Jimmie Johnson Tribute 2 of 4 "The Man"

November 16, 2020

I can't say I "know" Jimmie Johnson, but I can say I have worked with him on several occasions. Our conversations usually consisted of something like "Jimmie, can you move a little to your left, please?" so that I could frame a meet and greet photo. Or, "Great race last week Jimmie." with his gentle response of, "Thanks man."

But I got to see into some of the areas that people don't get to witness. I've seen frustration display crimson across his face when practice times weren't acceptable, or the responsiveness of his racecar was lacking. I've seen hard looks of concern, and introspective stares when victories were allusive. Through these difficulties, I never saw his professionalism wane. He addressed problems as a member of a team with a common goal, and his emotions were set aside in the heat of the moment for the betterment of everyone.

With his fans, he interacted with genuine gratitude and kindness. I never saw him brush off anyone that asked politely for an autograph or a selfie. He played the role of hero magnanimously. Dealing with executives and guests of his sponsors he was always polite, ready to lend a helping hand, and happy to take the time to make people feel at ease.

His commitment to race craft was apparent in many ways. I have seen him returning from an early morning bike ride on race day as I arrived at the track, training to keep his body and mind sharp and on target. He spoke of this obsession often when addressing private groups, and he always seemed intent on making the best of every situation.

Swimming in the humidity, The Coke Zero 400, NASCAR at Daytona

September 2, 2020

My one and only NASCAR event this year took place last weekend at the self-proclaimed "World Center of Racing" Daytona International Speedway. I was apprehensive about working the race since I had found out that fans would be allowed to attend and that it was in Florida, during hurricane season.

Daytona is notorious for weather delays and postponements that can go on for days. Fan attendance was capped at 25 thousand for the Monster Energy Cup race, and in a venue that seats roughly 101,000, I didn't think it would be overly crowded, especially with social distancing being enforced. (I really should say suggested and not enforced).

Currently, photography is very limited at any NASCAR sanctioned event. There were only two people allowed from the media company that I work for. One person was allowed in the infield, and one (me) was mandated to remain outside of the track at all times. This means no access to the media center for me, and that I would be photographing from the stands, and editing in my car.

Daytona has a high fence all around the racetrack for reasons obvious to any fan who has watched racing at this famous 2.5-mile tri-oval super-speedway. Inevitably, late in a NASCAR race, there is a crash (usually titled "The Big One") that is both horrific and sensational. Occasionally the catch fence is the only thing between a 180 mile per hour race car flying through the air and the spectators.

Photographing through a fence isn't an ideal situation, but I understand the need for safety, so it is what it is. It was also a good reminder that great photos are made and not taken. Overcoming challenging situations is expected from professionals, and this was a good time to remind myself of what I had agreed to deliver, high-quality work with no excuses.

SRO America at Watkins Glen

September 4, 2019

I've gotten to see a lot of beautiful things over the past 50 years and over this past weekend, my tally of awesome moments grew a bunch. The exotic cars in the SRO America racing series brought a special elegance to the New York countryside at Watkins Glen International. Seeing these ultra-expensive works of art tear around the historic turns of this timeless circuit brings out feelings of awe and wonder at every twist and turn. The roar of such rare beauties being pushed to their limits carving around the black ribbons of asphalt was like a sweet symphony of cheetas on the hunt. The competition was fierce as these unleased animals hunted victory through the wine country of the finger lakes. It was a great weekend for photos as well...

All photos © Gavin Baker / 2019

Some photos are for sale here in the 2019 SRO America Watkins Glen Gallery

Formula 4 at Mid-Ohio

August 21, 2019

I can't say enough about the Mid-Ohio SportsCar Course and how well the F4 Americas cars perform there. It's great sharing the stage with the popularity of the NASCAR scene because they draw a big crowd, which is a real treat for not only the drivers and the spectators but also, my photos! It's nice to see race cars against green countryside backdrops or pushed up into the blue of the sky, but getting the colors of the crowd is something special.

The weekend was dominated by Joshua Car from the Crosslink/Kiwi Motorsport team but some shining stars appeared on the podium introducing some new blood into the points race. Kiko Porto returned to the top step after the first race and his teammate Guilherme Peixoto of DEForce Racing claimed two third-place finishes and grabbed a nice fat check for securing the Cameron Das Fast Qualifier Award. Another driver hungry for some time on the podium was Nicky Hays of DC Autosport with Cape Motorsports. His "have no fear" racing style sent shutters through the crowd as his out-breaking techniques raised the hairs on every viewer's neck. Christian Brooks also returned to the podium for the third race. After a difficult start to the weekend, the Jay Howard Driver Development driver managed to get the car sorted out and landed on the podium of the final race.

A great weekend surrounded by close racing, big crowds, and competitive friendship. It's what every series should hope to attain.

All of these (and many more) photos from the weekend are available at the F4 Mid-Ohio Photo gallery

Xfinity series takes over Mid-Ohio

August 13, 2019

I think the Xfinity racers love road courses almost as much as I do, especially Mid-Ohio. The 2.25-mile course is full of elevation changes for great photo opportunities and there are plenty of long straights for drafting and overtaking to keep things exciting. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a pass on an oval track but there's just something special about watching a technical maneuver being executed at high speeds during a knockdown drag-out fight for the lead through the twists and turns of an exciting country road course. In all honesty, wouldn't you rather take an exhilarating ride through the countryside than on a highway? Experiencing the feelings of the suspension compression at every turn, acceleration through the apex, speeding off to the next playful twist along the road to a far off destination is exhilarating and fulfilling.
Congratulations to Austin Cindric and Team Penske on their second win in the series, and coming directly after the first one this is a great accomplishment. I'm looking for him to be in a great position to win the championship. Enjoy some of my favorite pictures from the event.