Rain, Rain Go Away

I went down to Auburn this past Saturday night to shoot the Ball State vs Auburn game for my wire service.
It's the first football game that I've been able to shoot this year.
I hope I get to shoot a lot more.
Like next week.
I've got to go to Knoxville to shoot the Auburn vs Tennessee game in Neyland Stadium.
A hundred thousand Big Orange fans in one place.
Jeepers.
I hope my Tigers can makes lots of orange juice.


I always plan on shooting 'Tiger Walk' when I get the opportunity to shoot an Auburn game. No matter where they are playin'.
It's always good. It's the original. Now everyone want's to do it.
Tiger Walk takes place two hours before gametime.
Guess what happened as soon as Tiger Walk got near the stadium?
Rain. And lots of it. Lots.
Game time was held back about 45 minutes for the second time in two weeks.
Lots of rain.
This stadium grounds worker decided to give up and come back in, but it was too late.


I don't know how much water came falling down out of the sky, but many buckets full fell in a very short period of time. Not like last week, when over four inches fell in about thirty minutes, but enough that it was beginning to back up in just a few minutes.


This storm drain was backed up with about four or five inches of water in just a couple of minutes. One of the local police told me during last weeks rain event, that the water backed up about a foot deep in this same storm drain.
So much for the water.
On to the main event.


It is my first game to shoot this year, and I was a little rusty, but sometimes I was in the right place at the right time.
Here, Auburn defensive end Michael Goggans chases down Ball State quarterback Kelly Page.


After Auburn spotted Ball State a touchdown early, Tigers receiver Terrell Zachery stiff arms Kyle Kuntz after making a catch.


Auburn quarterback Chris Todd sets up to pass as the rain keeps falling.


Mario Fannin had a decent night for Auburn. He had three catches for 55 yards. Here he's on his way to a 36 yard touchdown.


Chris Todd passed for five touchdowns on Saturday night. He also had 287 yards passing with 19 completions. Not bad for someone that had shoulder surgery during the off season.


After Darvin Adams scored on a long pass play, Terrell Zachery helped him celebrate in the endzone. Here they strike a pose.


Ben Tate always runs hard. He's beginning to carry more of the load when the game winds down.


Eric Williams of Ball State reaches the ball out towards the goal line, but it was late in the game.
Too little, too late.


And it wouldn't be football without a picture of head coach Gene Chizick in action, now would it?
Ball State put 30 points on Auburn, but most of them came when the backups were playing late in the game. A lot of people around here seem to be concerned about the Tigers defense. They are a little thin, but I think coach is trying to get his troops a little 'sperience.
Maybe it'll be enough Saturday night in K town.

No. No. No. No. No. No. OK, Yes I Will

A couple of weeks ago when I was shooting the night race in Atlanta, I was asked by someone from my wire service if I wanted to shoot the race in Richmond.
I told them 'No'.
Later that night, they asked me again.
Again, I said 'No'.
This happened a couple of more times after the race as we were working trying to get our images out.
Monday was Labor Day and I was at the river, kicked back relaxing, eating some BBQ and par-taking in some adult beverages, when my cell phone rang.
My wire service was calling me to personally ask me about shooting Richmond.
I said 'No'.
After I got home, I got on my laptop to check my e-mail, and I had an e-mail from the owner of the wire service, this time with the schedule for the weekend.
It didn't take much more to convince me I needed to go to Richmond for the weekend.

I got there about middle of the afternoon on Friday, a little later than I wanted, but I had plenty of time to shoot Cup qualifying. I walked into the photographers work room, and all of the places were taken. One of the other photogs told me I had a reserved spot, but some old wannabe, know-it-all, camera pointing, nerve wracking, button pusher, was sitting in MY reserved place. The old geezer told me he didn't think someone from my wire service would be there. Damn him!!!!


It's a much different atmosphere from some of the other tracks I shoot at.
You get more access. Here Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth share driving secrets.


I was looking for something a little different, someway to shoot the pole winner that was not the ordinary, standard image we usually see. I tried my luck at adding the people on pit road, the venue, and the sky and clouds.
I didn't think it worked.
Mark Martin went out early, and I was looking through my shots from his run to see if I had anything to post when I found this one.
It worked better than I thought.


The Nationwide race started later that night.
Here is the standard Kyle Busch images from that race.


Not much happened during that race. Kinda boring for Richmond.
The only action I was was when Jason Leffler blew a tire and left a trail of sparks behind his car.


As luck would have it, I was standing in an empty pit stall that was next to the 38 team. I shot a bunch of images of the crew working on Leffler's car. As I turned to watch him drive off, I noticed his left front tire come off.
When it rains, it pours.


Just a boring image of Brendan Gaughan (62) and Carl Edwards (60) racing side by side at Richmond.


Carl Edwards won the Nationwide race. As we all know, he has a broken foot, so that means he can do his customary backflip from his car, right?
Well, this old wannabe, know-it-all, camera pointing, nerve wracking, button pusher, came back into the photographers workroom after the race and said in a very loud voice 'Hey ya'll, I must be the biggest dumbass of all, 'cause I just crossed the pit wall and ran out the track to get a shot of Carl Edwards doin' his backflip, and after he just drove on by, I remembered he's got a broke foot'.
Yep.


