One of the coolest things I've ever done was the time I was with a NASCAR team and we went to Indy for the Brickyard 400 in 2003.
The first NASCAR race I ever went to was the Busch Clash at Daytona in 1993. Sitting in the cheap seats I was hooked and never imagined being in the garage or on pit road. Around 1997, working as a photographer, I hooked up with a team in what was then the Goodys Dash series which was under the NASCAR umbrella. From there I made contacts and worked with other teams in the Busch and Truck series and finally got with a new Winston Cup team in 2003.
Our first race attempt was the 2003 Brickyard 400 which is second only to the Daytona 500. Plus it's Indy which has such a rich history of auto racing with the Indianapolis 500 which BTW is this weekend. As a kid watching the Indy 500 on wide world of sports I never imagined in my wildest dreams that some day I'd be walking through the garage out Gasoline Alley and on to pit road during a race.
With full credentials including a hot pass I was able to go anywhere during the race and it was almost surreal. I was on the track standing next to Dale Earnhardt Jr. as he got ready to jump in his car and was one of the last to clear the starting grid. I got to roam the pits while drivers made their stops. I was in victory circle when the winner received his trophy and I was standing there with the team as they kneeled down to kiss the yard of bricks. It takes a lot to blow my mind and this was one of those times that just had me in awe as I looked around. It just doesn't get any better than that for a NASCAR fan that used to sit in the cheap seats. A few weeks later I got to do the same thing at the night race at Bristol which is another coveted race.
I was there to take video but did take a few still shots using my Sony VX2000.
Walking around the cars out on the track in the starting grid before the race I grabbed this shot of eventual race winner Kevin Harvick.
It was so cool to walk by and see the " King " Richard Petty waiting for his son Kyle to come in for a pit stop.
This is as close as I could get to the pit wall for a shot and not be in the way as Tony Stewart makes his stop at Indy.
I had found a nice little spot at the entrance to pit road which gave me a clear shot down the track to capture the action.
Another perk of having credentials was Miss Winston being so accessible
