Winter’s Final Grip

Today marks the last day of Winter. I can’t wait for the thick breezes of warmth, and the pungent odors of freshly cut grass. It’s been a long winter but the light at the end of the tunnel is approaching. Yesterday I smelled the faint yawns of Hyacinths as I walked up to a client’s house. It was like Mother Nature tapping me on the shoulder and reminding me that soon, very soon, the annual rebirth would be in full glory. I’m really looking forward to it.

​Nikon D800 Nikkor 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 28mm f/14 ISO 800 5 image HDR

#TravelTuesday Bristol TN

165,000 people can attend the races at Bristol which makes it the 4th largest sporting venue in America and the 8th in the world. It was constructed in 1960 and held its first NASCAR race in 1961. The track is small in its length compared to most raceways in the NASCAR circuit. When the race cars lined up single file for a start the lineup would stretch halfway around the track. Because of the close racing, minor collisions are frequent during an event. With the power of modern racing cars and the close proximity of the arena, driving at Bristol has been compared with “flying fighter jets in a gymnasium”. Bristol hosts two races a year for NASCAR, one in the Spring and the other at night in the Fall. The night race has long been NASCAR’s most sought after for ticket seekers. Having attended the Spring race a few days ago, I can attest that it is an experience I will remember for years to come.

Nikon D800 ​Nikkor 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 28mm f/5.6 ISO 800 9 image HDR

Bristol Motor Speedway

I haven’t been to a lot of NASCAR tracks, but I have to tell you that Bristol is a hoot! Jeff Foxworthy was one of the sponsors for the race on Saturday and they interviewed him before the race. In his jovial style of redneck jokes he said, “You can tell you’re a redneck if you son’s name is Dale Jr. but your name isn’t Dale.” NASCAR was born from good ‘ol southern boys who drove moonshine illegally across state lines, a love for cars, and goin’ fast. Jump forward a few decades and America’s favorite motorsport has mastered the art of blue collar entertainment. I’m devoting this week to the pictures from the past weekend, but don’t fret, it’s not only about cars. Before every NASCAR Sprint Cup race there is an impressive fly over. Sunday’s Food City 500 opening ceremony was no exception. My vantage point was at the uppermost part of the track looking down between turns one and two. The American flag is just behind the start/finish line, which is where our seats were for the race, about halfway up the grandstand. What a blast!

Nikon D800 Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm f/16 ISO 200 1/200 sec

Persistence

The sound of rain beat down on top of the camper this morning dousing my hopes of a trackside sunrise. I’m an early riser so I thought I would venture out anyway. Secured the rain cover over my backpack gear and tripod, donned my raincoat and ventured out. The lights from the track overwhelmed the area until the soft blue rays of pre dawn started to illuminate the sky above the stadium. On the other side from our camper lies the main entrance and the sun was was beginning its ascent towards the horizon. I was awarded for my persistence with this view.

Nikon D800 Nikkor 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 28mm f/11 ISO 200 9 Image HDR

Bristol

Today was the long drive to Bristol Motor Speedway. Not a bad drive at all. Good weather and a stop for lunch at Waffle House. There are no pit passes for this venue because of the lack of space in the center of the arena. I’ll do my best to get some interesting pictures but there is rain in the forecast. Great weekend to all.

​Nikon D800 Nikkor 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 230mm f/8 ISO 100 1/800 sec