Saturday promised to be a long day. I got there early. Not much happening in the garage, but I had to post something anyway.


Pit tours and all the other B.S.
No drivers.
Anywhere.


Later in the afternoon, the pre-race concert began.
Today's band was All-American Rejects.
Here lead guitar player Nick Wheeler plays his Gibson Firebird (I've always had a soft spot for this guitar).


All-American Rejects lead singer Tyson Ritter.


Finally, after a long race and a short rain delay, the 'Chase For The Cup' sould be decided in a few hours.
Kevin Harvick (29) and Scott Speed (82) race early in the Chevy Rock and Roll 400.


Just looking for something different. Brian Vickers works had to make the 'Chase'.


Just a few laps into the race, Scott Speed spins his Red Bull Toyota. It's Richmond, and a short track, you have to expect a few spins, right?


During the caution, I was in position to shoot a few pit stops from my high vantage point. Denny Hamlin's crew works on his car.


Jeff Gordon (24) leads Denny Hamlin (11) during the Chevy Rock and Roll 400.


I'm beginning to feel lucky. Tony Stewart (14) gets turned by Reed Sorenson (43).


Well, while I'm still up there, why not shoot more pit stops during the caution, right?
This image of Jimmie Johnson was used by USA Today and several other papers.


OK.....it's starting to get boring. Side by side action of Juan Pablo Montoya (42) and Jeff Burton (31).


Just the standard slow shutter speed image i've been doing lately.
It's getting old. Kinda.....


You gotta have a Jeff Gordon Image.


I thought the brake dust coming from the wheel made this A J Allmendinger pit stop a little different.


Kurt Busch during the Chevy Rock and Roll 400.


Denny Hamlin would win tonight's race. I got a shot of him as he crossed the finish line. Not much to it. He did his customary burnout. Way too much tire smoke, I could hardly see his car.
Then he got out of his car, stood on the window ledge, and pumped his arms as he was celebrating.
This image was picked up by ESPN.


USA Today and several other papers and website used this image in victory lane.


After waiting what seemed like a very long time, well after midnight, NASCAR finally got the 'Chase' driver together for a group photo.
I had been transmitting earlier, but decided I needed to go out early so I could get a good group shot of the drivers. I was way late. All I could do was stand to the side and do a 'Hail Mary'.
I missed the one shot I was in Richmond for.
I hope my editors will forgive me.


OK....A lesson to NASCAR.
Don't give champagne to the drivers.
They waste it!

Hot 'Lanta at Night

Signs, signs, everywhere a sign.
Blocking out the scenery, breaking my mind.
That old song from the Five Man Electrical Band was what I was thinking when I was looking through the viewfinder at all of these pit signs.
I don't know why, but stuff like that just fills my head sometimes.
It's been a couple of weeks since my last post and a load of stuff has happened in between.
It's my favorite time of the year. Football is in full swing, NASCAR is in the Chase, baseball is making it's way to the playoffs, the weather is trying to turn cool, and everything is right with the world. Well.....almost.
High school, college, and pro football every weekend, and I ain't shot the first game yet.
Too much other stuff going on. Just wait. I get around to posting it.
First things first.


I was the only photographer at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Saturday for my wire service. Everyone else was shooting football.
I got to shoot Martin Truex jr getting out of his car after he won the pole for Sunday's race.


Just a head on image of Martin Truex jr during Sunday's race.


And a head on shot of Tony Stewart (you can tell I ain't put too much effort into this latest post).


Sunday's race, as are most Sprint Cup races in Atlanta, can get a little bit boring. I spent most of my time walking around looking for something out of the ordinary.


I was almost as bored as this NASCAR official. I just wish I could have propped my feet up.


Pit stops are much easier to shoot from the outside, but sometimes they don't show the action or drama involved taking place in the pits, like an image shot from the pits.


Later in the night, as I was still looking for different angles, I shot a pretty cool image of Jeff Gordon. I knew it was what I was looking for, so I turned away from the opening in the fence and started chimping (OK....I admit I chimp).


Even though I had my head set on, I heard a loud 'BOOM' just behind me, and when I looked up, I saw Kurt Busch, smoke, and sparks. I knew from the sound I heard, he hit the wall close to where I was shooting from. It could have been a really decent photo.

This is my view from the opening in the fence. Notice the tire tracks left by Mr. Busch as he was screaming and hollering and driving right at me. Kinda made me feel like I was the target.


This is the view from inside of turn four showing where I was shooting from. Notice the scuff marks on the wall where it says 'ATLANTA'. That is where he hit the wall.


This is a close-up of the same frame. The opening in the fence is outlined in white. This is shere I was shooting from seconds earlier.


OK......kinda like my night, the excitements over.
Back to the boring race images, this one of Kasey Kahne. He led late in the race.


Maybe my luck was finally changing. I got this image of Joey Logano spinning coming out of turn four.


I wanted to try to capture the intense look of the pit crews as they prepare to service the car. Oh well... I'll keep trying.


Like I said, Kasey Kahne, led most laps late in the race. Yep, he won.
He appreciates the wins.
Sometimes it seems like some of the other drives don't.