The last part of my 2014 year in motorsports photography will focus on the second half of the Pirelli World Challenge (PWC) season, as well as Indy Car, and races held at Lime Rock Park. As I reflect back, I think wow, what a great experience and learning opportunity this was. Thanks again to those who gave me the chance and helped me through the year. Looking forward to the 2015 season and the second year of my “apprenticeship”. Hope you like the photos.

Road America – PWC (June 20 to 21)

Road America is a road course located near Elkhart Lake in Wisconsin, USA. The natural terrain track is about 4 miles with 14 turns and is situated in 640-acres of park-like grounds. Really enjoyed shooting at this track due to the varied terrain and elevation changes (Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II, 200mm, f/8, 1/1000, ISO 250)

The Carousel was one of my favorite locations to photograph from due to the long sweeping right-hander and opportunity to get panning shots of the cars through this corner. This is a wide shot of Anthony Lazzaro in the #61 R. Ferri Motorsport Ferrari 458 GT3 Italia (Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II, 70mm, f/22, 1/40, ISO 100)

Up close with Butch Leitzinger in the #08 Dyson Racing Team Bentley Bentley V8 T (Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II, 200mm, f/25, 1/100, ISO 100)

The “signature” lights on the #95 Global Motorsports Group Audi R8 Ultra driven by Bill Ziegler were needed to “cut” through the fog that covered the track during the early morning practice on Saturday (Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 500mm f/4L IS II, f/4, 1/1000, ISO 200)

Toronto – PWC (July 18 to 20)

After a months break, the PWC series headed over the border to Canada for the Honda Indy Toronto along the streets of Exhibition Place in Ontario, Canada. Mark Wilkins took a home-town GTS class win in the #38 Kia Racing/Kinetic Motorsports Kia Optima (Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II, 70mm, f/16, 1/1000, ISO 100)

What I really like about the PWC is how different classes are competing in the same race. This makes for opportunities to capture close racing, as shown here with Buz McCall in the #72 GTSport Racing Porsche Cayman S and an Audi R18 in hot pursuit (Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II, 125mm, f/25, 1/80, ISO 100)

The brilliant white livery on the #24 Reiter Engineering Lamborghini Gallardo FL2 driven by Albert von Thurn und Taxis in black and white (Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 500mm f/4L IS II, f/9, 1/320, ISO 100)

Even under overcast skies the beautiful red and white livery of the #92 Dodge Motorsports Dodge Viper SRT GT3-R shone through.  Kuno Wittmer had a home-town GT class win in this car (Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II with 1.4x extender III, 280mm, f/4, 1/1000, ISO 100)

Toronto – Indy Car (July 18 to 20)

Rounds 13 and 14 of the Indy Car series were also held on the streets of Toronto. Here’s Helio Castroneves in the #3 Team Penske speeding into Turn 3 (Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II, 200mm, f/8, 1/200, ISO 100)

At speed with Carlos Munoz in the #34 Andretti Autosport on the straight between Turns 10 and 11 (Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II, 70mm, f/20, 1/125, ISO 100)

A lovely Toronto Sun promotional girl (Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II, 200mm, f/2.8, 1/1250, ISO 100)

The start of Race 1 was delayed due to rain, and with visibility concerns started under the yellow flag. However, the race was shortly red flagged and postponed to Sunday. Here’s a shot of the cars on the front straight shortly after the race start (Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II, 98mm, f/16, 1/1000, ISO 100)

Mid-Ohio – PWC (August 1 to 3)

At the start of August the series headed to the Mid-Ohio Sportscar Course in Lexington Ohio. The clouds at this track made a big impression on me, both for there beauty and what “mother nature” had in store for us later on the week-end (Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 50mm f/1.2L, f/5.6, 1/1000, ISO 100)

Through the Esses with Andrew Palmer in the #21 Global Motorsports Group Audi R8 (Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II with 1.4x extender III, 280mm, f/10, 1/1000, ISO 100)

