Auto Racing - James Brosher Photography

Demolition Derby

James Brosher — Mon, 08 Jul 2013 19:39:49 +0000

Gage Willis leans on a car driven by his friend, Scott Breeding, before the compact car demolition derby on Friday, July 5, 2013, at the St. Joseph County 4-H Fair in South Bend. Breeding won the compact demolition derby. (James Brosher/South Bend Tribune)

Brittany Robinson hops into her “Green Machine” (formerly a Chevrolet Beretta) before the start of the compact car demolition derby on Friday, July 5, 2013, at the St. Joseph County 4-H Fair in South Bend. Robinson finished second in her first-ever demolition derby. (James Brosher/South Bend Tribune)

Official Keith Blower of La Porte conducts the drivers meeting before the demolition derby on Friday, July 5, 2013, at the St. Joseph County 4-H Fair in South Bend. (James Brosher/South Bend Tribune)

Brittany Robinson (21) works between fellow compact car demolition derby competitors on Friday, July 5, 2013, at the St. Joseph County 4-H Fair in South Bend. Robinson finished second in her first-ever demolition derby. (James Brosher/South Bend Tribune)

Jacob McGowan reacts as he looks over his lawn tractor after it would not restart during the demolition derby on Friday, July 5, 2013, at the St. Joseph County 4-H Fair in South Bend. A melted starter wire was the culprit for McGowan’s early exit. (James Brosher/South Bend Tribune)

Lawn tractor demolition derby participants prepare to drive into the arena on Friday, July 5, 2013, at the St. Joseph County 4-H Fair in South Bend. (James Brosher/South Bend Tribune)

Jacob Jobe catches a ride on a Bobcat with his vanquished lawn tractor after demolition derby action on Friday, July 5, 2013, at the St. Joseph County 4-H Fair in South Bend. Jobe’s tractor suffered a broken tie rod, knocking out of competition. (James Brosher/South Bend Tribune)

Teddy Whetstone bails out of his vehicle as a fire ignites under the hood during the demolition derby on Friday, July 5, 2013, at the St. Joseph County 4-H Fair in South Bend. (James Brosher/South Bend Tribune)

A track official sidesteps a rooster tail of dirt and mud during the demolition derby on Friday, July 5, 2013, at the St. Joseph County 4-H Fair in South Bend. (James Brosher/South Bend Tribune)

Boiling water and steam sprays from the radiator of a competitor’s car during the demolition derby on Friday, July 5, 2013, at the St. Joseph County 4-H Fair in South Bend. (James Brosher/South Bend Tribune)

Jessie Stambaugh reacts on top of his demolition derby car after finishing second on Friday, July 5, 2013, at the St. Joseph County 4-H Fair in South Bend. (James Brosher/South Bend Tribune)

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Waiting for Tony

James Brosher — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 22:15:34 +0000

I spent Saturday evening at Plymouth Speedway waiting for Tony Stewart. Stewart, the defending NASCAR Spring Cup champion, was slated to race sprint cars on the track’s dirt inner oval after taking a helicopter from Michigan International Speedway where he was practicing for a cup race the next day. When Stewart finally arrived just before 10 p.m., he walked into this team’s hauler just as a thunderstorm rolled across the speedway. The night’s races were cancelled and Stewart never got in his car. The first frame sums up his evening well.

NASCAR driver Tony Stewart reacts after arriving to his team trailer on Saturday, June 16, 2012, at Plymouth Speedway. Stewart's arrival just before 10 p.m. coincided with a thunderstorm's arrival at the speedway, halting the on-track racing. (James Brosher/South Bend Tribune)

With camera phones ready, several fans await the arrival of NASCAR driver Tony Stewart outside of his pit area on Saturday, June 16, 2012, at Plymouth Speedway. (James Brosher/South Bend Tribune)

Racers listen to a track official during a drivers meeting on Saturday, June 16, 2012, at Plymouth Speedway. (James Brosher/South Bend Tribune)

The wing of NASCAR driver Tony Stewart's No. 14 sprint car is reflected in a puddle of water on Saturday, June 16, 2012, at Plymouth Speedway. (James Brosher/South Bend Tribune)

NASCAR driver Tony Stewart leans against a tool box inside his team hauler after arriving for a sprint car race on Saturday, June 16, 2012, at Plymouth Speedway. (James Brosher/South Bend Tribune)

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Laramie County Fair demo derby

James Brosher — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 21:58:19 +0000

Tim Johnson from Nunn, Colo. uses a wrench to tighten bolts holding the hood of his demolition derby car in place before the derby at the Laramie County Fair on Friday, Aug. 12, 2011, at Frontier Park. "This is my play toy," Johnson said of the vehicle.

A demolition derby competitor drives past the photo pit during the Laramie County Fair's demolition derby on Friday, Aug. 12, 2011, at Frontier Park.

A banged up demolition derby truck displays the number 18B during the Laramie County Fair's demolition derby on Friday, Aug. 12, 2011, at Frontier Park.

A family watches the action from atop the photo pit during the Laramie County Fair's demolition derby on Friday, Aug. 12, 2011, at Frontier Park.

Demolition derby cars sit on the track before the start of the Laramie County Fair's demolition derby on Friday, Aug. 12, 2011, at Frontier Park.

A competitor shows frustration after getting knocked out of the Laramie County Fair's demolition derby on Friday, Aug. 12, 2011, at Frontier Park.

