The Rolex Daytona 24 is tough on any day. Throw 16 hours of rain into the mix, and it becomes a brutal test of endurance on mind body and equipment.
2017’s first race of the year is always one I look forward to. With new cars, new drivers, old friends and new ones, it’s like going back to school. Photographically, I also have to shake the cobwebs off. Save for the 3 days of testing in early January, I have spent the last month and a half shooting food, drinks, artists and local Charlotte entrepreneurs for QC Exclusive . None of which require a fire suit, earplugs or the skill of panning an object moving close to 200mph. It all takes some getting used to again.
2017 is looking to be an awesome year, and Daytona was just the start. There is SO much to look forward to. A bachelor party to Mexico next week, F1 testing and a few days skiing with some great friends in early March, getting married in April, and an amazing honeymoon vacation shortly after. And that just gets us into mid April!
As you have hopefully seen on one of my many social media channels, Jason a producer and friend with Yellow Cape Communications and I are working on a documentary series titled “18kFrames” that will finally show people behind the closed doors of motorsport photography and what my world is like on a race weekend. It’s a project that started as something we both wanted to see, but now, we have the support of thousands of friends, family and photography /motorsport fans that want to see it happen. And it WILL happen. Our original goal was to do the “pilot” episode during the Daytona 24, but various people that ultimately made the decision on whether or not we got a credential for Jason, didn’t like the idea.
At the end of a very abrasive, discouraging and disappointing phone conversation where I was told that “it doesn’t matter what we say or how we explain our project, we wont be allowed to film at Daytona.” I was simply more determined than ever to make it happen. Not going to Daytona is fine because we now have far bigger and better plans than the Daytona 24. We are, at the moment self funded, and crowd funded, along with some much appreciated support from LEXAR. If you wish to donate, we would very much appreciate it. As a sidetone, we launched our kickstarter in mid January. 18 hours later, we had reached our goal. It is still truly astounding and humbling how much love we have had from all over the world.
So with that, I’ll leave you to a few photos from a very wet, very cold, but ultimately enjoyable Daytona 24. I promise I’ll start blogging again, and hopefully even blog some of the incredible events I covered last year.
Thanks to my amazing clients and friends who continue to believe and support this crazy living I make. Lamborghini Squadra Corse, Chris, Lorenzo, Ruthie, Foster, Alberto, Dream Racing, Grasser Racing, Aston Martin Racing and Top Gear.
