Racing in the Rain - NASA Enduro at Mid-Ohio

[Tom Hitzeman]

NASA Great Lakes Region moved up the 2008 season opener to the second weekend in April. Anyone familiar with the rolling hill country of north central Ohio knows that this date is really more like very late winter. Lexington, Ohio resides on the fringes of lake effect snow and can be very cold and windy.

Adding to the drama was the 3-hour enduro run Saturday evening...rain, wind, biting cold, numb fingers and trying to keep the digital equipment dry. Did I mention that two intrepid (or crazy) shooters were the only two humans to be seen out on the course other than drivers trying to contol their powerful iron in low light wet 10/10ths and crews huddled on pit lane and in the paddock?

But the racing was fierce, car control approached an art. From the bottom of the esses, when the checker finally fell and survivors returned to the paddock, a loud cheer echoed through the darkening mist, celebrating an intrepid group of grassroots racers.

It was a hard miserable day but the sights, sounds and photo ops unforgettable. Warm, dry sunny days at the track seem so humdrum since then. The Gortex is packed and I'm looking at better rain gear for the digital arsenal...Maybe we'll get to do this again.

1. It's Spring! Let's Race!!
http://f-51gtphoto.smugmug.com/photos/359926524_PGxdY-X2-1.jpg

2. Sub-Arctic Pro-Shooter...parka, insulated gloves, rain covers...we used it all that day. Why, is that Chris Clark under all that?
http://f-51gtphoto.smugmug.com/photos/359917981_c39yc-X2-1.jpg

3. Dogfight on tiptoe...enter the Carousel
http://f-51gtphoto.smugmug.com/photos/359917916_gWHyT-X2-1.jpg

4. Shark...and prey..exit Keyhole
http://f-51gtphoto.smugmug.com/photos/359925653_U4nNT-X2-1.jpg

5. Music...E46 M3 GTR...V-8 sound from a BMW...no, Sweet Music!
http://f-51gtphoto.smugmug.com/photos/359928532_BC4Tq-X2-1.jpg

6. Piercing the darkness...climbing Thunder Valley
http://f-51gtphoto.smugmug.com/photos/359915399_xko3F-X2-1.jpg

7. Racing in the rain...Thunder Valley
http://f-51gtphoto.smugmug.com/photos/359929601_wxw45-X2-1.jpg

Thoughts and comments, please.

tom

[Chris Clark]

2. Sub-Arctic Pro-Shooter...parka, insulated gloves, rain covers...we used it all that day. Why, is that Chris Clark under all that?
http://f-51gtphoto.smugmug.com/photos/359917981_c39yc-X2-1.jpg
tom

Correction : TWO parkas, fleece sweatsirt, insulated gloves, knit hat, rain covers, and trash bag. I felt like that kid from "A Christmas Story" in his snow suit. LOL. I've been trying to forget that weekend Tom, Thanks for reminding me!:)

I really like #1. It really shows what we were dealing with. I think #6 is a bit under exposed. Probably a victim of metering at the exact moment that the headlights were pointing directly at you. Even though it's dark, and "mis-represents" what it really was like out there..... I like it anyway. Pretty cool.

And yeah, the sweet sound of that M3... wow,

-chris