AMA Grand National Dirt Track is motorcycle racings, in my opinion, in some ways, depending who you ask, considering all the facts, equivalent to auto racings NASCAR. Maybe not but it doesn't really matter. At the end of the season, somebody wins a #1 plate, so right there I shoot my own argument out the window becasue in NASCAR even though you win you keep the same number on your car. Unless your step mother owns the car then you have to give it up. But anyway, Dirt Track is run on..dirt tracks, usually 1/2 mile and miles. The tracks are not paved, hence the dirt track is in fact acurate. Rather than watch Bill Belichick the cheater on NBC tonight I'm goign to post some pictures form last nights round 17 of 18 of the AMA's Grand NAtional series held in Monticello NY on a horse track, that just happend to be dirt. Armed with my new D40 and my trust Canon A95 I ventured up to Sullivan County to see why people would want to spend a day running a motorcycle with no front brake at high speeds into corners with less than ideal traction. The first thing I noticed was that my sons 300 zoom Nikon lens did not work with the D40's autofocus. no problem I got game. However, shooting dirt track is no easy task, ecspecially after the sun goes down if you don't know your camera. But we do what we can and let the chips fall where they may. I uploaded only oics today I want to comment on so this may be a long thread. It just truns left every 1/4 mile.

We'll try to keep these in somewhat of the order they were taken. We got there at 4 pm, practice was still going on. First lesson learned is know the event. If I'd have gotten there a few hours earlier I could have had hours of shooting in strong sunlight but again, we do our best.

Welcome to Monticello Raceway. I haadn't been there since the first Leonard/duran fight back when if you wanted to see fights like that you went to a place like a horse track. No mas!

Oh well out of sequence already, taken closer to 6pm.

But I wanted to post this one first.

ok turn the clock back to 4pm and some shots from the practice sessions. entering turn 1 of 4 at speed.

great shots? no. but it was a learnign experience.

Last years #1 plate winner and likely to repeat in 2007 Kenny Coolbeth.

pretty hard to describe this. they come flying down the straight and start to lay it down before they even enter the turn. by the time they are in the turn it is just man (or woman) against machine and the track. when it all goes right it is pure poetry in motion. they speeds they carry on the straights on this track were probably in the 80-90 mph range. they don't brake, they just pitch it in and turn with the throttle.

ps. these pics look better bigger but only large will fit here.

I think at this point I had already switched to my 200 zoom since I knew it would autofocus. the front straight heading into turn 1.

once practice was over you were allowed into the pits. If I had bought the $30 ticket instead of the $25 ticket I could have been in the pits during practice which would have allowed me to get good shots exiting turn 4, the final turn before the front straight. Keep in ind this is only an oval track, 5/8 mile. but no matter once in the pits I thoroughly enjoyed checking out the bikes. it was kind of hard not to.

Chris Carr won the Grand National Championship #1 plate 7 times. Thats why he gets a big truck. but to be honest I think the Canon got a better shot.

taken maybe an hour apart, maybe the Nikon was dealing with more "shaded light".

Both taken on Auto.

Nikon.



Canon.

Back to somewhat prope order as I wandered thru the pits. The Canon didn't come out for awhile but I wanted to compare.

Smokin Joe Kopp's #3 Harleys. Smokin Joe actually won the #1 plate in 2000 despite all of the Y2K computer glitches that never materialized to distract him.

Dirt Track used to be a Harley only game, until the British came along in the 50's, but since they give all their money to the queen and prince charles for reasons nobody can seem to explain, BSA and Triumph went out of business in the 70's and then it was Harely only again till Honda got bored and won it back to back in the 80's and then left dirt track for HArley to fight Harely for, until now that we actually have Suzuki's and Yamaha's and even an Aprilia. Nore information then you need to know but its my thread not yours so deal with it.

A Suzuki in the shade.

A Bartels Harley Harley and some idiots shadow.

1st dpwn Patriots.

Sweetest bike in the house. Though I'm not happy with the shot. I think I learned I may start using manual focus in the futire.

Blue Springs Harleys Blue Harleys.

The long shadows may offer some clue as to the tricky lighting that was..being lit?

I think this pic should be sharper.

I probably wouln't have uploaded and posted this until I realized I had caught #89 cheating by running #23's bike.

Another pic I'm not happy with. To much glare on the mechanic. I REALLY need to how to use this camera. They all cut chunks out of the tires though I don't know the specifics. that is what he is doing here.

How anyone thought they could get a Honda Cub to keep up with Dirt Track Harleys running racing fuel is beyond me.

I want a Honda Cub. Cool bike.

probably would have been a cool shot with a wide angle and without my shadow.

quite a few of the riders were signing free mini posters of themselves for the fans. a lot of the riders are young, and small. as the Team Owner of 800 Fast Hog told me, weight is horespower. at this level every bit helps.

24-0 Patriots. As much as I don't like Bill Belichick I like Norv Turner less.



for future reference you can see his left foot has what they call a hot shoe on it. since they turn left, they use the left foot as an outrigger in the turns. they all wear it and its pretty neat hearing a one legged clang as they walk around.

the hot shoe fits over the regular boot.

you can buy one if you're in the market.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/HOT-S...QQcmdZViewItem

Old School. One bike. One van.

I think the reason the first shot had so many shadows was a vehicle might have been there. I found this one uncluttered on the second pass. It really looks better bigger but still not as crisp as I'd like. I think manual focus is definitely an option in the future for non action shots.

I guess if nothing else this shot is to prove once and for all that you can if for some strange reason you want to, race with a new Triumph.

Team Aprilia's Aprilia's.

you'll notice on the Aprilia they have a gear shift lever on the left side of the bike. On the Harleys there is nothing. Rear brake and shift lever are both on the right.