monopod, tripod or nothing for motorsports?

Hi

Just wondering what your thoughts were on kit for shooting motorsports?

I'm thinking something to help with a day out shooting on and off the whole day. I usually prefer to shoot handheld, but if support will help me get better shots I'll use it.

Both the lenses I would take are IS (24-105 and 70-300), one has panning IS assist (70-300).

I have a (cheap, pan and tilt) tripod which I mostly bought for indoor/landscape stuff

so should I stay handheld, use the cheap tripod (probably not), or get a monopod?

If monopod I was thinking something like a manfrotto 679/680/681, with no head just yet (worry about that later)

I haven't shot motorsports with a tri/monopod yet. However, I've heard monopods help. They're light. They will also let you move quickly. Most of all, your arms won't be Jello at the end of the day.

Lots of motorsport 'togs use monopods while some prefer the freedom of handheld. Never seen one use a tripod - too unwieldy

Tripod is out of question and personally I never use monopod with light lenses (70-200/2.8 or in your case 70-300). To be honest I don't use it often with 300/2.8 either, unless it's very static sport. For heavier lenses it's only way to go. Monopod is in most cases not used for "stabilising" lens but for supporting heavy lens, especially when you need to hold them for hours. And tripod is way to clumsy for action sports... at least for me.

Monopods are normally for big lenses, like the 400 or 500 primes's

A very personal decision, unless you don't need to move the camera and want a specific shot at a specific location, you can set the Focusing distance at that location, set the camera on a tripod and snap away. Other than that, I'm not sure if a tripod is a good idea.

With monopo vs handheld, it's a trade off between stabilizing your shots at the price of unrestricted movement. I tried monopods but find the too unwieldy, so I shoot handheld. I increase ISO and use the widest aperature possible to increase my shutter speed accordingly. It's a personal thing with no right or wrong answers.

With your choice of lenses, I would not bring any pod because those can be held pretty easily.

The only case where a pod might be useful with a light lens, would be if you plan on panning at slow shutter speeds.

Years ago when I was shooting the SCCA Championships for a week, I sometimes used the tripod as a monopod (legs folded), cause by Thursday it was wearing on me a bit. For one weekend, I wouldn't bother unless I had a 4 pound lens. With the 600 f/5.6 I always used a tripod with the head loose. Then I could let go & grab the 200mm on another body.