I talked to Larry at the vintage race and he is going to miss the Grand Am. Michael On Wed, Sep 8, 2010 at 4:41 PM, PAUL W WATSON <TSWATSON78@xxxxxxx> wrote: > Just an FYI for the newbies. > > It is a good idea to be in the media center for the safety meeting, etc at > 0800 each day. So you need to get your wrist band before that and usually > you cannot take your car into the track. You have to leave it in the gravel > parking lot. Don't forget to place your parking pass where it is visible, > not that they check. > > Usually the track has lunch for the media in the media center along with > snacks and drinks. They also have shuttle vans to take you around the track > and keep you hydrated. Miller also in the past has provided donuts, coffee, > etc for the morning meeting. > > Has anybody heard from the Knightmare? Is he going to be there? > > The most important FYI is that the G.O.M's are usually pretty good at this > race.[image: Open-mouthed smiley emoticon] > > P > > ----- Original Message ----- > *From:* Michael Wells <mcwellsphoto@xxxxxxxxx> > *To:* ratpack@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > *Sent:* Wednesday, September 08, 2010 3:46 PM > *Subject:* [ratpack] Re: Credentials > > All, > > Well maybe it's because I'm newer to this whole gig that keeps me enthused, > I also have the benefit of having no little kids at home to chase after. As > much as my wife loves me she's not about to come to the track and watch me > take pictures. So my only other alternative is to hang out with you bunch of > misfits. John has been good to me so far and I'm pretty lucky to have found > someone that will sponsor me for credentials. I had to work for this one and > I'm going to ride it as far as I can. > > As much as I love to shoot nature & waterfalls they can't give me the same > kind of adrenaline rush that motor sports has. And the fact that I've been > able to sell a few photos is a huge bonus & ego stroker. I'd hate to not see > you at the track any more Ray but I haven't walked in your shoes so I don't > know your level of frustration. Part of this is the camaraderie, where else > am I going to hang out with a bunch of mentally deranged photogs? I don't > know where this will lead but it's been fun and I hope this continues. I > hope something works out for you Ray, Brandon, the guy that came to the ALMS > race with me will only be there Sat til 3, I don't know if credentials are > transferable but he won't be using his either Friday or Sunday. Just walk up > and say you're Brandon Storr, who knows? I don't know if that will work but > it's out there. > > I also can't wait for the lunches at Hires, my wife just rolls her eyes > when I start talking about panning & shutter speed and so on... > > Well there's my two cents. > > Michael aka Dr Z > > On Wed, Sep 8, 2010 at 12:37 PM, Ray Buck <rbuck@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > >> After talking with John Gardner about credential requests, and in >> particular, www.landracing.com (he said "give it a try") he denied my >> request. I pointed out some things he might not be aware of (like my photos >> of MMP on landracing) and asked him to reconsider. I haven't heard from >> him. >> >> If I don't hear back and I don't get credentials for this weekend, I'm >> considering severing my relationship with MMP. The credential hoops and >> changing rules and moving targets are too much hassle. I may just cut back >> to doing car shows and the salt flats. It would sure be a nice thing not to >> have to do a paper chase for every fucking event and find myself in conflict >> with the "big boys" who have corporate backing and departments who handle >> all that stuff for 'em. Working 16-18 hours a day to get all the photos >> edited and on the web is gettin to be a real energy drain. I know that it's >> something that I've chosen to do, but it might just be for the best if I >> didn't have that never-ending series of hoops to jump through. >> >> When Spencer Young bought the old Bonneville Raceway Park and built Rocky >> Mountain Raceway, it just stopped being fun. I'd been a permanent fixture >> at the Saturday nite roundy-round races and ran my Monte Carlo on the drag >> strip there. After numerous incidents (the biggest one was not being >> allowed to bring a "cold cup" of water into the track) I decided that the >> costs outweighed the benefits and I stopped giving Mr. Young my money. I >> haven't regretted it at all. MMP is starting to get that way for me. >> >> Since Larry's death, the track has begun a downward spiral that just >> doesn't look very good. It wouldn't surprise me if it didn't go up for sale >> or just closed down. But aside from that negativity, I get the feeling that >> they'd rather not have to bother with ANY photographers, no matter how much >> free PR they get. We've discussed this in the past and I don't see any >> changes that would make things better. >> >> So if I don't get the credentials for this weekend, I'll shoot the Peach >> Days car show in Brigham City and probably not even bother going back to >> MMP. Besides: next year is lookin awful bleak as far as events. No ALMS, >> no vintage or historic races, only Superbike, Grand-Am and NASCAR West >> (combining 'em is really a dumb idea) and some bread and circuses for the >> masses like the off-road stuff. Superbike has been a pita from the word go >> and that only leaves 2 major events. I can live without 'em. >> >> RtR >> >> >> >> >> On 9/7/2010 1:56 PM, PAUL W WATSON wrote: >> >> Yes, >> >> Does anybody know what track configuration[s] are being used? NASCAR in >> the past has used the 3 mile perimeter track and the Grand Am cars use the >> full 4.5 mile track. >> >> Paul >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> *From:* Michael Wells <mcwellsphoto@xxxxxxxxx> >> *To:* ratpack@xxxxxxxxxxxxx >> *Sent:* Tuesday, September 07, 2010 1:11 PM >> *Subject:* [ratpack] Re: Credentials >> >> Sounds like the start of a party for the Rat Pack. Will the Big Sigma be >> along for the ride? >> >> Michael >> >> On Tue, Sep 7, 2010 at 12:58 PM, PAUL W WATSON <TSWATSON78@xxxxxxx>wrote: >> >>> I'll be there Thursday thru Sunday. >>> P >>> >>> ----- Original Message ----- >>> *From:* Michael Wells <mcwellsphoto@xxxxxxxxx> >>> *To:* ratpack@xxxxxxxxxxxxx >>> *Sent:* Tuesday, September 07, 2010 12:05 PM >>> *Subject:* [ratpack] Credentials >>> >>> All, >>> >>> Well the credential confirmation came through on Saturday so Brandon and >>> I are good to go. Are we going to see everyone there? >>> >>> Michael >>> >>> -- >>> Dr. Z >>> aka Michael Wells >>> MCWells Photography >>> mcwellsphoto@xxxxxxxxx >>> 801-850-7279 >>> >>> >> >> >> -- >> Dr. Z >> aka Michael Wells >> MCWells Photography >> mcwellsphoto@xxxxxxxxx >> 801-850-7279 >> >> > > > -- > Dr. Z > aka Michael Wells > MCWells Photography > mcwellsphoto@xxxxxxxxx > 801-850-7279 > > -- Dr. Z aka Michael Wells MCWells Photography mcwellsphoto@xxxxxxxxx 801-850-7279