NoOne

The wife and I have been traveling for photography. We go to various events where we can purchase photo credentials that allow us to get up and close.

This is very common in the air show arena but so far all I've found is Road America offering photo passes for ALMS which we plan on doing next year.

Anyone else know of tracks that do this? We plan on doing Sebring next spring but they did not sell a special pass.

Any other tracks you know of?

drivinhard

Typically you'll have to acquire media credentials through the sanction body of that series, but generally you'll still end up dealing with the track. Some are stricter than others (are you legit, what outlet are you shooting media for, purpose, restrictions on how/where you can post, etc).

Best bet is to contact the media director for each series (or someone in their office) and explain your inquiry and go from there. They vary on level of difficulty to deal with. PM me if you want any contact info for various series.

Wicked Weasel

Rolex 24 hours of Daytona I was told you can get every where to take pics with just the garage pass. I will find out in Jan when I head down how true this is.

Here is WGI without a photo pass. I would have liked to be in a few different areas but they did allow me to be very close.

dfinke23

I believe Sebring will allow with proper credentials. Contact Dvandentop, he knows how to get them.
You have to wear long pants and long sleeves, and from what I am hearing, maybe fire suits in the near future.

KBow_Photo

Road America has been doing it for awhile.

drivinhard

Not true. While you can take pics anywhere, you can't GO anywhere. Access to the photo areas ON the track, basically between the spectator fencing and the track barriers, you can only get in with a photo vest, which you have to have credentials. For the 24, they pass the vests out very stingy, our team of two for this past 24 was only allowed 1 vest. Plan on leaving a CC with them as collateral for your photo vest. ISC tracks (NASCAR) are generally the hardest to deal with. You will NOT get in a photo area without a vest, and even with a vest, if you are in the wrong area, you'll find out in a hurry.

I have current 2013 grand am media credentials. It requires a lot of paperwork/fee's, and fairly large insurance policy and pretty tight restrictions on what you can do with your video/photos.

dvandentop

for sebring you need hot pit access which is allowed behind the wall but right behind the pit boxes so real up close and personal with the teams and would also need a firesuit during the actual race which sucked since i didnt have a firesuit during that trip when i went down.

i got my hot pit access from a racer who was running the historic races they run during the alms downtime which worked out great. pretty much full access except to vip tents like audi and other manufactuer private tents.

also on the last turn section before the main straight at pretty much night darkness i did get yelled at by some guy for not having a reflective vest on and official press credentials

Wicked Weasel

Well that stinks. I guess I miss understood what someone told me.

drivinhard

you can get into the garage area most likely, just not in the real "photog" areas between the spectator fencing and the track barriers

Wicked Weasel

Someone I know was taking pictures of the track through openings in the fence and I assumed it was a photography area. Maybe there are some openings which garage pass has access to?

Guess I could ask him. Lol.