2023 has been a very good year for many of us who have a ion for motorsports — especially on Veterans Day weekend for six-time NHRA Championship runner-up Doug Kalitta. In the extremely close, final race of the season at the 2023 NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, Kalitta defeated Leah Pruett and, only by so doing, secured his first NHRA Top Fuel Championship. Present at the track for this momentous occasion was drag racing legend Connie Kalitta, Doug’s uncle.
When I cover motorsports events as a member of the media, I do so from my perspective as a long-time, ionate fan — and, for several decades, as an amateur participant in motorsports (SCCA autocrossing). As fans, we can enjoy watching major motorsports events in-person, as spectators at races; and also on television. While there are pros and cons to each, they provide different experiences that complement each other. My preferred way to maximize my enjoyment of races is to do both, as I did for the 2023 NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip.
Press/Photo access enables of the media to shoot unobstructed photos of the racing action from the area between the fans’ safety fencing and the trackside walls. However, fans’ experiences at races do not necessarily need to be as different from those of media covering those events as you may think.
When you go to races, do you only watch the race from grandstand seats? Whereas a grandstand seat will provide you with a high-angle view of one particular area, by walking around and exploring the venue, you or even fans who just have a General ission ticket can find opportunities to enjoy the race from a variety of vantage points. That’s what I do. Sometimes neighboring buildings and parking garages provide such vantage points.
Here is a photography technique that you might find helpful if a chain link fence is between you and the racecars that you are trying to photograph. Position your camera lens directly upon the chain link fence, aiming it through one of the holes between the diagonal links (protect the front element of your lens with a lens hood). Adjust the f-stop for a shallow depth of field (small aperture number) and focus on a subject (racecars) in the distance. Additionally, using this technique and a long lens (for a narrow field of view), try to position yourself in such a way that you are pointing your lens though a photo hole or other opening in the trackside safety fence.
Of course, there’s a lot more to enjoy at major motorsports events than just watching the racing. You will likely find a wide array of things to see and do, including motorsports-related and commercial exhibits, food (In-N-Out Burger and more), souvenir vendors, driver meet-and-greets and autograph sessions, contests, giveaways, specialty and custom cars on display, live music, racecar prep in the garages and so forth. You never know what or who you might see.
What television coverage does do very well is provide start-to-finish coverage of the entire race, and take you behind the scenes to show you things that you might not have been able to see in-person, such as interviews, background information, commentary and video replays. You will see far more of the actual race on television than you are likely to see when you are there in person. That is why I program a DVR to record it, watch the race in-person at the racetrack and then watch it again on television when I get back home, to see what I missed.
To see official press releases, video and results of the 2023 NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, visit www.NHRA.com.
The 2024 NHRA season kicks off with the Gatornationals in Gainesville, Florida on March 7-10, complete with a new series title: the Mission Drag Racing Series. TV coverage will be on either FOX or FS1.
Another NHRA change for 2024 will be the driver of the Top Fuel dragster team previously campaigned by Leah Pruett. Her husband, Tony Stewart, will be driving so that she can prioritize starting a family.
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Copyright © 2023 by Jan Wagner – AutoMatters & More #821r2
