For day two of NHRA qualifying in Pomona I would venture down to the top end to shoot some head on angles of the racing action. The top end is my favorite place to shoot because the action is coming straight at you and makes for great photos. I would certainly have a couple shots today I liked. Lets take a look at a few…
Prior to heading to the top end, I would shoot a few portraits of top fuel driver Leah Pruett. It was a simple shoot done in one of the teams haulers using one strobe in a softbox. I wanted to add some more lights but time was short.
Canon 1Dx, 70-200mm, 100iso, f6.3, 1/250th, Manual with Einstein Strobe
NHRA top fuel dragster driver Leah Pruett poses for a portrait in her hauler during qualifying for the Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.
Ok time for the top end.
Canon 1Dx, 600mm, 500iso, f8, 1/2000th, Manual
NHRA pro stock driver Mike Edwards slows in his new look Camaro after taking the top qualifying position during qualifying for the Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.
My first fireball of 2013….
Canon 1Dx, 600mm, 500iso, f8, 1/1600th, Manual
My first fireball of 2013 came courtesy of NHRA top fuel dragster driver David Grubnic who would blow an engine in the lights.
Canon 1Dx, 600mm, 640iso, f7.1, 1/1600th, Manual
Heat waves fill the air as NHRA top fuel dragster driver Tony Schumacher powers down track on his way to the top qualifying spot during qualifying for the Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.
Getting the top qualifying spot was exactly what the team was looking for. What they probably werent looking for, though, was for his parachutes to tangle together as Tony was hauling ass towards the sand trap on a very short track.
Canon 1Dx, 600mm, 640iso, f7.1, 1/1600th, Manual
Here you can see the parachutes tangled together as the sand trap rapidly gets closer from the cockpit of his US Army dragster.
Canon 1Dx, 600mm, 640iso, f7.1, 1/1600th, Manual
Just before the sand trap one of the parachutes would blossom but it was too little too late. The most successful top fuel driver in NHRA history would be taking a trip to the beach.
Canon 1Dx, 600mm, 640iso, f7.1, 1/8000th, Aperture Priority
Tony Schumacher walks from his car after going into the sand trap after running the top qualifying time.
When the team towed the car back to the pits they would stop near my shooting position to remove all the rocks and sand from inside his car.
Canon 1Dx, 24-70mm, 250iso, f5, 1/5000th, Aperture Priority
Crew members for NHRA top fuel dragster driver Tony Schumacher inspect his car after going into the sand trap.
Canon 1Dx, 24-70mm, 250iso, f5, 1/250th, Aperture Priority
In the second pair of Funny Car qualifying, Tony Pedregon would take over the lead in #FireballFriday with a harrowing explosion.
Canon 1Dx, 600mm, 640iso, f7.1, 1/1600th, Manual
NHRA funny car driver Tony Pedregon blows the body off his car after an explosion during qualifying for the Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona. Pedregon was unhurt in the incident.
To see the full Tony Pedregon explosion sequence CLICK HERE
Canon 1Dx, 600mm, 500iso, f7.1, 1/1600th, Manual
NHRA funny car driver Jack Beckman heads back to the pits after snatching the top qualifying position.
Canon 1Dx, 600mm, 2500iso, f5.6, 1/1250th, Manual
Top alcohol dragster driver Fred Hanssen gets his rear wheels off the ground from the force of the parachutes deploying.
Canon 1Dx, 600mm, 3200iso, f4.5, 1/1000th, Manual
Top alcohol funny car driver Bret Williamson sacrifices an engine in the lights during final qualifying.
That wraps up day two of the NHRA season.
8 Responses to “10 Spot / NHRA Pomona Friday”
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Great Shots as always…… Keep up the fantastic work son!
Canon? Say it isn’t so……..
Fantastic shots as always Mark
GREAT SHOTS LOVE YOUR WORK
Why you guys want to smear your watermarks over your pics I’ll never know.
Awesome Pics!
Amazing pic like we have come to know from you
Amazing photos. Hard to find good stuff on Drag Racing. Thank you for posting. Like how you showed what setting and camera you used. I hope to learn photography some day. Have a few more years of parenting to go before the kids will be ready to head to college. Then I will have a little more time to myself.