Photo review from the Southern Nationals (1 Viewer)

[Luke Nieuwhof]

Hi guys, here is my work from the Southern Nationals on the weekend - http://www.americandragracer.com/the-2019-nhra-southern-nationals-in-focus/
Maybe more weather photos than I would have liked haha.

 

[Frank]

Great shots. Thank you for sharing.

 

[AC]

Awesome photos

 

[NITRO JUNKIE]

great photos, keep them coming!

 

[Jeff]

I just love your photos and the way you caption them.
Very nice work!

 

[Cliff]

Saw some cool shots. You mentioned that the right lane is higher. saw that in some top end photos. One of my fav tracks was the late Speedworld in Phoenix. The right lane was high like that & you could get some good photos from that side.

 

[SoCal Racer]

Nice work!

 

[Mike]

Nicely done, Thank you for sharing

 

[robinjackson]

When I first visited Atlanta (first Southern Nats, 1981) the ground was raised on both sides of the track, which ran in what might best be described as a cutting. Trackside photographers aimed downwards and the spectator fences were barely 10 feet back on either side. If anyone has the results issue of National Dragster from that race, it has a front-cover photo pointing up-track from the bleach box which shows the layout clearly (if I remember right).

 

[Luke Nieuwhof]

Wow, Robin! I went to Google to find some older images of the track after reading your comment and here is what I found. Talk about getting close to the action! It reminds me of Adelaide International Dragway in Australia, which also had the spectator fence right on the wall. There has been Top Fuel cars running there as recently as the last few years too.

 

[MHayes]

When I first visited Atlanta (first Southern Nats, 1981) the ground was raised on both sides of the track, which ran in what might best be described as a cutting. Trackside photographers aimed downwards and the spectator fences were barely 10 feet back on either side. If anyone has the results issue of National Dragster from that race, it has a front-cover photo pointing up-track from the bleach box which shows the layout clearly (if I remember right).

I was at the first Southern Nationals in 1981 as well Robin, and have been to pretty much every one since then (sans several years when I moved away from Atlanta in the mid-90s). And back in the day, it was incredible to be right on top of the track when the nitro cars ran. I definitely miss that!

 

[robinjackson]

It was my first time photographing an NHRA race and I didn't have the right kit for after-dark, so I went to sit in the finish-line stand. I was struck by the sound of the dry hops (them was the days!) reverberating off the surrounding trees, an individual echo from each tree, sounding like a giant stick being run very fast down a huge set of iron railings.

 

[Cliff]

Lions Drag Strip had the spectator stands in the left lane right next to the track. You could get some great photos from that side but the nitro fumes (and noise) could get to you. When Garlits had his accident at Lions, it was that grandstand where the sharpnal flew into & almost cut off that man's arm.

 

[Rudos1]

Thanks for posting great stuff!!