At speed with Tony Gaples in the #11 Blackdog Speed Shop Chevrolet Camaro along the straight between Turns 8 and 9 (Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II, 70mm, f/11, 1/80, ISO 100)

This race was the debut of the #42 RealTime R&L Acura TLX-GT driven by Peter Cunningham. The white, blue, and orange livery on this car was amazing (Canon 50mm f/1.2L, f/8, 1/80, ISO 100)

The uphill exit to the “Keyhole” was a great location to shoot the cars in the early morning light. Here’e Mike Skeen in the #2 CRP Racing Audi R8 LMS Ultra  (Canon 500mm f/4L IS II, f/8, 1/320, ISO 100)

Shortly after this shot was taken of Geoff Reeves in the #40 BestIT Racing Chevrolet Camaro, the skies opened up with torrential rain that led to an early stop to the race (Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II, 200mm, f/2.8, 1/1000, ISO 640)

Mid-Ohio – Indy Car (August 1 to 3)

Round 15 of the Indy Car series was held at Mid-Ohio. The early morning light cast wonderful shadows across the track along the Turn 10 to 11 straight (Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II, 200mm, f/11, 1/1000, ISO 500)

Through the shadows and light with Ryan Briscoe in the #8 NTT Data Chip Ganassi Racing (Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 500mm f/4L, f/4, 1/2000, ISO 160)

Tony Kanaan in the striking yellow livery of the #10 Target Chip Ganassi Racing (Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 500mm f/4L, f/5.6, 1/1000, ISO 100)

At speed with Carlos Huertas in the #18 Dale Coyne Racing (Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II, 70mm, f/16, 1/80, ISO 100) A track safety marshall giving a “thumbs-up” at the end of the race (Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 50mm f/1.2L IS II, f/8, 1/1000, ISO 100)

Lime Rock Park – Historic Festival 32 (August 28 to September 1)

The Historic Festival 32 was held at Lime Rock Park situated in the beautiful Berkshire mountains in Connecticut. The event consists of races on the Saturday and Monday, and a Park Concours d’ Elegance between these days (Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 24mm f/1.4L IS II, f/11, 1/1000, ISO 250)

You see a range of vintage cars grouped into several races. Here’s a 1934 Hudson Indy Racing Special (Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 500mm f/4L, f/20, 1/80, ISO 100)

The beautiful livery on the 1969 BMW “Art” car (Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 500mm f/4L, f/18, 1/80, ISO 100)

1960 Elva 200 at the crest of the Uphill (Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II, 200mm, f/6.3, 1/160, ISO 100)

1959 MGA at the Uphill (Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 500mm f/4L, f/4.5, 1/1000, ISO 100)

Sir Stirling Moss at the Sunday in the Park Concours  (Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 24mm f/1.4L IS II, f/2, 1/4000, ISO 100)

Sonoma – PWC (August 22 to 24)

At the end of August the penultimate PWC race was held at Sonoma Raceway in California. During the race weekend an earthquake reminded us of the natural forces that helped create the beautiful rolling hills that form part of this race track (Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II, 70mm, f/8, 1/1000, ISO 100)

Watching the cars speed up the Sonoma hills was a sight to behold, as shown here with Lawson Aschenbach in the #1 Blackdog Speed Shop Chevrolet Camaro who won one of the GTS class races over the weekend (Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II, 185mm, f/14, 1/100, ISO 100)

From the top of the hill, you have a great view of the cars speeding across this part of the raceway with the beautiful Sonoma Valley in the background, as shown with Henrik Hedman in the #10 DragonSpeed Ferrari 458 GT3 Italia (Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II, 200mm, f/18, 1/125, ISO 100)

A GTSport Racing mechanic working on the #72 Porsche Cayman S (Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 50mm f/1.2L IS II, f/2, 1/2500, ISO 100)

Sonoma – Indy Car (August 22 to 24)

