Sunday, April 6, 2008

Grand Prix Party and Drivers

Driver Vitor Meira

Driver Scott Dixon and wife Emma







Hi.
shot the 2008 Honda Grand Prix party at the St Petersburg Pier last week. It's always a great event with lots of fun, happy people who are VIP guests in anticipation of the Grand Prix Race downtown. It's on the TV as I write, actually.

If you're a fan of Indy Car Racing, you're both a smart and lucky person. Many of the drivers attend the party. There are a few press members there, but no too many that the drivers spend all their time doing interviews and not enough talking with and posing for pictures with fans. The drivers do lots of that, but are also often left alone to admire the views from the top of the Pier and their friends, families and staff who are also there.

Oh yes and sometimes fans have a very close encounter with a RealRockStar like the woman above who was lucky enough to have Gene Simmons put his hand around her neck. It was in fun and a great moment.

This is the second time I shot Gene at that party. He is one fine celebrity. He talks with ALL of the fans that approach him, takes photos with them, talks with them, listens to them, talks more to them.

He also posed for me. He was a class act and great for Indy Car Racing. So are the drivers: Very open, friendly, approachable.

I just heard that they've signed a 5-year extension on the races in St Petersburg. If you can get an invitation to this event, do it. It's full of great food, travelling entertainment, drinks and the chance to rub elbows, literally, with some great racers: Tony Kanaan, Michael and Marco Andretti, Buddy Rice, Vitor Meira, Hideki Mutohby, St Pete's Dan Wheldon and Scott Dixon who were all gracious enough to pose for me. It was a GORGEOUS night, with huge, billowing, sunset-reflecting orange light that made for a stunning backdrop. I didn't get to photograph Danica Patrick this year though. I heard she was there but I couldn't find her. I'm normally quite adept at finding my shots, but she proved elusive.

I have shot lovely pics of her prior though.

MY pleasure photographing this group, including all the great St Pete people who were there.

Thank YOU for reading.
Tim, April 08.

UPDATE: May 28: I just realized that the first and second place finishers of the 2008 Indianapolis 500 are the two drivers' photos that I posted from this party. Mmmmmm...? Karma?
Either way, they were both very gracious when I asked to photo them. Congratulations!!! Let me know if you want prints from these photos. TB