads:
drag racing tips (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=108521)
Panning Shots (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=58417)

[ItsMike]

I did a shoot at Englishtown last month, I used my 17-40 the whole time.. A tripod will be useless IMO..
For the night shooting, The starting line usually is lit pretty well, Bump up the ISO and keep you F as low as the lens allows. I was inbetween the Tree and the 60' mark. I got some real great shots..
Good luck!!!!

Here are a few shots I did.. The First one is at the line with the 17-40, The other I ventured into the stands to try out some Panning...

[Zilly]

my contribution
mini dragster dont you mean a altered pro et car

drag racing is all about the pan. youve gotta nail that pan
example
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/229/453016050_7c97bacbfc.jpg (http://flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=453016050&size=l&context=set-72157600059776221)
twist from the hips and flow with the car top fuel ill shot at 400th of a second and select the focus point the one below the center top fuel funny and FA's i shoot in tv so when they go kabam you get the blow and not just a lot of nasty over exposed flames

drag racing is all about technique (a ladder helps as well)

look round my site www.modernpics.co.uk or my flickr (http://www.flickr.com/motors)

any quesries drop me a email

[ItsMike]

I find panning is easier in the stands.. IMO

[PhatPhoto]

Thanks for all the help, I will try my best and post when I get back to see what the student has learned.
Is anyone going to Infineon Raceway in Sonoma tomorrow the 27th?
Also should I even bother to bring my tripod?

[Zilly]

dont bring a tripod it'll only get in the way remember be a smoooth shooter ;)

[Lowbyte]

There is a good chance that security would stop you at the door if you tried to bring in a tripod.

My tip for the day- when shooting at night, shoot at a clean "hot spot". The hot spot is where the lights show up on the track the brightest- hopefully you can get a shutterspeed of at least 1/125th. "Clean" is an area without a mike, remote camera or lightpole in your way.

Now practice your pan to that spot, hit the shutter at the spot- build a rhythm. This way you are taking the shot at your point of greatest light and with a clean background.

http://www.lowbytephoto.com/photos/drag-75.jpg

Another way to say it is plan the shot, shoot the plan :-D

[newton]

Or if you want to get up close and personal at night, bump the ISO and hold her steady!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/newton22/IMG_7699.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/newton22/IMG_7701.jpg