2009.03.31
Surviving a weekend at Martinsville
The clouds part over the speedway early Sunday morning.The Kroger 250 was rescheduled until Monday because of rain.Truck racing fans wait in vain for the Kroger 250 Saturday. It was rescheduled until Monday because of rain.A cover collects rain drops on Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s car as crews wait to see if there will be qualifying for the 2009 Goody's Pain Relief 500 Friday.
The Kroger 250 was rescheduled until Monday because of rain.
After two rain-soaked days the clouds have parted and it looks like it's going to be a fine day for racing in Martinsville. I'm here with Jeanna, it's her first time shooting a NASCAR race, and though I have not shot one in a few years, I've shot too many to remember. Maybe Jeanna can bring fresh eyes to the event, because I struggle to find new moments. She'll be on the infield and I'll be pulling old man duty from the roof.
So the rain photos from the first two days at least gave me something new to shoot.
-- Sam
Jimmie Johnson celebrates a win in the Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500 Sunday in Martinsville.
If you look really closely you might find me in the photograph above taken by fellow photographer Sam Dean. ( hint: I'm about four people over from the top left with a red head set on!)
During the race, one of the announcers said that driving for the first time at the Martinsville Speedway was a learning experience, well I can tell you photographing NASCAR for the first time at the Martinsville Speedway is a learning experience!
While I have photographed smaller races at the venue, this was the first time I headed out to see what NASCAR was all about. We left for Martinsville at 6:30 in the morning, but I didn't make it into the pit until four hours later after I got my press passes, headset, photo vest and food in my stomach. My job was to shoot the crews and pit stops while Sam Dean was up in the bleachers.
Jeff Gordon stands with his wife and crew during the National Anthem at Martinsville Speedway.
It took me a little while to get into the swing of things. I tried to capture as many moments as possible during the race, but I soon realized that those last laps are what really count. Luckily, with a quarter of the race left to go, and Jimmie Johnson in third place, I realized that I needed to get a photograph of his crew. Shortly after that he slipped into first and then back into second. Wanting to get the winning crew's reaction I tried to figure out how I would decide between staying at Jimmie Johnson's pit or running over to Denny Hamlin's, which was almost on the opposite end. I told myself I would stay with Johnson's crew until lap 485, if he didn't make it by then I would need to start rushing to Hamlin, luckily for me he did it one lap ahead of time!
Jimmie Johnson's pit crew celebrates after winning the Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500 at the Martinsville Speedway.
Pit crew members for Jimmie Johnson cheer as Johnson begins his victory lap.
By the end of my 16 hour day I was sore, sunburned and ready for sleep. While I may not know much about racing and it isn't something I get into myself, I will say that photographing other people's excitement, no matter where it is, is always satisfying.
-- Jeanna
