93rd Annual Loudon Classic – Bike Week 2016

Because of work and a busy family graduation schedule I was only able to go to the races on Friday and ended up arriving around 1:00PM.  I bought my infield pass and headed to the garage to check some of the bikes out.

I hopped over the pit lane wall and took pictures next to the track wall.  I experimented a bit with slower shutter speeds but wanted to keep moving.  The fence, stairs and stair rails made an interesting background.

On the main straight approaching turn one a PA announcer said speeds for one of the races was 160+ mph.  At the end of the main straight the riders break hard and lean in to turn one.  I ended up crouching down below the spotter, next to the tires and the wall in that turn so the riders were leaning in toward me and coming pretty close.  

 
I moved to other parts of the track and continued watching and taking pictures of the different races.  You can’t be everywhere at once.  Which corner should I go to?  Where should I stand?  Shutter speeds, F-Stops, angles, heights, backgrounds … All part of the fun of photography.

 
For one of the Supermoto practice races they created a chicane made of tires in the middle of the main straight.  The riders were supposed to slow down and maneuver through the tires and continue.  Most accomplished this but it proved to be more difficult for others.

I took a break from the track and walked through the vendor area.  There also had to be 6 or 7 manufacturers offering free demo rides on their new motorcycles.  You could sign up, pick a motorcycle, and ride with a group on a route that was set up.  It looked like fun.  I could have spent the whole day domo riding but only had the rest of the afternoon to watch the races and take pictures.

When I was checking out some of the bikes in the garage area I saw a 911 bike.  I stopped to take a picture and talked to the man standing there.  Turns out it was his son’s bike.  He said since his son, Gunnar O, was 7 years old he wanted the number 911 to remember September 11.  I looked through some of the pictures I had taken and had several of Gunnar on his 911 bike racing.  Bright colors and helmets make better looking shots.  I send Gunnar the pictures I took of him.
 

I also experimented a bit with Photoshop to change the look and feel of things.  Not normal for me as I don’t make it a point to mess with my photos.  It was interesting so I may experiment more.  

I had a fun time.  Wish I could have spent another day for demo rides and more racing.  Maybe next year … 

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