The first time I took a Kodak Instamatic camera to the races at Nazareth Speedway was in 1970. The first picture I ever shot at a track was one of Del George #52. In 1974, I snuck through the torn-open fence section in turn two at Nazareth. I saw people sneaking in there in between the heat races while I was sitting in the grandstands with my camera like always and something told me right away that this was my big chance to get into the infield pit area and shoot pictures like the real racing photographers do. So I left the grandstand in a hurry with my camera and walked up route 191 and ran into the infield with a few others that were waiting there for the heat race to end. Not long after I got in there, I started photographing the next race and promptly got in the way of the track photographer, Bob Snyder, who I didn’t know at the time. Bobby had track security (or the safety crew, I forget now) chase me back away from the track’s edge--and rightfully so! I was in the wrong. I wasn’t a credentialed photographer. I wasn’t supposed to be there--it was all my fault. I never was really mad at Bobby for doing that, because it indirectly led to me to getting my first press card after photographer, Bob Perran, who I didn't know and was nearby when I got chased back, saw that I might have the desire to shoot more races and he asked me if he should mention my name to Area Auto Racing News and maybe get me a press pass the following year—which did happen the next year. So I always thought that Bobby really indirectly did me a big favor that day and I made sure I told him so later in life. In 1975, that AARN press card arrived in the mail and the March 1975 Nazareth Opener was my first race as a member of the racing press. (Pictured here is my first camera and first racing photo that I shot with it-- Mr. Del George #52 at Nazareth in 1970.)
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sparky 12/30/2023 5:21:10 PM