Nitrophoto

Friday, June 29, 2012

IHRA Nitro Jam Friday in Salt Lake City.

Well let see how do I put this. Its 2:30pm and its 97 degrees and 9 percent humidity, I'm hearing rumors of 9K feet of correct altitude. It is hard to breath when it like this let along run a race car. However, they have called Top Sportsman and Top Dragster to the lanes, and so I am going to head down and shoot those cars and will share some images in a while.

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Saturday from the Foxhunt.

Well, sometime stuff happens that that is exactly what the deal is with Yvonne Lucas, and on the last run last night the beautiful 68 Camaro (I know I said 69 yesterday, sorry it is a 68) broke a couple of major rear suspension components in the rear end which facilitated the team to put the car in the box and head for home in Seattle.

The remaining four cars made the call for the second session of qualifying. The first pair up is Dan Nickelson and Rod Burbage. Burbage made up for yesterdays run with a very nice 6.31 while Nickelson hammered the tires and went 11.78.

Andy Neyer

A couple of singles then followed up as first Arizona transplant to Idaho Andy Neyer was up in a very patriotic 57 Chevy. Neyer is driver and tuner and was looking for consistancey and got it as he 6.69 second run. The car made a nice move and had the front end up well past 100 feet and then went through on a nice pass

Tommy Johanns

The final single was Tommy Johanns. They were also looking for better things than yesterday, however it was not to be as the bright red 53 Corvette looked more like a fuel car, at the green as the car hiked the front end so fast and so hard it

unloaded the chassis and blew the tires off.

So Nickelson's 6.29 is still low, followed by Burbage, Neyer and Johanns.

Friday, June 22, 2012

West Coast Outlaw Pro Mod Qualifying Round 1

The word for the first session of the Outlaw Pro Mods was shake. There was so much shake it was almost like a good ol' fashion California earth quake.

The first pair out was Yvonne Lucas and Rod Burbage. Both cars are very beautiful, and so is one of the drivers. (Sorry Rod not talking about you.) However Yvonne at the tree hiked the front end and then hit the wheelie bars and proceeded to then blow the tires off the Camaro, as Burbage was doing his impression of a paint shaker and could only muster a 9 second time.

Yvonne Lucas

Next Pair out was Dan Nickelson and Andy Neyer. This one was a bit better as Nickelson who has been to Firebird in quite some time has having issues finding the starting line, but after that was cleared up it was right down Broadway, as the La Verne, California runner ran an nice in the heat of the day 6.27 seconds right behind was Neyer at 6.64 seconds.

Dan Nickelson and Andy Neyer doing burnouts prior to first round.

The final car to make a pass was Tommy Johanns who made the trip from Castle Park CO, to show up at the Foxhunt. Johanns looked good for about 60 feet then the car started to chatter the tires and he threw in the towel.

Tommy Johanns had a good lap going till 60 feet.

Dan Nickelson is low qualifier after Q1.

2012 Foxhunt at Firebird Raceway

There is an old saying that when handed lemons one must make lemon-aid. That is what the proprietors at Firebird Raceway have done this weekend. As the West Coast Pro Mods are to be the headliners for the Foxhunt.

Well due to some scheduling conflicts so far at 4:14 mdt on Friday only five Pro Mods have made the trip to the Firebird facility. One car has made two short testing passes. Yvonne Lucas in her very beautiful 69 Chevy Camaro has done a couple of sixty footers, only to find tire shake both times.


Yvonne Lucas in her Pro Mod on 10.5 Tires

Word has it that the New Family has been able to secure four alcohol funny cars to go with the five Pro Mods, thus getting back to making lemon-aid out of lemons. Everybody loves funny cars so it might just be a good thing. Only time will tell.

If you are as old as I am this might bring you back to Sox and Martin vs Grump Jenkins. It does for me.

Friday, June 1, 2012

The Halloween Classic: A one of a kind.

The moon over Firebird Raceway the night before the start of the Halloween Classic

The are drag races and then there are drag racing events. Not always are these to items one and the same.

When it comes to an event, in all of the world of drag racing, this race ranks right up there with the best, and that is the NAPA Auto Parts Halloween Classic, which is held at Firebird Raceway in Eagle, Idaho.

Rod Paige in his all steel bodied GTO always gets the front end high in the air.

Now what makes this event so special, is well a couple of things. One, it is five days long. Yes that is right, five damn days long. So its like a marathon, and one must pace themselves. Two: it is a race intended for the . Classes run from Juniors all the way to Top Dragster. No there is no nitro, but in this case that is ok. I know I know, drag racing is nitro, and in most if not 99 percent of the time I would agree, This race doesn't need it. It is that special.

Welcome to Friday of the 2011 Halloween Classic at Firebird Raceway. As a racer this is one of those events that you need to come run at at least once in your career. This atmosphere is fun and friendly.

There are a great number of very interesting and colorful cars, on the property.

This race is also a marathon. It starts on Wednesday, and runs through Sunday. Therefor one must pace themselves and not get crazy too quickly.

Stay tuned for tomorrow. That is costume day. The entire staff dresses up in costumes, as do some of the racers. It is really interesting.

Anita Olsen part of the large YNOT Racing Operation

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Oh Come on Down and Test Your Camera.... My ASS

First off I would like to apologize to all who read this blog. All three of your. However I am hoping to be in double digits before the end of the year. Anyway I want to say I'm sorry to you and to myself for not being better about this. Therefor I will try and be more active on the blog and hope to get more readers.

I was fortunate enough this summer to pick up another new camera, well new to me. It is the one of the best that Canon has ever produced. So with that in mind I was really excitied about trying it out. It is suppose to have great low light capabilites, so I then figured I would go back to one of the race tracks where for almost ten years I was the track photographer.

So I call the now general manager of the oval track in Meridian,Idaho and ask if I can come out and test my new camera and new flash I purchased. I also said that I would be willing to share my images with the track. The GM doesnt see a problem with it . So I get my stuff together and decide to head on out to shoot.

Just before I leave the house the track GM calls me back and say, that I will have to pay to get in. Oh OK no problem, just fewer images for you to get that is all. So I arrive at the track, and I am charged forty dollars to get in. Well I need to test the gear, but OK I'll pay it, but that is a lot fewer photos you will get when I am done.

So then as I walk around the pit area, talking to people and catching up with them, I get asked on numerous occasions "Are you back?" "You gonna post photos were we can see them?" Thing like that. (It is nice to be missed.) Anywho just then the track general manager comes up to me and tell me..."Oh by the way, you can't shoot from the infield." I look at him and say I just paid forty dollars to come here and check out my new gear,and now I can't do what I need to do. )&*&^g^%%&ers.... I am told later by a racer that the other photographers were nervous I was there. Why I do not know.

So anyway rather than bitch and moan some more, I will just share with you a few of the images I was able to get during the daylight hours and some more towards night.

A night shot of Matt Elliott's sprinter. One of the few I was able to get being restricted as I was.

If talent equaled money, this young lady would be able to fund her way into driving in either Camping World
Truck Series or in the Nationwide Series. Sierra Jackson is a true talent.