New Jersey Motorsports Park (pre-race set)

[Bob Chapman]

First things first: IMHO, in 8 short months, New Jersey Motorsports Park has progressed from an unattractive dustbowl into one of the most photogenic tracks in North America. Some wild grass and the use of the 3a/3b/3c complex has literally transformed the track from alsoran into superstar. I was blown away at how well the facility photographs. Better yet, I feel like I've only just scratched the surface of what the place has to offer...good elevation change in some key spots, beautiful stands of trees with well-defined edges, an airport backdrop in many shots, fences that aren't overly distracting... The only thing the track demands is long glass; with a few notable exceptions, it's not a place you go to fill the frame with racecar.

Enough of my rambling, here is a set of eight pre-race shots. I'll post some rain stuff tomorrow. In an effort to better show the surroundings, I'll leave the artsy-fartsy blurry crap mostly out of this set.

...oh yeah, Porsches only. There is no substitute. :p

1 - http://www.autosportimage.com/2009/apn/grand_am/njmp/20090501-a-5113.jpg

2 - http://www.autosportimage.com/2009/apn/grand_am/njmp/20090501-b-2221.jpg

3 - http://www.autosportimage.com/2009/apn/grand_am/njmp/20090501-c-2988.jpg

4 - http://www.autosportimage.com/2009/apn/grand_am/njmp/20090501-d-3379.jpg

5 - http://www.autosportimage.com/2009/apn/grand_am/njmp/20090501-d-3570.jpg

6 - http://www.autosportimage.com/2009/apn/grand_am/njmp/20090501-d-3728.jpg

7 - http://www.autosportimage.com/2009/apn/grand_am/njmp/20090501-f-3857.jpg

8 - http://www.autosportimage.com/2009/apn/grand_am/njmp/20090502-a-4247.jpg

[Curtis Creager]

Fantastic set of images Bob!
What was the shutter speed that was used to capture #2 image?
I would like to see the "artsy-fartsy blurry crap"

[Brent Smith]

I wanted to get something like #2 but never got back around that way on Sunday.

[Bob Chapman]

Curtis, #2 was ISO 100, f4, 1/160th at (an effective) 750mm. It's a deceptively tough shot to capture, because the cars are obscured until they pop out over the crest of the rise. I loved how I could see all the way under the GT cars on the far side of the track as the tires were loaded to the outside...a relative rarity in on-track shooting.

Brent, I'm guessing that location would have been amazing in the rain. Like you, though, I just couldn't find the time to get back there during the race.

[Curtis Creager]

Thanks for the info on #2
I have a similar shot, not as low as yours that I've been trying to get and haven't had much success.

I'm also liking #4 great composition.

[Aaron Kupferman]

Great set and yes, that does look like a beautiful track! Nothing at 1/5th though? :)

[Bob Chapman]

Great set and yes, that does look like a beautiful track! Nothing at 1/5th though? :)

Nah, nothing at 1/5th. But, I shot some stuff at 1/10th. The track environment sorta disappears, though.

http://www.autosportimage.com/2009/apn/grand_am/njmp/20090502-a-4632.jpg

[Bob Chapman]

I'm also liking #4 great composition.

Thanks, Curtis. For my money, #4 was the real find of the weekend. With the track in the foreground, the well-defined stand of trees in the left-mid-background, and another stand of trees in the right-far-background, an amazing amount of 3-dimensionality could be achieved by placing the car in front of the distant stand of trees. I also like how the elevation allows the lip of grass just beyond the track with distant background directly above. I can't wait to see what that shot will look like in some really sweet early-morning light. ...or, better yet, backlit nearing sunset.

[Will Schneekloth]

Great stuff Bob, you're absolutely right about how much better the place looks with grass on the ground. I've only seen it on TV so far, but it seemed so out of place for New Jersey last year with the dust and dirt, much the same as the ALMS event at Lime Rock last year with the dust in the new chicane areas.

Gotta love the Porsches ;-)

[Dustin Finn]

3 and 8 do it for me, those were the ones that I just could not come up with.

If you dont mind, where is 3 and 8 shot from?

I had my own issues that weekend which I am hoping to never let happen again..

[Bob Chapman]

If you dont mind, where is 3 and 8 shot from?

3 was shot looking back down the straight at T4. The #01 Lexus Riley has just popped over the crest of the uphill that follows 3c.

8 was shot from driver's left at T6 (? I don't have the track map in front of me, but I believe T6 is the 90-degree right after the 3rd longest straight at the track). Facing the track, if you slide down to the left, you'll get the following two shots, with the front-straight track tower in the background.

9 - http://www.autosportimage.com/2009/apn/grand_am/njmp/20090502-a-4375.jpg

10 - http://www.autosportimage.com/2009/apn/grand_am/njmp/20090502-a-4480.jpg

[Dustin Finn]

I thought I write to say thanks for the information,but I dont see it here... so I write it again :)

I appreciate the help.