Round 17 of the Indy Car series was held at the beautiful Sonoma Raceway which is located at Sears Point in the Sonoma Mountains in California. Even though the on-track action was exciting, the weekend would be remembered for the earthquake that occurred. Despite this intervention by “Mother Nature”, the race went ahead as scheduled. Morning practice with Sebastian Saavedra in the #17 KV AFS Racing (Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II, 70mm, f/6.3, 1/800, ISO 100)

Tony Kanaan driver of the #10 Target Chip Ganassi Racing (Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II with 1.4x extender III, 280mm, f/4, 1/1600, ISO 100)

Juan Pablo Montoya in the #2 Team Penske speeding through the Esses (Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 500mm f/4L, f/11, 1/320, ISO 100)

Rapid ascent with Scott Dixon in the #9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing (Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II with 1.4x extender III, 200mm, f/14, 1/200, ISO 100)

Miller – PWC (September 11 to 13)

At the end of September the PWC season finale was held at Miller Motorsports Park in Utah. Panning shots of the cars against the mountains, resulted in a “charcoal paint-like” background, as shown here with James Sofronas in the #14 Global Motorsports Group Audi R8 Ultra (Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II with 1.4x extender III, 102mm, f/20, 1/125, ISO 100)

Geoff Reeves in the #40 BestIT Racing Chevrolet Camaro (Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II, 155mm, f/16, 1/160, ISO 100)

Andy Lee made his GT debut in the #20 Laguna Crown Lamborghini Gallardo FL2. I really liked how the early morning sun lit the side of the car and its disc brakes (Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II, 70mm, f/25, 1/100, ISO 100)

Andrew Palmer in the #21 Global Motorsports Group Audi R8 speeding into the apex of the Turn 17 downhill (Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 500mm f/4L, f/8, 1/1000, ISO 100)

Before the start of the race was able to get a shot of the Global Motorsports Group Racing team (Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 24mm f/1.4L, f/11, 1/200, ISO 100)

The front straight gave me the opportunity to capture a “train of sports cars”, in this case being led by Robert Thorne in the #6 K-PAX Racing McLaren 12C GT3, who won the last GT race of the year (Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 500mm f/4L, f/8, 1/1000, ISO 100)

GTS class race two winner Jack Baldwin with the #73 GTSport Racing Porsche Cayman S and team members on the from straight (Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 24mm f/1.4L, f/8, 1/1600, ISO 100)

Lime Rock Park – Trans Am (September 19 and 20)

Round 9 of the Trans-Am series was held at Lime Rock Park, which is a natural terrain road racing track located in the northeast of the USA at Lakeville Connecticut. During the late afternoon practice session, the shadows cast by the trees around the track became very prominent. Although, spots of light did get through the shadows, as shown here with the #10 CTEK Northstar Miller Racing Chevrolet Camaro driven Mel Shaw (Canon 5D Mark III, 500mm f/4L IS II,  f/4, 1/1000, ISO 125)

Brad Roudabush in the #46 Engineered Components Chevrolet Camaro during the morning warm-up session at West Bend. (Canon 5D Mark III, 24mm f/1.4L II, f/8, 1/160, ISO 100)

“Lead and Wingman”. A.J. Hennriksen in the #74 Engineered Components Chevrolet Camaro leads its sister car down the Esses along No Name Straight (Canon 5D Mark III, 500mm f/4L IS II,  f/6.3, 1/1000, ISO 100)

Here’s a “Trans-Am approaching” with Cameron Lawrence in the #1 CTEK/Northstar Miller Racing Dodge Challenger along the straight between the Uphill and West Bend (Canon 5D Mark III, 500mm f/4L IS II,  f/4, 1/1000, ISO 125)

 

Thanks again for reading and supporting my blog and for being part of my 2014 year in motorsport photography. Can’t wait for the 2015 season to start. Wish all a Happy New Year.