It's been too long since I last went to see any club motorsport, and even longer since I went to Thruxton. A friends 40th Birthday celebration and the early May Bank Holiday gave the nudge needed (if any was) to take the camera gear back to the circuit.
The shear mention of Thruxton instantly sends a shiver down my spine. I've been rained on, blown over, snowed and hailed on. I've never once been warm here. It is with some grace then, that the sun shone throughout the day. I was even a little hot at times.
The event was the annual visit of the British Touring Car Championship, which has been re-ignited this year, with a bunch of returnees from 'the good old days'.
Thruxton is a fantastic, quick circuit, and for the non-grandstand dweller, there are a couple of key places you'd like to try and view from. Getting there in good time, we bagged the spot at the back of the bank, just as the cars were turning into Campbell corner. This was a good start and stayed that way throughout the day.
The last race of the event was the 3rd BTCC race and a couple of us wandered off looking for a different view. It's not ideal trying to get a decent spot when there are very well established crowds at each vantage point, but the flexibility of the trusty 100-400mm lens made it somewhat easier.
The photo I've chosen is of Daniel Welch's Proton skipping the kerb at Cobb, just around the corner from where we were stationed for most of the day.
It was clear from watching his line throughout the day, that he was a little tighter than most of his competitors around Cobb, frequently causing the inside wheels to lift. So, this was the shot I wanted, just needed to nail the panning.
(Canon 5D MkII, Canon EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM @ 400mm, f/10, 1/80)
We'd been messing with frankly ridiculous shutter speeds for hand-held panning all day. Whilst I got one or two pin-sharp at 1/60, this one was captured at 1/80. Not bad at 400mm.
Next on my motorsport agenda is the British Grand Prix. I cannot wait!
