Photos: Acura Sports Car Challenge & Honda GP @ St. Pete - Danica Too!!!

[Motegi]

Here are a few of my photos from the 2007 American LeMans Series Acura Sports Car Challenge and the IRL Indycar Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. The events were held together this past Saturday and Sunday on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida. I was able to meet many of the drivers and got TONS of autographs. Being the shutterbug that I am I took over 2000 photos over the two days and will be posting a full gallery soon. But just to give you all a taste here are just a few:

Drivers:

Acura Sports Car Challenge

Honda Grand Prix

Others:

Complete gallery with high res photos coming soon!!!

 

[awsomr1]

Great photos

More please

 

[RPM217]

Great pictures, almost RSO quality (J/K), love the way you follow the Kumho Tires girls with the Michelin Man. Also great shot with the plane inches above the tarmac with the car in the foreground!!!

 

[FeetFxr]

Great pics!! I especially like the Kum Hot Tires. :biggrin: :biggrin:

 

[92 white 0650]

Gene Simmons sure looks enthused, doesn't he?

Did he sing?

Time for another racing movie; maybe a spoof on Driven with Gene and Tony playing themselves. That would be hilarious.

 

[nsxotic911]

Honda V8... <drooling>

 

[Motegi]

Re: Gene Simmons sure looks enthused, doesn't he?

Did he sing?

Time for another racing movie; maybe a spoof on Driven with Gene and Tony playing themselves. That would be hilarious.

Gene Simmons was just there to promote the race. I think he was there last year as well. I'm assuming that he is a IRL fan (or maybe just paid to be one!).

Gene made an appearance on a small podium immediately behind the main grandstands and threw out a bunch of Indycar paraphenalia. I nearly got beaned in the head by an "I AM INDY" nylon flag. In the photo he is holding one of the large INDYCAR vinyl wall tarps. I sure wouldn't want to get hit by that thing!

 

[92 white 0650]

Gene Simmons

I'm assuming that he is a IRL fan (or maybe just paid to be one!).

Yeah he is on Tony's payroll as a promoter. He was on WindTunnel last year and was absolutely hilarious with his blather revealing abject ignorance about racing. A bimbo with DDD hooters coudn't have been dumber. Dave was just going

I'm not saying it doesn't work for making money. In fact, there's value to having a high profile anything connected with your product and maybe Champ Car should have Rosie O'Donnell promote their races. :wink:

 

[Motegi]

Great pictures, almost RSO quality (J/K)

Thanks for the compliment... or is that a jab?

For those that want more I'll add a few high res photos:

 

[92 white 0650]

Nice work

The camera is obviously top shelf, but you've got some interesting angles, subject matter and composure. You can almost feel, hear and smell the action. :tongue: (And I'm not talking about the Kumho girls)

 

[Ko-nsx]

American LeMans Series Acura Sports Car Challenge and the IRL Indycar Honda Grand Prix

Can someone school me on the differences between the 2? I like the cars dannica patrick drives. Is this IRL? the other 2 seater acura /lowes cars are???? the the vette, porsche and red ferrari were????

I love cars but i am a noob on the different classes and such.

P.S. What kinda of camera, the shots are absolutely great!!!!!!!!!

 

[Ko-nsx]

Oh yea, the Kuhmo girls blow out ALL the Hooter girls i've seen!!!!!!!! Do you agree?

 

[Motegi]

American LeMans Series Acura Sports Car Challenge and the IRL Indycar Honda Grand Prix

Can someone school me on the differences between the 2? I like the cars dannica patrick drives. Is this IRL? the other 2 seater acura /lowes cars are???? the the vette, porsche and red ferrari were????

Danica drives in both series as part of Andretti/Green Racing's team of contracted drivers. She is signed on as a driver for the Acura Andretti/Green XM radio LMP2 series ALMS car. However, her primary racing series is in the IndyCar series also with Andretti/Green.

This is Danica's IndyCar:

IndyCar is a racing series utilizing open-wheeled race cars weighing roughly 1600lbs and all powered by 650hp Honda V8 engines. There used to be multiple engine manufacturers but in recent years all of the other manufacturers left leaving only Honda. This series races on banked oval tracks, street courses, and road courses.

