2022 Race 3 NASCAR Clashes at the Los Angeles Coliseum
Why not try something new?
NASCAR likes to shake things up and introduce this uniquely American form of racing to as many potential fans as possible. So what better way to shake things up than with a fresh beginning, at a famous venue, in the heart of a city known for its modern influencers?
The opening round in the NASCAR series is like reintroducing old friends at an informal golf outing. You keep score, of course, but it's only the winner that gains from the day, while everyone else gets some exercise, enjoys the views, and catches up on gossip and events from the holidays just past.
The point redundantly inferred on the NASCAR news sights was, of course, the size of the racetrack. At one-fourth of a mile, an oval seems more like a paperclip when imagining 36 full-size race cars trying not to rear-end each other in a continual chain. But whoever was charged with designing the race came up with a brilliant plan that not only solved this dilemma but produced five more Monster Energy Cup Series races than a regular race weekend holds.
Adding to the excitement, this would be the first time the newly redesigned 2022 cars would be available to race before the public at a location where attendance numbers would rise to quantities not seen recently for the sport.
With frequent lulls in the racing entertainment, fans could hashtag their thumbs off about driver introductions (because every NASCAR fan has a favorite driver), the roar of the engines, the burnouts, the aggressive driving skills, the crashes, and not least of all the tangible feeling of excitement that resonates in a new "big city" "home town."
For me, as a photographer, several excellent options came into view early during the weekend.
1.) Perfect weather with no hint of rain.
2.) I would be allowed to interact more closely with the drivers than I had been for the past few years due to CoVid restrictions. The "garage area" that each team used to set up their race car was out in the open, and drivers meandered their way around their respective zones lazily and openly. After all, diehard fans love their heroes in everything they do, not just while performing.
3.) Race cars on city streets are an unusual sight.
4.) Since the event was new to everyone, drivers, crews, and visitors included, most people were a bit more tolerant of misunderstandings and location awareness.
5.) Photographing these cars moving slower than they usually do could be to my advantage.
Was it ideal? No, but then it's never perfect, and of course, every situation is what you make of it. My goal for the event was reasonably straightforward. Document what the clients want to see. What their money paid for, who their money is paying for, making their brand look good. That's always my goal as a pro, and I'm there to do a job. Not everyone likes every aspect of their career, but professionals do their job because they are committed to doing it. And they do it in the best way that it can be done.
Avoidance is often a good starting place for me when designing a plan for photographing an event. First, I ask myself, "What do I NOT want to happen?" After listing a few anxiety-inducing terrors (which I will go into in a later post), I focus on what pictures I find boring at racetracks. Number one offender is parked cars. Nothing screams lazy and uninteresting like seeing a car that looks like it's parked on the racetrack.
The second is having no sense of place in a photo. Racecars are cool all by themsleves. They glitter and shine, can be smooth and graceful, and exude power and strength. But, capturing these details usually doesn't happen during a race. Seeing photos of cars on a track that could be racing at Anywhere, USA is only exciting once or twice.
The third starts to touch on the artistic side of the craft. It is making use of surrounding elements, chasing the ideal lighting, being prepared for a special moment, etc. This is when photography takes on a life of its own and breathes its special gift into the nuances and subtleties of each image. It's about seeing deeply, experiencing fully, and being open to a journey to a new place, at an unknown time, with an open heart and accepting mind.
I thought the event was a great success, but that's only my opinion which in the grand scheme of racing means very little. Hopefully, viewing some of my favorite photos from the weekend will convince you as well. Please enjoy this small gallery, but remember that these photos are copyrighted and may not be captured or downloaded.