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At the speedway with Todd Bennett

James Brosher — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 15:10:23 +0000

I spent part of my Saturday evening out at Peoria Speedway photographing Todd Bennett, a local racer who is doing well in the points and has a growing local fan base. The photos are for a profile story that’s running about him sometime soon. I love shooting out at local race tracks because it’s a very unique slice of American culture. The drivers and fans are a blue collar, roll-up-your-sleeves-and-get-stuff-done type of folks who are incredibly friendly and nice. For anyone looking for a good story, I would recommending heading out to the local speedway on a Saturday night. I guarantee you’ll find some interesting people with interesting stories.

Todd Bennett reaches inside his race car before hopping in to take a few laps around the track on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2010, at Peoria Speedway.

Todd Bennett leans against the front fender of his Super Late Model class race car before taking the car out onto the track for a few laps on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2010, at Peoria Speedway.

Todd Bennett, bottom, takes a few laps on the track with fellow drivers to help pack down the racing surface after rain left the track a muddy mess earlier in the day on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2010, at Peoria Speedway.

Doug Caho rests his arms on the back wing of Todd Bennett's Super Late Model class race car as the car sits in the pits jacked up in the rear to allow a suspension modification before a race on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2010, at Peoria Speedway.

Doug Caho helps guide Todd Bennett's Super Late Model class race car off of a trailer as the team unloads the car for a race on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2010, at Peoria Speedway.

Todd Bennett sits inside his race car before pulling out of the pits to take a few laps around the track on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2010, at Peoria Speedway.

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Muddy truck

James Brosher — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 04:02:50 +0000

To say this is a muddy truck is a bit of an understatement. This is hands down the muddiest truck I have ever seen. When the mud is so bad it blocks your visibility forcing you to look out a window, that’s bad. This was a feature I shot out at Peoria Speedway this evening while I was working on a profile of a local driver. It rained quite a bit today making the track a sloppy mess, and this truck was one of several to take laps on the track in an effort to pack down the mud to make the track ready for the race.

Jim Patterson looks out his driver side window to see as he uses a truck to mash down mud on the track on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2010, at Peoria Speedway. Rain throughout the day made the track too sloppy for racing, forcing some drivers to use their pick ups to help dry and smooth out the track.

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2009 Brickyard 400

James Brosher — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 20:03:36 +0000

Last July I covered the Brickyard 400 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was my first time covering the race although I had shot infield features that May at the Indy 500. I was flying solo as the only photographer covering the race that day for the Indiana Daily Student. It was … well … an interesting experience. I got to the track at about 4 a.m. to avoid traffic, parked in the infield and took a nap in my car. It can be very challenging to photograph inside the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Unless you work for a big publication, you have no access. There’s also a bunch of security guards (yellow shirts) who hassle the crap out of you at every turn. Walking into the media center I got stopped so I could show some obscure sticker on the back of my credential despite carrying two bodies and having a 300 mm lens thrown over my shoulder. Apparently I didn’t look legit enough. Moral of the story: the bigger the event, the worst the access. This means a smaller opportunity to get good moments. I would much rather shoot a high school basketball championship game than the NBA Finals. Sure, it’s cool to say you shot something like that, but oftentimes the access is better, less stressful and allows you to capture more moments at a smaller event.

Driver Jimmy Johnson, left, soaks crew chief Chad Knaus with champaign after Johnson's team won the Brickyard 400 on Sunday, July 26, 2009, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Pole sitter Mark Martin, far right, waves to fans as he makes his way into the pagoda for driver introductions before the start of the Brickyard 400 on Sunday, July 26, 2009, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Fans watch as cars, including the No. 33 Clint Bowyer car, are pushed down Gasoline Alley towards pit lane before the start of the Brickyard 400 on Sunday, July 26, 2009, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

A member of Matt Kenseth's crew checks tire tread before the start of the Brickyard 400 on Sunday, July 26, 2009, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Several sets of tires sit in Juan Pablo Montoya's pit area before the start of the Brickyard 400 on Sunday, July 26, 2009, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Chad Knaus, the crew chief of the No. 48 Chevrolet driven by defending Brickyard winner Jimmy Johnson, looks into the rear wheel-well as the crew makes final adjustments before final inspection on Sunday, July 26, 2009, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Fans watch from a suite's balcony as crews prepare cars for final inspection before the start of the Brickyard 400 on Sunday, July 26, 2009, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Fans watch as Jeff Gordon's No. 24 Chevrolet makes its way down Gasoline Alley before the start of the Brickyard 400 on Sunday, July 26, 2009, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Gordon qualified 22nd.

Kyle Busch crashes into the wall in turn three during Brickyard 400 on Sunday, July 26, 2009, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Busch's crash triggered cheers from the crowd.

Driver Juan Pablo Montoya drives into turn three during Brickyard 400 on Sunday, July 26, 2009, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The number 88, for driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., is spelled into a fence using crushed beer cans during the Brickyard 400 on Sunday, July 26, 2009, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Driver Jimmy Johnson drives through the short chute between turns three and four during the Brickyard 400 on Sunday, July 26, 2009, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Johnson scored his second consecutive Brickyard win after holding off teammate Mark Martin in the closing laps of the race.

Driver Juan Pablo Montoya leads the field through the short chute between turns three and four during Brickyard 400 on Sunday, July 26, 2009, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Montoya set the pace early, leading most of the race before a pit road penalty sent him to the end of the field.

Driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. drives into turn three during Brickyard 400 on Sunday, July 26, 2009, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Juan Pablo Montoya flies through turn three during the Brickyard 400 on Sunday, July 26, 2009, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Crew chief Chad Knaus, second from right, shares a laugh with car owner Rick Hendrick, right, Chandra Johnson, left, and Jimmy Johnson, the winning driver, after Johnson won the Brickyard 400 on Sunday, July 26, 2009, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

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