Croft - British F3. A cure for insomnia?

[GSH]

BORING ! NO..it's not bikes ;)

This should be one of the highlights of the year at Croft, but as the British GT mob stayed away for some reason, it wasn't. The F3's just followed each other round so it was more like a 30 minute qualifying session. Luckily the Formula Ford and Ginetta G20 support races saved the day, but more of that later.

1. The obligatory pit straight shot. I couldn't quite get the straight on shot i wanted due to the assembled media throng trackside. I had no idea they were giving out passes with Corn Flakes these days!
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/geoff.hubbert/Pics/Images2008/Croft%20F3/F3/Croft%20F3%20Sunday-0226.jpg

2. The old "i have to go and face the boss now" look...it usually follows a trip to the kitty litter.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/geoff.hubbert/Pics/Images2008/Croft%20F3/F3/Croft%20F3%20Sunday-0138.jpg

3. Eek...is that an overtake i see before me !
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/geoff.hubbert/Pics/Images2008/Croft%20F3/F3/Croft%20F3%20Sunday-0250.jpg

4. If you want an idea of what most of the F3 race was like...
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/geoff.hubbert/Pics/Images2008/Croft%20F3/F3/Croft%20F3%20Sunday-0816.jpg

5. Oops...
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/geoff.hubbert/Pics/Images2008/Croft%20F3/F3/Croft%20F3%20Sunday-0891.jpg

6. Mmmm Red Bull. I really needed a can or 5 at this point.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/geoff.hubbert/Pics/Images2008/Croft%20F3/F3/Croft%20F3%20Sunday-0847.jpg

7. Oh what the hell. Another one from the same spot. I was bored so you lot might as well suffer too!
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/geoff.hubbert/Pics/Images2008/Croft%20F3/F3/Croft%20F3%20Sunday-0863.jpg

All shot with the old 1DMK2N and all new Sigma 500 F4.5 EX DG. I really cant wait to try this lens out in some reasonably bright weather....perhaps that 1 day in June we call Summer will fall on a race day.

Unlike some POTN members, comments etc are always welcome and my toys are firmly nailed into the pram. *whistles*.

Thanks for looking.

[Paul C-J]

ha ha quite a comical read matey , number 5 for me please..

[petrolhead]

All good shots but the bockground blur in No 7 is first class

Looks like you got to grips with your new toy very quickly Jeff :)

Apparently the GTs were cancelled due to noise!!!

It will not be long until the only things allowed to race at croft are either electric or wind powered :(

[chrispons]

Thats a terrific shot of the disgruntled looking driver.
The last two work well for me considering nothing is happening.
Nice new toy ,very nice .
Well done,
Pons

[Ian_H]

I couldn't quite get the straight on shot i wanted due to the assembled media throng trackside.



Sorry about that Geoff :oops: the diet starts tomorrow;)


I had no idea they were giving out passes with Corn Flakes these days!

I would put money on at least 2 photographers that were behind the barriers and were not signed on as they didn't have media belts or wrist bands on and were frankly taking the piss and thankfully nothing serious happened to them whilst they were tresspassing:evil:


Cheers
Ian

[GSH]

Sorry about that Geoff :oops: the diet starts tomorrow;)

Haha..not your fault Ian, you're there working after all and you've hit the nail on the head with your second comment..


I would put money on at least 2 photographers that were behind the barriers and were not signed on as they didn't have media belts or wrist bands on and were frankly taking the piss and thankfully nothing serious happened to them whilst they were tresspassing:evil:

Precisely. I spotted them PDQ so why wasn't anything done about them by those in charge?. I'd love to not have to battle with the fences & crowds but as i'm not shooting for anyone in particular i don't need to be there. I commented to Peter on Saturday about 2 "togs" walking round in hi-vis jackets (building site style) trying to look important.

