Photographing races - advice please

[squizza]

Hi guys

I am looking to photograph races, either motorbike or cars, and wonder if the public are allowed to go photographing such events when they are practicing?

Has anyone been to these, and how do I find out the future ones in my area (suffolk / cambs)

Any advice greatly received

Kind regards

Sarah

[Biscuit761]

You can go to places like Brands Hatch or Silverstone on saturdays to watch practice for the sunday meeting quite often, don't expect to get anywhere near the track though - fences all round and a press pass needed to get any closer.

Bill

[kBm]

If you can get away from the main grandstands' and have a big-ish zoom you can often find a good spot without any fencing.

Public access is sometimes given to the paddock areas, although not racing, still gets you up close to the 'other side'

[michael.redfern]

I'm sure there must be smaller tracks offering club meets and the like that allow you right up the barriers. I've been a few times to Oulton Park in Cheshire for the BTCC weekends, and the area from Old Hall through Denton's to Cascades is pretty much open for you take from, and a good area to catch some spills and bumping. I'm sure there's a track of this nature in your neck of the woods with similar "small scale" fencing and not grandstands. How far are you from Bedford Autodrome?

[flyinfordson]

How about drag racing?

Both Shakespeare County and Santa Pod are good places to take photo's, with no high fence's, and you get to practice your panning.....very quickly!

The two FIA rounds at Santa Pod (May and Sept) are very busy, but still provide good opportunity's. There are other big meets on there such as the Easter Thunderball and the Summer Nationals which will be cheaper to get in and a little less crowded - but you don't get 320mph dragsters there, 'just' 200mph street legal cars....

Shakespeare County don't have such 'big' meets but they're a lot less informal - try the Hot Rod Drags or Nostalgia Nationals for diverse subject matter.

Failing that, take a look at some of the sprint car tracks like Curborough near Lichfiled, or Castle Coombe, where you can get closer and gain views without fences.

Having said that, Brands is good in places, but Silverstone and Donny are hard work - both with the crowds, and vantage points.