CULTURE // THE 50 GREATEST RACE CAR LIVERIES OF ALL TIME

The gentlemen at Marc Ecko's COMPLEX have put together a slideshow of what they consider to be the 50 greatest race car liveries of all time. Amongst those featured in the gallery is the 2010 BMW M3 GT2 Jeff Koons Art Car, the 1980 Porsche 935 K3 Apple Computer and the 1974 Lancia Stratos Alitalia.

Click here for a look at the slideshow // [comment]

VIDEO // BRUCE CANEPA'S 917K @ MONTEREY REUNION

Watch as Bruce Canepa drives his Porsche 917K to a first place finish in the FIA Manufacturers Championship Cars (1964-1969) class during this years inaugural Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion // [comment]

EVENT // 2010 MONTEREY MOTORSPORTS REUNION

Last weekend, ColdTrackDays correspondent, Camden Thrasher, visited the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California, for the 36th annual Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion (an event formerly known as the Monterey Historic Automobile Races). Amongst those racing over the weekend were motorsport legends Sitrling Moss, Bobby Rahal, Tomy Drissi and John Morton. An event like no other, follow the link for a few photos from Camden's experience in Monterey... [read more]

























Photo(s): Camden Thrasher
Editorial: Justin W. Coffey

PREVIEW // ROLEX MONTEREY MOTORSPORTS REUNION

ColdTrackDays correspondent, Camden Thrasher, will be at the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca all weekend for this years Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, an event formerly known as the Monterey Historic Automobile Races. The event, which will honor legendary racing driver, Dan Gurney, began Thursday and will conclude at 6pm (PST) on Sunday with an awards ceremony at the Rolex Driver's Club. And while we're green with envy, Camden was kind enough to send us a handful of images from Friday's qualifying session, just a taste of what the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion is all about... [read more]









Stay tuned for continued coverage of the 2010 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion!

Photo(s): Camden Thrasher
Editorial: Justin W. Coffey

EVENT // FORMULA DRIFT @ EVERGREEN SPEEDWAY

Drifting is one of the few forms of motorsport that I really don’t know much about. I don’t follow it much at all and photograph it even less. It really is something different from where my heart lies in sports car racing. But for this reason, this difference, this challenge, you can bet that when the big boys come to town I will be first in line to cover it... [read more]

The weekend was uncharacteristically hot for Seattle and the mid day lighting sucked. Nevertheless, the drift cars were out and playing on track so I had to find ways to deal with the heat and the light. I put my camera down in the grass, waited until I thought the cars would be in the field of view and fired off a couple shots. These low angle no-look shots are always interesting if the timing is right. Here we see the two supercharged V8 beasts screaming around the banking.

I think I had a little too many of these to drink. They are so tempting when they are ice cold and the NOS girls are handing them out for free.

Standing at the end of the wall there they transfer off the banking and flick the car the other direction is quite impressive. Most of the top drivers come just inches form the wall and some of them touch up against it with the rear bumper. The car here was only about a foot away form the end of my lens as it entered the frame. It’s quite a rush.

Chris Forsberg, winner here last year, sits on the start line completely focused. Through the reflection in his glasses, you can get a glimpse of what he sees piloting the NOS 350z.

If insanity was a noise, it would be the one emitted from the tailpipe of Mad Mikes three rotor Mazda engine. He truly has the car to match his name.

Unfortunately Mr. Mad would not move on any farther than the round of Top 32. Since coming to America from New Zealand, he hasn’t had much luck this year.

I must say that Samuel Hubinette's Charger looks incredibly awkward as a drift car, more like a limo than a small nimble sports car.

It must be a sad life for a drift tire, but it is never dull to watch the tires being broiled to their death.

As the sun started to set, I started to focus on what the drivers where doing in their cars, trying to time the shot just right to catch that brilliant slice of light illuminating the faces of drifting. Here Ryan Tuerck looks through the last turn on the course.

Blades of light pierce through the smoke.

Sliding on streets of gold.

In the end, Tanner Foust was able to pilot his way to victory in his Scion Tc.

Formula DRIFT Professional Championship 2010 Point Standings:

1. Gittin, Vaughn Monster Energy / Falken Tire Ford Mustang 357 Points
2. Foust, Tanner Rockstar Energy Scion TC 331 Points
3. Yoshihara, Daijiro Discount Tire / Falken Tire Nissan S13 326 Points
4. Tuerck, Ryan Mobil 1 / Maxxis Tire / Gardella Racing Pontiac Solstice 305 Points
5. McNamara, Darren Falken Tire Saturn Sky 286 Points
6. Forsberg, Chris NOS Energy Drink / CFR Nissan 350Z 266 Points
7. Millen, Rhys RMR / Red Bull Hyundai Genesis Coupe 237.50 Points
8. Hubinette, Samuel SHR-Dodge / BF Goodrich Dodge Challenger 231 Points
9. Takatori, Michihiro BF Goodrich / Exedy Nissan S13 212.50 Points
10. Pawlak, Justin Ford Racing / Falken Tire Ford Mustang 211.50 Points
11. Gushi, Ken Scion Racing / RS*R Scion TC 203.50 Points
12. McQuarrie, Tyler Falken Tire Nissan 350Z 171.50 Points
13. Ng, Charles Charles Ng Racing Mazda RX-7 166.50 Points
14. Petty, Ross Falken Tire / Garage Boso Nissan S15 161.50 Points
15. Verdier, Stephan Royal Purple / Crawford Performance Subaru STI 160 Points
16. Wang, Forest BF Goodrich / Drift Emporium Infiniti G35 157.50 Points

