allen finley photography Loc: Sunshine State.

You will need to bring all of your lenses! Gator Nationals is an open ticket event...Pit pass, crew area, seating. You can get as close to the cars as you'd like. You will need over the ear hearing protection and safety glasses if you plan on staying in the pits, It's LOUD!!!!!! You can hear the dragsters miles away from the track. If you need any help or hints with Gainesville let me know, I live here...Home of the Florida Gators! (and the Gator Nationals)

Birdguide Loc: Ormond Beach, FL

Hey I remember Arnie the Farmer from the drags at US 131 in Michigan. I agree with another poster who said get into the pits, good stuff going on there. If in the stands using a monopod be prepared for the bouncing of everyone getting up and down all the time, I found this out the hard way at a rodeo last year

bbboomer Loc: Kingwood,Texas

Congrats on going to the Gator Nats.... If possible go to the event the first day when there are fewer people at the event...I shot the Monterey Motorsport Reunion last year on Friday before the actual races on Sat & Sun after getting that advice from a pro who had shot the event many times before.Practice or qualifying will still give you on track shots...and with fewer people around. Usually NHRA national events are 3 or 4 day events so check for track access on Thursday or Friday...Good Luck and post some!

wlgoode Loc: Globe, AZ

You should probably have a pretty wide range zoom lens.

nikonshooter Loc: Spartanburg, South Carolina

You bring back some good memories. In 1962 or 63 I was in Samsula Florida for the GN. "Big Daddy" Don Garlits was the feature drag racer riding a rail that had a 6 sec ET or there about.

Things have certainly changed...at that time anyone could walk around the pits. I doubt that is possible today.

I thought drag racing was a thing of the past.....or better put, drag racing today has been redefined, and has more to do with women's clothes than rails running 4 second ET's.

nivek340 Loc: South Hadley Ma.

Find a place near the start. That's where most likely you get a nice shot. Then go to the finish line for a few at the line shots. If you know how loud a jet is? How about 2 jets.
If you are 50 feet or so from these car. I believe there are I want to say ten times louder, but I say at least 50% louder than a jet. The vibration is so intense you will feel it.
Then it's over just like that. Next.

RacerDan Loc: Virden Illinois

where do you need a pit pass? Any drag race I've been to all you have to do is walk into the pits, and there are many good pictures.

RacerDan Loc: Virden Illinois

No wonder I've seen you everytime I was in Cordova (northwest Illinois). I'm the computer and fuel man on the Hendricks Motor Sports top fuel car. How is Arnie doing? I've watched him race as long as I can remember and that is a very long time.
In your funny car, did you ever race with Larry Gould?

FredCM Loc: Central Illinois

Pit passes, it has been a while since you've been! For $50-$65 Sunday admission you don't need no stinking pit pass! And because the fuel cars are so fast, they now run just 1,000 feet for a longer shut down area. And yes, 320 mph at 3.7 seconds.

At the starting line, try to get the funny cars' rear tires in the shots. They sometimes experience "tire shake" which is really odd looking, happens right before the tires lose traction, generally in the first 100 feet or so.

screen48 Loc: Northwest IL

RacerDan - I was a weekend warrior for Arnie back in the 60's. (Oh the stories) He still make app. at events and someone else runs the car due to poor health - wrecks and fires. His chief mech. Charlie Carter just retired from the post office. I ran a 61 chevy (409) then met up with Crownhart & Hinrichs and we ran a B-gas dragster that ran on the national record 1970's. We then ran alki. Funny under Diamond Jim Racing, sponsored by US Airforce before changing to Hemi with various sponsors. I wrecked bad in the Chevy power and never got to drive the Hemi. Jim still drives a jet funny and lives in Mexico. There are some old racers out there that I have not heard from for years. Sorry for the hijack. Oh, I have pictures of JIM crashing Vern Motes on the starting line at the gator nationals. I miss the old pro comp racing. Do not bring the kids without great ear protection and personally I would shoot the most in the pits. I have shots from Gasoline Ally (INDY 500)in the old horse barns from the last year before they tore them down and treasure them more then any racing pictures I have. Oh, I do have one of Janet G in AJ's car - a story for another day.

grit Loc: Brooksville, Fl

sounds like you have some great pictures...Thank you for your info.. sorry I didn't get back to you sooner... but we went on a camping trip

grit Loc: Brooksville, Fl

You guys are awesome thank you for all your feedback.. :):)

Bruce with a Canon Loc: Islip

Alcohol burning and nitromethane burning engines exhaust is a very sweet pleasant TOXIC smell. You dont want to be near it. Shoot from the front or rear, Side shots will vibrate your teeth
Decent ISO 400 or so will allow fastest shutter speeds. I like to shoot cars at the strip in Shutter priority.
Have a blast in the pits shooting engine changes, just stay far enough out of the way, pit crews MOVE FAST rebuilding engies after every run, They have no sense of humor if someone gets in the way.
Top lever drag racing is a hoot to shoot.
Bring long glass and shoot from the stands. Shooting vfrom the fence is ifffy at best
Extra batteries and multiple cards are a must, a laptop is handy to dl cards during track clean ups, reformat and reload.
Not hard to shoot 500-1000 images in one day.
EVERYTHING is a photo op, cars, fans, crew.
Lets see what ya get.

HEARING PROTECTION is a MUST.
Shoot burnouts in continous. If you have a gimbal this is the palce to use it.
Have fun

smsmith36 Loc: York, Pennsylvania

These were taken at a track named Beaver Springs Dragway, which is about 45 minutes north of Harrisburg, PA. There is no wall but they have a fence and then a guardrail. They let photographers go up to the guardrail and the official track photographer can go where he wants. These were taken at 50 mm, f 4.5, ISO 160, 1/1000sec. Set on continuous, I focus on the staged car. When the light turns green hold the shutter button until the car is out of frame.

From another series of 5 shots. Same settings but using 150mm from further down track.

grit Loc: Brooksville, Fl

Thanks ... hopefully I'll get some shots to post...