Willow Springs Raceway - California

hello. for those of you who has personal experience shooting motorsports at Willow Springs.....where is the best turn # and/or vantage point to shoot from? also, if you can suggest which lens is best used at each location.

Thanks!

Hi John,

I have been to Willow many times. I like up at the Budwiser Balconey looking down from turn 4 to turn 3 as the cars come at you. Also right at the exit of turn 1 just passed the stands as the cars exit. If you can get it right you will have the Willow Springs sign in the background. Sometimes if it is a club event you can talk to the track personal and they will let you into the infield to shoot from a corner station. Good luck and don't forget to post some shots.


ps try the 135 at turn 1 and the 70-200 at 3+4

bvi steve wrote in post #8737552
Hi John,

I have been to Willow many times. I like up at the Budwiser Balconey looking down from turn 4 to turn 3 as the cars come at you. Also right at the exit of turn 1 just passed the stands as the cars exit. If you can get it right you will have the Willow Springs sign in the background. Sometimes if it is a club event you can talk to the track personal and they will let you into the infield to shoot from a corner station. Good luck and don't forget to post some shots.


ps try the 135 at turn 1 and the 70-200 at 3+4

awesome, thanks! exactly what i needed to hear. i tried acquiring a press pass to get access, but is that even worth it? i mean, are they that strict in allowing photogs in certain areas?

John,

What event are you planning to go to?

bvi steve wrote in post #8744171
John,

What event are you planning to go to?

I was invited to shoot a group going on Sunday, Oct 11th on the big track. not sure exactly who they're with exactly.

wanna come out and shoot?!

I have been out there too many times. lol.

Yeah, the budweiser balcony on the big track is on of the only spots, turn 1 can work too.

Its not the prettiest track, but its still fun.

I have never shot from inside the track, I should do that sometime. haha.

I've shot for the track photographer maybe a dozen times over the years. The infield is the best place to shoot, but sometime the track photographer can't even get inside.

Like mentioned above shooting the cars as they exit turn 4 from the outside is a good spot. (At the end of the word balcony outside turn 4 on the map)

Also by the bleachers inside turn 3 works well. Your 70-200mm is too short to shoot too many other places. The track photog uses a 500mm w/ 2x for some of the other locations on the track to reach.

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ryant35 wrote in post #8794445
I've shot for the track photographer maybe a dozen times over the years. The infield is the best place to shoot, but sometime the track photographer can't even get inside.

Like mentioned above shooting the cars as they exit turn 4 from the outside is a good spot. (At the end of the word balcony outside turn 4 on the map)

Also by the bleachers inside turn 3 works well. Your 70-200mm is too short to shoot too many other places. The track photog uses a 500mm w/ 2x for some of the other locations on the track to reach.

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You don't need any kind of press pass or photo access to shoot outside, just pay the entry fee (usually $10) and get a wristband. I've never heard of anyone complaining about photographers. The track photographer there is cool, so unless you are actively trying to steal his customers you won't have a problem. I would even stop by the gift shop and check out some of their photos for location ideas.

The entire place is pretty much open, you can drive around to the outside of any of the tracks and photograph. Now sometimes they do close certain sections, like when they film or when the Toyota Pro Celebrity racers from the Long Beach gran prix are there on the streets track.

It's pretty laid back there when it's just a track day.

The group renting the track on 10-11-09 is Speed Ventures.

Here is a link to the track photographer's images from the last Speed Ventures event.
http://caliphotography​.exposuremanager.com/g​/june_27_2009_speedven​tures

Have fun!

thanks for the indepth reply Ryan!

it seem as if turns 3 & 4 is the best place to hang out. how eash is it to get there from the pits? i'm not taking my car, so i will be coming with a buddy who's tracking his car. is it a ways away or can it be walked fairly easily?

i'm planning to use my 70-200 coupled with a 1.4ex, hopefully it'll be long enough!

It's not easy to walk, there is a road tha circles the track so you can park by the Budwiser Balconey but it would guess it's close to a mile to walk up there. I usually ride the there on a a quad.

4 and 8 are best for me so far and I use the 70-200 exclusively since I mobility is very important to me.

Here are some shots:

Here are some from 4

Here are some from 8

Looks like you got on the inside of the track. Great work.