American LeMans Series (ALMS) is an american series based on the famous european 24 Hours of LeMans endurance race. The ALMS utilizes cars from 4 different classes that race on the track all at the same time. This results in some very exciting action with frequent passing and a diverse field of cars. The cars can be broken into 2 major classes: the prototypes (LMP) like the Acura and Audi and the grand touring (GT) cars like the Ferrari, AstonMartin, Corvette, and Porsche. There is a further breakdown of each of these two broad categories into LMP1 and 2 and GT 1 and 2 based on horsepower, weight, and level of modification. The series now includes endurance races that last up to 24 hours to short races lasting less than 3. Each car has multiple drivers with many coming from other racing series. For the longer races there are multiple driver changes. Although the LMP cars look like 2-seaters they only include 1 seat.

This is Danica's ALMS car:

 

[Motegi]

To answer the questions about the equipment that I use I'll have to say that is was one of several cameras to take each of these photos.

1) Action and long-distance: Canon Rebel XT 8MP DLSR with 300mm telephoto lens.

2) Paddock and driver photos: Canon PowerShot A620 7MP compact, Canon Digital Elph SD450 5MP point-and-shoot, or Fuji S7000 12MP superzoom.

 

[92 white 0650]

When small is not good

This is Danica's ALMS car:

That was almost Danica's ALMS car. Turned out she wasn't a good fit (too small) to share the car due to necessary location of stuff like pedals and steering wheel. Tony K. took her place.

Good concise explanation of the 2 series.

 

[Motegi]

Re: When small is not good

That was almost Danica's ALMS car. Turned out she wasn't a good fit (too small) to share the car due to necessary location of stuff like pedals and steering wheel. Tony K. took her place.

Good concise explanation of the 2 series.

Actually Tony K is one of the drivers along with Danica according to the "official" team placard at the paddock this past weekend at the ALMS Acura Sports Car Challenge. Danica is clearly pictured and listed on the right side of the Acura XM car driver line-up. She did not drive at Sebring or St.Pete but I'm supposing that they will have her drive at one of the other venues this season.

 

[NSXLuvr]

kum HO girls.:biggrin:

Great pics btw.

 

[Ko-nsx]

Thanks for the explanation. What makes dannica so good and how does one get started in IRL racing?

Danica drives in both series as part of Andretti/Green Racing's team of contracted drivers. She is signed on as a driver for the Acura Andretti/Green XM radio LMP2 series ALMS car. However, her primary racing series is in the IndyCar series also with Andretti/Green.

This is Danica's IndyCar:

IndyCar is a racing series utilizing open-wheeled race cars weighing roughly 1600lbs and all powered by 650hp Honda V8 engines. There used to be multiple engine manufacturers but in recent years all of the other manufacturers left leaving only Honda. This series races on banked oval tracks, street courses, and road courses.




American LeMans Series (ALMS) is an american series based on the famous european 24 Hours of LeMans endurance race. The ALMS utilizes cars from 4 different classes that race on the track all at the same time. This results in some very exciting action with frequent passing and a diverse field of cars. The cars can be broken into 2 major classes: the prototypes (LMP) like the Acura and Audi and the grand touring (GT) cars like the Ferrari, AstonMartin, Corvette, and Porsche. There is a further breakdown of each of these two broad categories into LMP1 and 2 and GT 1 and 2 based on horsepower, weight, and level of modification. The series now includes endurance races that last up to 24 hours to short races lasting less than 3. Each car has multiple drivers with many coming from other racing series. For the longer races there are multiple driver changes. Although the LMP cars look like 2-seaters they only include 1 seat.

This is Danica's ALMS car:

 

[Ko-nsx]

:biggrin: i just found some links, nevermind.

 

[92 white 0650]

Re: Danica-mania

What makes dannica so good

Not all of us are convinced she's "so good". She's OK, but a guy with her results wouldn't get near the press she gets. At least she's got more history and potential than that Milka chick.....for what that's worth.

 

[KSXNSX]

When did Scarlett Johansson start racing?