Indycar Classic Weekend - Day 3

It's race day. Jon and I arrived at the track by dawn and Mazda MX5 Cup race starting. I made last minute shopping at Indycar tent and venturing around fan village before going to my seat at the main grandstand. MX5 race finished when I got there with Selin Rollan taking victory.

Race two of Indy Lights race with Robert Megennis taking the lead for first five laps before teammate Oliver Askew passed him and lead the rest of the way to take weekend sweep taking the points lead as well. Megennis and and David Malukas takes the remaining podium. Have some Rich Energy. (note: running gag on one of auto racing message boards)

Follow it up with race 2 of Stadium Super Truck race. Gavin Harlien lead the field to the green. Matt Brabham took the lead and the victory.

Then the main race, the 60-lap Indycar race around COTA. Teams wheeled their cars and got prepared along with drivers getting introduced on stage and driven around on a back of a truck.

Will Power lead the field to the green flag and watched the field jockeying positions at turn 1. Caught Zach Veach in the gravel on the big screen.

There were plenty of empty seats around me that sat in various seats in the main grandstand catching the cars stream past the start/finish line straight and into turn 1 as well cars pitting in and out. I was cheering on Will Power and Patricio O'Ward in the stands. First three cars over 2/3 of the race was Will Power leading following by Alexander Rossi and Colton Herta.

Most of the field pitted including Herta when Felix Rosenqvist got clipped by James Hinchcliffe and crashed causing a yellow flag. Power and Rossi who was first and second haven't pitted yet and got caught out by a caution.

As the remaining cars pitted under yellow Will Power, who lead the entire race before pitting, broke a driveshaft ending his race. Rosenqvist got his car repaired went back out. Herta inherit the lead with 14 laps to go.

The race restarted with Herta pulling away and lead the final 14 laps to win his first ever race and becoming youngest winner in Indycar history.

After the race it was fan track invasion as I walked on the start/finish line stretch taking various photos including kissing start/finish line made famous by drivers winning Indy 500 kissing the yard of bricks. My last photo at the end of turn 1 going into turn 2.

That ends the fun weekend at the track. I had super blast along with Jon walking around various parts of the track as well snapping photos of the racing action. I saw and met drivers, owners, and mechanics around the paddock. Chat up with random fans around the track and commenting on the t-shirts they wore. I saw one with the late Bryan Clausson and a mother/daughter with Labontes shirts. One wore Bobby Labonte Grand National (no. 44 Penrose from the early 90s) shirt while the other wore Terry Labonte 1984 NASCAR (no. 44 Piedmont). I chatted with a couple at the main grandstand who is making a trek to Texas Motor Speedway the following week for a NASCAR race. Hope this race remains on the schedule for a long time. I can't wait for next year's event.

My last parting shot on this Indycar Classic weekend is this video I put together from the video clips I recorded during the weekend. Enjoy!

Indycar Classic Weekend - Day 2

Day 2 of Indycar Classic at COTA started with me picking up a guy from England name Jon, who I knew from auto racing forum, before going to the track. The weather forecast mention potential of rain during the day. At Indycar Village, Mazda was slowly opening their booth showing off their cars especially RT24-P DPi used to run Weathertech Sportcars series.

While hanging around Indycar Village Indy Lights practice just started. I hung around one of general admission (the grassy area) snapping few photos as cars come down from turn 18 to turn 19 before moving to my seat at main grandstand.

After Indy Lights practice I waited for Indycar practice to start as teams pushed their cars to their pit stall and tuned it up. Caught Santino Ferrucci simulating his drive.

Practice started with me moving around the grandstand for photo opportunities including coming off turn 20 down the straight to start/finish line. Alexander Rossi topped practice.

After practice I head toward to tunnel where the paddock entrance is. I end up being lucky being at right place at right time as racing legend rode his scooter to his son's hospitality tent.

This picture worth the price of admission and will treasure forever. I grew up watching Mario Andretti and one of many drivers I'm a fan of. This year marks 50th anniversary of his Indy 500 victory.

Reached to the paddock with one guy hand painting Gavin Harlien stadium truck along working on Matthew Brabham's truck. Former Indycar and NASCAR driver Robby Gordon run the series. I caught later in the day and got his autograph.

In the paddock Indycars lined up for tech inspection before qualifying which is located at the last garage. To see how open this is they don't care how many pictures you take as long you don't annoy them its good. I spoken to few crew members about the sponsors on the cars like David Yurman on Santino Ferrucci car.

At the other end of paddock Indy Lights was getting ready for their first race. You got cars of Zachery Claman Demelo, Ryan Norman (who threw away 2nd starting position spinning on the pace lap), and Oliver Askew.

Caught driver Jack Harvey (drives no. 60 Autonation/Sirius XM car) and got a pic taken with him.

At one of bar tents I caught interview of driver Ed Jones (drives no. 20 Autogeek/FlexBox car) and got a pic taken after it was over.

Teams doing few tune ups and checking on telemetry before the qualifying run.

The first Indy Lights race started and made my way out of the paddock. I decide get a different view and went to the esses (turns 3-5). Let me tell you its the best spot to view a race as you get cars going through the turns and parts of the track as cars go through turns 13-14 and 16. Good place to shoot photos and its general admission. Got these photos before crossing the bridge going to the esses. The cars coming out of turn 1 into turn 2 before going to the esses. Oliver Askew (no. 28) won the race.

Now to the esses and ready for qualifying. The spot is so good that a spotter from Schmidt-Peterson Racing uses it the spot the drivers.

I was amazed at the shots I got with 300MM zoom when the cars went through it

After the two rounds with his six fastest gunning for pole Will Power takes it. At one point in the second round rookie Santino Ferrucci held the top spot for a while drawing "What the hell?" response from few fans around me.

 After qualifying I went back to the paddock catching car owner Chip Ganassi about to ride off along shaking hands with Roger Penske and meeting former Formula 1 and Indycar driver Stefan Johansson as well driver Graham Rahal (no. 15 Total).

In another being at right place at right time I saw three-time Indy 500 winner and one of my favorites Helio Castro-Neves getting fitted for the Honda two seater. They didn't let him use one of his older steering wheels (I asked). After he was done fitting I got a pic taken with him.

A wrecked Madza MX-5 car made its way back.

Got out of the paddock to watch the final race of the day 2 which is Stadium Super Truck. They are loud and exciting as they drive hard in the corners and launch of the ramp placed in various parts of the track. Blade Hildebrand took victory over his boss Robby Gordon. After the race the trucks showed off to the crowd driving on tilted two wheels. Hildebrand got his truck overtilted and landed on his side. His truck got righted back up and drove to victory lane.

Left the track not long after the race. Despite threat of rain it never did happened til few hours later when Muse was playing a concert at the Amphitheater. The racing gods warded the rain away so the auto racing fans enjoy their at the track.

Day 2 at COTA was special for me as I met one of my childhood racing heroes and all-time favorites as well snapping good racing shots. Those moments I will treasure forever. I must have walked around 3 miles throughout the track. Still got day 3 of Indycar Classic and it features the main race with Will Power on the pole. My trip on Day 3 will be coming up in few days.