J's Route 66 - Joliet NHRA shots

[jbiscuit]

just a sampling from Friday. Got to spend the day with the Snap-on guys. Got to ride in the chase van for Doug Herberts first past. Met Marty the 1-man Party :thumbsup Good times. Ashley Force is gorgeous in person. Props to her for running the hell out of that car, she's a hell of a driver in person. Hillary Will is a class act also. Very polite. I can still taste the Nitro in my mouth today :rolf:thumbsup

No post-processing in the shots, straight from the camera (+ a quick resize). Shot in RAW, batch-converted to JPGs to send to Doug Herbert's media person today. All shot with my D70 with the 80-200 2.8 for track shots and the 17-55 2.8 for the close-ups, details etc.

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[BAD LS1]

It was a good time as usual... i got burned to a crisp! I ended up leaving like 10 min before the rain started though, so i missed the 2nd round of elims that didnt start till like 7 i guess. Was cool to see Ashley keep the #1 pos in funny car yet while i was there.

[jbiscuit]

yea for sure. Its amazing how nice that facility is and how many people go to this event. The top fuelers firing up is addicting. I love when they blip the throttle in the pits and everyone jumps, ha ha ha

[BAD LS1]

yea for sure. Its amazing how nice that facility is and how many people go to this event. The top fuelers firing up is addicting. I love when they blip the throttle in the pits and everyone jumps, ha ha ha

yeah its always a quest to run over to the pit with one running in hopes they will do it. my personal fav is when they flip it over to nitro, the motor lugs down and its jsut assholes and elbows from everyone scattering :rolf That is deff good training to handle tear gas hanging around those things while they run:goof

[jbiscuit]

OMG for sure. I was standing right behind Ashley's car when she climbed in and fired it up for the first time. At first I was like, "fukin awesome...its shakin the ground...." and then I started to tear up and choke on the fumes and could barely see, ha ha ha ha ha:

her climbin in....this should give you an idea how close I was to the thing, ha ha ha. You can see the crew putting on their masks even in the pic.

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[BAD LS1]

There is really something to be said about girl that can handle a 8,000 HP monster and beat all the seasoned vets... Probably gets that from the old man i would venture to guess haha

[juicedimpss]

nitro rules.

[jbiscuit]

There is really something to be said about girl that can handle a 8,000 HP monster and beat all the seasoned vets... Probably gets that from the old man i would venture to guess haha

not to mention, watching these things run from BEHIND is crazy. They ice skate as they go down the track. Her first qualifying pass the thing was sliding towards the wall and she kept her foot in it. Thats :thumbsup

[jbiscuit]

nitro rules.

I think Marty the 1-man party drinks it. That fugger is crazy :rolf

[BAD LS1]

not to mention, watching these things run from BEHIND is crazy. They ice skate as they go down the track. Her first qualifying pass the thing was sliding towards the wall and she kept her foot in it. Thats :thumbsup

To anyone that thinks drag racing is gay... They need to come watch these things just once. They will then understand what the attraction is.

No pics of the rockstar girls J?? Luckily i was coming up the isle when the when wind picked up! they made no effort to keep the skirts at bay :wow

[jbiscuit]

I didn't even see the girls??

[BAD LS1]

I didn't even see the girls??

lol they were hanging out around the back of the rockstar energy drink funny car hauler, 2 blondes and a brunette...

[jbiscuit]

Oh I didn't really even go over there by that trailer.

[Karps TA]

Seeing NHRA live is a perspective changing experience. You just don't even get a 10th of feeling watching it on tv like you do in person. I've only gone once, but really need to go again. Even the people who went that weren't into racing loved it. Especially the girls who tend to enjoy the vibrations when they take off alot for some reason. lol

[Cleveland Dave]

cool shots J looks like a good time!

[BAD LS1]

Seeing NHRA live is a perspective changing experience. You just don't even get a 10th of feeling watching it on tv like you do in person. I've only gone once, but really need to go again. Even the people who went that weren't into racing loved it. Especially the girls who tend to enjoy the vibrations when they take off alot for some reason. lol


maybe that was it? Every non car girl ive taken ended up thinking it was really cool for some reason haha. They often times enjoy the fact that there are other girl competing as well and that gives them something to cheer for.

[michelle]

maybe that was it? Every non car girl ive taken ended up thinking it was really cool for some reason haha. They often times enjoy the fact that there are other girl competing as well and that gives them something to cheer for.

That and the fact that there aren't many cute male drivers to cheer for.

