I felt really good about today, the weather cleared and I had figured out why I struggled so much. I was trying to shoot with settings I never have before so I went back with what I know and that’s chase the camera in manual…… very challenging in itself but you have complete control. No excuse now, let’s get busy.
The Shelby American GT350 got underway at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway and it didn’t take long for trouble to show up, Daytona 500 winner Jamie McMurray #1 takes out his teammate Juan Pablo Montoya #42. I started right in the corner of my eye and I quickly started shooting the sequence, this was my favorite out of them all. The race pole sitter Kurt Busch #2 was also involved but drove away out of the shot pretty quick.
Trouble between EGR teammates Jamie McMurray in the #1 McDonalds Chevy and the Target sponsored #42 Chevy of Juan Pablo Montoya.
Here is Pole sitter Kurt Busch and Juan Pablo trying to salvage what looked to be a decent day.
Battle damage on both the #2 Miller Lite Dodge of Kurt Busch and #42 Juan Pablo Montoys
Never being to the Vegas track before, I was blown away with the side by side racing action all day….
#48 Jimmie Johnson in the Lowes Chevrolet, #31 Jeff Burton in the Caterpillar Chevy and hometown boy #18 Kyle Busch in the M&Ms Toyota Camry
Hendrick Teammates #88 Dale Earnhardt Jr and #5 Mark Martin run side by side as #20 Joey Lagano looks on
#14 Tony Stewart ahead of #17 Matt Kenseth in the Crown Royal sponsored Ford out of turn 4
The National Guard sponsored #88 Dale Earnhardt Jr with #9 Kasey Kahne run the high line around lapped car #82 Team Red Bull driver Scott Speed and #99 Carl Edwards
Robby Gordon in the #7 Monter Energy Toyota Camry locks up his brakes entering pit road
Michael Waltrip Racing's driver in the #56 Martin Truex Jr. Napa Toyota Camry runs inside of #82 Scott Speed
Hendrick's Teammates #88 Dale Earnhardt Jr and #24 Jeff Gordon in his Pepsi Max/Dupont run side by side
#24 Jeff Gordon uses the #33 Clint Bowyer as a pick against teammate Jimmie Johnson in the #48
#00 David Reutimann in the Tums Toyota Camry and #77 Sam Hornish Jr., Mobil 1 Penske Dodge run side by side
Earnhardt Ganassi Racing driver #42 Juan Pablo Montoya
Red Bull Racing Toyota Camry, #82 Scott Speed
Ryan Newman in the Tornados sponsored Stewart Haas Racing #39
Mark Martin's pit crew being reviewed after their recent pit stop
Mark Martin returns to the track in his Go Daddy, Hendrick Motorsports Chevy
#37 Kevin Conway sports his Extenze sponsor
#2 Kurt Busch in his blue deuce Miller Lite Dodge
Hendrick Motorsports Chevy #24 Jeff Gordon sporting his black paint scheme sponsored by Pepsi Max and Dupont
Pit Stops are cool to catch, you can’t just lean over anywhere though NASCAR wants photographers in open unused stalls on pit road unless you get a Fireman to lend you his little area.
The #6 UPS Roush Ford of David Regan gets his pit stop complete
Tony Stewart complete his stop
They might share the same last name but Robby Gordon #7 and Jeff Gordon #24 are not related
Jeff Gordon put a whoopin’ on the field most of the day, he looked like the Jeff Gordon of old
But at the end of the day it was his teammate Jimmie Johnson taking home the checkers….. Wonder if Jeff regrets endorsing Jimmie to Mr. Hendricks yet? Probably not, since he owns part of the 48 team. Burn outs to me are entirely overdone, so it didn’t bother me for long when a NASCAR official stepped in front of my shot ruining it… so I settled for this one.
event winner #48 Jimmie Johnson
Chad Knaus and Rick Hendrick share a laugh in victory lane
Chad, Jimmie and team owner Rick Hendrick in post race interviews
This win put Jimmie Johnson in the lead for all time wins on Intermediate tracks.
Robert Butterfield - Butterfield Photography - Sierra Vista, Arizona
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