Lo and behold i spotted at least one of them trackside on Sunday (minus Hi-vis or Croft belt) shooting away and grinning like a cheshire cat...Next time i'll be taking photos and posting them on here :evil:

[GSH]

Thats a terrific shot of the disgruntled looking driver.


That one turned out quite nicey considering i was poking the new toy through a fence ;)

Thanks for the comments everyone. :)

[Simon Harrison]

Haha..not your fault Ian, you're there working after all and you've hit the nail on the head with your second comment..



Precisely. I spotted them PDQ so why wasn't anything done about them by those in charge?. I'd love to not have to battle with the fences & crowds but as i'm not shooting for anyone in particular i don't need to be there. I commented to Peter on Saturday about 2 "togs" walking round in hi-vis jackets (building site style) trying to look important.

Lo and behold i spotted at least one of them trackside on Sunday (minus Hi-vis or Croft belt) shooting away and grinning like a cheshire cat...Next time i'll be taking photos and posting them on here :evil:

I came very close to clocking one guy who was in front of the fences at the start of the F3 race. He clearly had something to do with Sergio Perez who won the first race. As the cars streamed down into Clervaux in the wet and in the mad scramble to the first corner where just about anything can happen, this guy lets out a very loud shout / yelp. Now bear in mind that I'm looking through my viewfinder and don't have a full view of everything going on around me. When I heard him shout, I thought I'd missed something that was heading my way and very nearly dropped prone behind the barrier, as did another Croft regular standing next to me. You can imagine our displeasure when I released it was a shout of joy because one of Sergio's competitors had gone off away to my left. He very nearly got smacked with my monopod :evil:. Absolutely no idea about how to behave

Enough of all of that.

Great set of pictures Geoff. The two F3 shots on the run up from Sunny are excellent. I really like that angle looking back down to Chicane as well.

Cheers,

Simon.

[petrolhead]

I am sure Geoffand I would love to get trackside but I am sure the only way we would do it is if were either invited by one of the teams or had the cridentials

[Mike Hoyer]

If I'm thinking of the same two guys, I think they were guests of a team, and had permission to be trackside - however they'd run out of the crap cycling test belt things. Whether they should've been there is another thing, myself and my boss noticed them doing some very odd things.

[GSH]

Whether they should've been there is another thing, myself and my boss noticed them doing some very odd things.

I think you've answered your own question there :)

[GSH]

Great set of pictures Geoff. The two F3 shots on the run up from Sunny are excellent. I really like that angle looking back down to Chicane as well.



Cheers Simon.

I deliberately headed for the straight between Sunny & the complex to give the AF on the 500 a proper test. I reckon it passed with flying colours.

I'd love to get that shot looking back at the Chicane for the BTCC too but i suspect there might be too many bodies...i'll have a damn good try though even if it involves some monopod swinging. :D

[darren h]

All cracking shots Geoff, hard to pick a favourite. Looks like you've got a good new toy there :-)

[GSH]

All cracking shots Geoff, hard to pick a favourite. Looks like you've got a good new toy there :-)

Cheers Darren. I'm over the moon with the lens, it's a shame it's too long for rallies ;)

[Cadwell]

Ah... man with new toy posts nice pictures. Good stuff, Geoff. It looks like the Siggy-thing is working passably ;)

As for handing out media passes with cornflake packets, you should have seen some of the idiots trackside at the FIA GT meeting. Not a clue what they were doing photographically nor did they have much of an idea of track side safety. I saw one clown banging away with a flash gun. I am not sure what he thought that would achieve in thick fog apart from making the airborne water light up like a Christmas tree.

[JuZ]

Nice set Geoff, #6 does it for me, cracking 3/4 pan :)

[Big Ant]

A nice series Geoff, #6 is superb

I also like the driver portrait, you can read his mind in that shot:lol:

[Mike Hoyer]

He wasn't best pleased!

[GSH]

And Finally...

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/geoff.hubbert/Pics/500%20Samples/Croft%20F3%20Sunday-0125.jpg

[petrolhead]

Lovely last photo Geoff