[jbiscuit]

I agree with what has been said about the live experience vs. on TV. Not even the same. The bleachers shaking, the smells, sounds, people etc make it 110% more enjoyable. I was shocked to see so many LITTLE kids in the stands. I did see one little girl cry after a top fueler mad a pass but she was a champ about it. There were a group of guys with Chicago Wiseguys shirts on right in front of us in the stands with no ear plugs friday night. EFF that. I would have been deaf for a week. We were 8 rows up ON the starting line. Thats pretty close IMO.

[domokun]

I went yesterday. kinda crappy that I got stuck under the bleachers drenched by rain for 2 hrs. then it got hot and humid after.

otherwise VERY good time. ashley lost in the second round :(

also, I forgot my earplugs. and I know why I dont buy food at any racing events. I spend as follows

6 for a small pizza ( wasnt done, SUPER greasy, tasted nasty )
7 for a 20oz of lemondate ( lol )
8 for chicked tenders with VERY little fries
3 for bottled water
4 for a powerade
3 for little ear plugs :(

and to boot, 100 bux in gas ( evo doesnt like stop and go traffic )

[nismodave]

Nice Pics!!!

[70 cutlass 442]

I went yesterday. kinda crappy that I got stuck under the bleachers drenched by rain for 2 hrs. then it got hot and humid after.

otherwise VERY good time. ashley lost in the second round :(

also, I forgot my earplugs. and I know why I dont buy food at any racing events. I spend as follows

6 for a small pizza ( wasnt done, SUPER greasy, tasted nasty )
7 for a 20oz of lemondate ( lol )
8 for chicked tenders with VERY little fries
3 for bottled water
4 for a powerade
3 for little ear plugs :(

and to boot, 100 bux in gas ( evo doesnt like stop and go traffic )

Prices were outragous, we had ticket to the hospitality tent but was kiked out whent he storm came so no free food for us. btw, ashley went out in the semis. her round 2 race was pretty sweet :thumbsup

[domokun]

Prices were outragous, we had ticket to the hospitality tent but was kiked out whent he storm came so no free food for us. btw, ashley went out in the semis. her round 2 race was pretty sweet :thumbsup

was it the semi? oops....but yes, her round Vs Gary Scelzi I think was great. the talent that she has for how pretty she is just blows my mind

also the amount of money for each team is UNBELIEVABLE!!! and the force team ( GTX ) alone had 6 trailers

[70 cutlass 442]

was it the semi? oops....but yes, her round Vs Gary Scelzi I think was great. the talent that she has for how pretty she is just blows my mind

also the amount of money for each team is UNBELIEVABLE!!! and the force team ( GTX ) alone had 6 trailers

we were thinking the exact same thing, and did you notice robert heights trailer had 4 short blocks sitting there, and the 3 or 4 sets of cyl heads. and that was just one friggin trailer. plus the crew that each trailer had of about 4 or 5 guys. all multiplied by 6. then there were the actual trailers and RVs that they camped out of. just unreal the $$$$ tied up in there.

[scaleracer]

I wish I could've went again! And yes Ashley Force = :drool: lol! Sounds like it was a good time! And nice pics! I want to go on the virtual pro stock bike thing they had with Tony Shumacher a couple years ago but you had to be 16 I think!

[b4mytm]

Nice pics Jason. I wasn't able to go this year.

[jbiscuit]

thanks! It was a lot of fun to have an insider's pass and be able to be in the chase van and such. I can't wait for next year already!

[GRAMPS SS]

thanks! It was a lot of fun to have an insider's pass and be able to be in the chase van and such. I can't wait for next year already!


Joliet is a nice track :thumbsup.... and we didn't get tickets this year....
but...what...no one goes to the nats.....now thats a track....you have to make the trip at least once....:thumbsup

[pw_cc_runner]

besides the heat and rain it was a decent day... and shit there has been over priced since they opened the place. We always pack lunch for in between rounds.

[70 cutlass 442]

I think that bike class should be eliminated, i hate thoes things.

[domokun]

we were thinking the exact same thing, and did you notice robert heights trailer had 4 short blocks sitting there, and the 3 or 4 sets of cyl heads. and that was just one friggin trailer. plus the crew that each trailer had of about 4 or 5 guys. all multiplied by 6. then there were the actual trailers and RVs that they camped out of. just unreal the $$$$ tied up in there.

force team had about 8 short blocks on hand, about 1 dozen slicks, wings, heads, TONS of crap, and I was counting about 8-10 people per team! that I easily paid 60k plus a year. plus all the small transportation vehicles ( dirt bikes, mopeds, golf carts ) PLUS the hospitality tents for the big teams

again its nothing but $$$$$$$ its amazing..

[pw_cc_runner]

My Dad read recently that Don Schumacher's team for the entire year keeps 60 blocks in stock at something outrageous like $8000 a piece.

[jbiscuit]

I think that bike class should be eliminated, i hate thoes things.

agree 110%!!!!!:thumbsup