Last weekend the IMSA Northeast Grand Prix was held at Lime Rock Park, which is situated in the foothills of the beautiful Berkshire Mountains in Connecticut. The circuit is tree-lined, with many elevation changes, which provide opportunities to find locations with unique angles and lighting conditions. This blog is about “seeing the light at Lime Rock Park”. Hope you like the photos.

Friday Practice

The race schedule is always very busy at Lime Rock Park, since what is normally a three day schedule is compressed into two days, since track action on Sunday’s is not possible. The practice sessions for the Continental Tire Challenge SportsCar Challenge (CTSCC), Prototype Challenge (PC), and WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (WTSCC) started at 10.05 am and essentially ran back-to-back to 3.40 pm, when qualifying for the CTSCC started, until the WTSCC qualifying finished at 5.55 pm. Debated with myself should I go to the outside of Big Bend or the Right Hander, since shooting at either of these locations on race day would mean you are there for the entire race, since crossing a cold track (with the safety marshals permission) would not be possible. After much debate (with myself, LOL) decided to go to the outside of the Right Hander since I thought their would be more variety in the shots possible.

After the CTSCC Practice 1, the Prototype Challenge cars hit the track for their first practice session. Paul Fix in the #44 Ave Motorsports Ave-Riley AR2. Really like the look of these prototypes.

The sun bathed the track for the early afternoon second CTSCC practice session. Jesse Lazare or Chris Green in the #69 Motorsports In Action McLaren GT4.

The slow shutter speed made it appear the #57 Stevenson Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R with Matt Bell or Robin Liddell appear to speed “across a sea of grass”.

The WTSCC cars hit the track around 2.25 pm for their second practice session. The #007 TRG Aston Martin Vantage GT3 with James Davison or Brandon Davis. The slow shutter speed makes the Corvette Racing Corvette C7.R appear like a path of yellow light, with the bright yellow, the headlights of the car.

Another slow pan, this time with the #93 Michael Shank Racing w/ Curb-Agajanian Acura NSX GT3 and Andy Lally or Katherine Legge.

Went back to the pits for the qualifying sessions, since this is a great opportunity for candid photos of the drivers. Here’s a couple of shots of Patrick Long.

Saturday

The WTSCC race started at 3.05 pm under overcast skies. For the start of the race headed down to outside of the Uphill, so I could get shots of the opening laps as the cars came down No Name Straight. The #3 Corvette Racing Corvette C7.R with Jan Magnussen or Antonio Garcia heading up the straight into the Uphill.

The #48 Paul Miller Racing Lamborghini Huracan GT3 with Bryan Sellers or Madison Snow.

Contact between the #66 Ford Chip Ganassi Racing Ford GT and the #4 Corvette Racing Corvette C7.R.

The tree-lined straight from the Uphill to West Bend provides some great opportunities to get shots of the cars in the light against the shadows. Eventual race winner, the #911 Porsche GT Team Porsche 911 RSR with Patrick Pilet or Dirk Werner.

Speeding into West Bend with the #67 Ford Chip Ganassi Racing Ford GT and Ryan Briscoe or Richard Westbrook.

Really slow shutter speeds can make for some cool effects. Was lucky to capture the #48 Paul Miller Racing Lamborghini Huracan GT3 heading through West Bend and the circular red lights of a pursing Ford Chip Ganassi Racing Ford GT.

On my way back to the pits, stopped by the bridge on the outside of the straight from West Bend for some head-on shots of the cars. The #912 Porsche GT Team Porsche 911 RSR and Laurens Vanthoor or Gianmaria Bruni.

Had a great time at Lime Rock Park. Many thanks to those who make these races possible and for the help and support from others. Thanks for reading the photo blog.