Stock car questions

fire1035

Moderator: If this is in the wrong place please move it.

Hey all my uncle has a stock car race coming up at Indianapolis Raceway Park. I am hoping to rent a faster lens than I currently have in my arsenal (el cheapo 75-300mm Canon). I will have access throughout the day to take pictures but I think my best opportunities will be during practice and qualifying as I will be able to stand on top of his pit box on the inside of the track. I may take some during the race but it will be at night. So my questions are this. What size lens should I be looking at renting? I am thinking the 70-200 f 2.8 IS. The pits are not that far from the track itself (maybe 30 feet across the pit lane) so I don't think I need much longer than that. What kind of settings should I be using i.e. film speed, aperture, and shutter speed? I plan on working on panning to see how my results will come out on that. Also is there anything else I should try for the race portion of the day? The race will most likely start during sunset and then finish up under the lights.

Any help would be greatfully appreciated.

Thanks,

Billy

gus

fire1035 wrote:

What kind of settings should I be using i.e. film speed, aperture, and shutter speed?
Billy

How much light will you have on the day ?

gsgary

For panning i would use speeds from about 1/125 - 1/40 and adjust iso to suit. As for shots i don't know much about your stockcar racing, do they change tyres, refuel if so i would look for shots in the pits also crash shots look good

fire1035

gus wrote:

How much light will you have on the day ?

Hopefully, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the weather will cooperate, it will be bright sunshine. Practice should start around noon, then a second session at around 13:00. Qualifying should begin around 16:00-17:00.

rjpat

That is a pretty intimate track, so there are areas you can get close to the action, therefore you wouldn't need as much reach. If you shoot from the hill at turn one, you would probably need more than 200.

fire1035

Alright I went down and reserved the 70-200 IS for the weekend. Most of my shooting will be from track level on the inside before race time. I will most likely be in the suite during the race as my wife and son will be there during the race. They don't want to go down during the day though. Apparently 10 month olds aren't supposed to ahng out in the sun and the hot all day.

As far as action in the pit area. This is the first time I will be watching him race in this series as I was stuck at the firehouse for his race last year. The old series he drove in was a long race so they did have tire changes and fuel stops. This is however American short track racing at it's best so there should be PLENTY of wrecks. But like i said I will most likely be in the stands or in the suite for that portion of the evening. I will do my best from there though.

Thanks for the tips and if anybody has anything else please let me know.

apexonephoto

Hey guys, my first time posting here I have a gallery from IRP, and I shot almost all with a 70-200 2.8 IS, the rest with a 17-40L. The gallery is at http://apexonephoto.smugmug.com/gallery/1576010
take a look and ask me any questions, I am going to be away from the computer, but I will get back to you.

James
http://apexonephoto.smugmug.com