The second race on the 2012 NHRA was my favorite stop on the circuit. Not because its a cool track or its a big race but because I get to sleep on my own bed every night. Lets get right to the action of a gorgeous weekend in the Arizona desert.
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Just over a month ago I packed my suitcases and flew to West Palm Beach, Florida for a week of NHRA preseason testing. I was working for several clients so it would be one hell of a busy week for me.
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At the beginning of January I made my first flight of the year up to Indianapolis to shoot portraits of the 2012 Aarons NHRA drivers.
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Nearly all my life I have been covering drag racing but never have I covered near as many events as I did in 2011. With that said lets jump right into the second to last “Best of 2011″ blog with my best drag racing photos of 2011.
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Now that 2011 is coming to a close it is finally time to begin my fourth year of annual “Best of” blogs. Leading off the 2011 series of blogs is my best Celebration/Dejection shots. This year is heavy on celebration images but you will also find some good dejection shots mixed in as well. Enjoy!
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After a long season coming for the NHRA tour it came down to the final race at the most historic track on the NHRA circuit in Pomona, CA. On top of the high number of professional cars it is always a great event to cover for the fact that the champions will be crowned in all classes. This is a long blog but I assure you its a good one!
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With the NHRA circuit down to just three races remaining, the Arizona Nationals near Phoenix would make our break the championship hopes of several professional drivers. While temperatures would exceed 100 degrees all weekend at Firebird International Raceway making for a miserable time shooting and getting down the track for drivers, it was still 20 minutes from my place so I would get to sleep in my own bed every night.
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After the previous weekend where 100 degree temps ruled the weekend in Dallas it was off to the green hills of Pennsylvania for the tours annual stop near Reading for what would be a record setting weekend at Maple Grove Raceway… Oh did I mention the weather was over 50 degrees cooler?!
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The second race of the Countdown to the Championship would take me to the Texas Motorplex in Ennis, TX (30 miles outside of Dallas) for the Fall Nationals. After being completely spoiled by the cool temperatures the previous week in Charlotte I would be in for a miserable weekend with highs near 100 degrees. I guess thats why we make the big bucks!
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With the “regular season” of the 2011 NHRA tour in the books it was time for everyone to turn up the heat as the six race “playoffs” began at zMax Dragway near Charlotte, NC. The track referred to as the “Bellagio of drag strips” would treat us to a historically quick weekend!
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