Round 4: Throwdown Event Results:

1. Foust, Tanner Rockstar Energy Scion TC 1st Place
2. Tuerck, Ryan Mobil 1 / Maxxis Tire / Gardella Racing Pontiac Solstice 2nd Place
3. McNamara, Darren Falken Tire Saturn Sky 3rd Place

Tires.com Triple Crown - Event 2 of 3:

1. Foust, Tanner Rockstar Energy Scion TC 169 Points
2. Tuerck, Ryan Mobil 1 / Maxxis Tire / Gardella Racing Pontiac Solstice 167 Points
3. Yoshihara, Daijiro Discount Tire / Falken Tire Nissan S13 162 Points

Photo/Editorial: Camden Thrasher

PREVIEW // FORMULA DRIFT @ EVERGREEN SPEEDWAY

With temperatures reaching well into the 80's, it seems like summer has finally found the Northwest. And with the warm weather comes the smell of burning rubber, as ColdTrackDays correspondent, Camden Thrasher, spent the afternoon at the Evergreen Speedway for the fourth round of the 2010 Formula DRIFT Championship. Stay tuned for continued coverage throughout the weekend! // [comment]

SATURDAY // 2010 PACIFIC NORTHWEST HISTORICS

Last weekend, ColdTrackDays had not one, but two photographers shooting the 22nd Annual SOVREN Pacific Northwest Historics at Pacific Raceways. The first of these aforementioned photographers, a young man by the name of Danny Sullivan, was only available on Friday, while the second, the infamous Camden Thrasher, was able to attend on Saturday. What follows are the photos that Camden took Saturday afternoon, with the sun shining and a rather diverse field of cars on track... [read more]


























Photo: Camden Thrasher
Editorial: Justin W. Coffey

NASCAR // SCENES FROM THE SAVE MART 350 @ INFINEON

Friday afternoon was the first practice session for the Sprint Cup cars. I have to say that the sound of raw American V8 power is quite enjoyable. After practice was qualifying where each driver gets just one hot lap to put in their best time. If they make a mistake, there is no chance for a re-do... [read more]

Watching the drivers hustle these heavy powerful cars around the road course is quite exciting. The cars slide around a lot getting sideways under acceleration out the corners. Greg Biffle, a native of my hometown of Vancouver, WA is seen here leaping over the curbing on the outside of turn 4. The drivers come over the hill through turn 3 and then a steep hard braking zone before they smash the cars over the inside curbing and get up on two wheels. Then they run wide and jump over the outside curbing and use as much of the paved runoff area as possible.

The fans were out in force throughout the weekend. Here is a serious Kevin Harvick fan all decked out in the appropriate uniform. As a photographer, colors like these are what I live for.

I don’t quite understand how they get the trucks so tightly packed but somehow they do.

Fences, fences, fences…and more fences. This is what I was constantly having to work around, or most of the time having to work through for the whole weekend. It was a constant challenge trying to find locations with the least fencing in the way.

When I arrived at the track I couldn’t really believe how many people there was. The amount of motor-homes was astonishing as well. It would be great if the other American sports car and open wheel series could draw this many fans.

When the race started, polesitter Kasey Kahne led into the first corner, however by the end of the first lap Jimmy Johnson had already taken the lead. Kahne continued to fade down the field while Johnson started to pull away from the pack. Not to far was the Australian Marcos Ambrose who had been fastest in all of the practice sessions.

Farther down in the pack Montoya was having a steady run, working his way slowly up the field. Battling with Jeff Gordon for a while and then later Scott Speed, the Columbian had a solid run as could be expected on a road course from the former F1 driver.

Watching the cars from across the track, you could really get a feel for how much speed these guys were carrying through the esses on the backside of the course. These cars fly!

RedBull DTM driver Mattias Ekstrom flew out to have a taste of NASCAR and is the first Swede to ever start a race in the series. Having only driven a cup car once before in a test, this was quite a big challenge and was not in contention for a win. Here he is seen diving to the inside of Scott Speed in the second RedBull Toyota.

There was no doubt going to be some accidents, which led to yellow flags, which then led to double file restarts. These add to the excitement of the race by bunching the pack together for the restart. Here a number of cars are pictured through the NASCAR “chute” which connects turn 4 to turn 7.

Another angle of the same area of track on a different restart. It’s quite a site to see this many cars running so close together.

During the caution periods the teams took the time to pit the cars for fuel and new tires. At first the pits look calm as the crews waits for their cars to arrive…

…but then it turns into a complete jungle of color, motion, and noise. Although different pit strategies saw the leading cars get shuffled to the back at different times during the race, it was really just the two car fight between Ambrose and Johnson.

Ambrose was able to take the lead from Johnson and was on course to his first ever Sprint Cup win since moving over from the Australian V8 Supercar series a few years ago. The Aussie was able to hold off Johnson for a couple of the late race restarts and he looked sure to take the victory. However, trying to save fuel, he slowed down too much on one of the yellow flag pace laps. For this NASCAR gave him a penalty for not maintaining reasonable speed and was dropped down six places. This gave way for the double J of Jimmy Johnson to take his first road course win and his 51st career win.

Another brilliant California sunset signaled the end of the day which had brought heartbreak for some and joy for others.

Photo/Editorial: Camden Thrasher