Just cause I shoot mostly landscape photos doesn’t mean I can’t get down and dirty on the race track. YEWWW. I heard this might be one of the last drift events for a while, so Emily and I drove out to Spokane County Raceway Park to meet up with Edwin and Ethan from Grind Hard Plumbing Co. and shoot some photos.
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We pulled into the raceway parking lot and the smell of burnt rubber and power-steering fluid set the tone for the afternoon. Ethan immediately pulled up next to us and yelled “Grab a helmet!”. To my surprise, Emily grabbed a helmet and was raring to go. She went with Edwin and I joined Ethan. After a quick pull on the stiff door handle, I climbed through the window and looked for something to hold onto. “Oh…the door works, you don’t have to climb through the window.” We laughed, and I told him I’d probably keep doing it anyway cause it felt cool.
Ethan and Emily in the 1998 BMW E36 Coupe-Truck UTE // Shot @ 400mm f/5.6 1/4000 ISO 400
The first few laps were fairly boring as the yellow flags were up because someone was being towed off the track. But once those flags went up, Ethan punched it into the first corner. Dust shot up from the floor as he cranked the wheel and powered into the turn. The screeching tires and the dirt in my eyes, what would normally be an annoyance, made me yell with excitement and crave the next turn. We did a few laps, then Edwin took me for a spin as well. After Emily and I were done, I hopped out and took some photos.
All photos taken with my Canon EOS R & 70-200mm f/2.8 Lens W/ a x2 Adaptor.
145mm f/5.6 1/4000 ISO 400
310mm f/5.6 1/2000 ISO 400
140mm f/5.6 1/2500 ISO 400
340mm f/5.6 1/1600 ISO 400
260mm f/5.6 1/2500 ISO 400
340mm f/5.6 1/1600 ISO 400
180mm f/5.6 1/1250 ISO 400
400mm f/5.6 1/2500 ISO 400
150mm f/5.6 1/2000 ISO 400
180mm f/11 1/400 ISO 400
Being that it was Cinco De Mayo, Emily and I parted ways with the Grind Hard Boys and went straight to Taco Time for some Jaritos and tater tots. The drifting experience was a memorable one and I can’t wait to get back in the passenger seat. I don’t think I’ll be driving any time soon though, I’ll leave that to the “professionals”.