From two wheels to four...

Well, a brief update, as I'm off to the Red Bull United States Grand Prix tomorrow..

I skipped Miller, for the AMA Superbike races. A shame really, but being that I am the OTP (Official Track Photographer) of the MId Ohio Sports Car Course I decided that it might be good to cover something new. It's good for the modicum.

So, here you are, a couple of images from the weekend.Patrick Long coming off the "Key Hole" at Mid Ohio......and a goofy picture of yours truly "drafting" a Porsche transporter More from the USGP to come....

Night for now!

Impressed, humbled and why wasn't there track days when I was 16?

Odd.

Here I am, just turned 45 (and no, my age doesn't bother me) and I have one of the coolest jobs on the planet, and meet some of the most down to earth, real people in the world. Every weekend I go to a race track to document the skills and antics of these ever-so talented men and women (yeah I know there are more men THAN women in the AMA but it will change) and every time I get on the plane to come home I feel energized and infused and rejuvenated. Take the last round of the AMA Superbike Series at Road America, nr Lake Elkhart in Wisconsin.

As we all know, the weather can play a factor in the events here. The track is one of the longest in the US and for me, feels like an American version of Spa Francorchamps (it's about the same length). The track has long straights, sweeping corners and corners that tighten up. It also has the ability to have two or three different "weathers" going on across it's entire length.

It's a challenge.

However, this weekend I was reminded of how lucky I am, and how any people that I capture affect my own day to day life. Take Aaron Yates. Gritty racer, skillful, explosive personality with charm and eloquence. Watching Aaron work his race craft thrills me. His bike management skills are impressive, and his willingness to push the envelope remind me of how I'd be a mad arse on the road back in the UK. In fact how stupid that was might be a better reflection. But watching his riding style in the rain, on the start finish straight at Road America reminded me of how one would ride a horse. Off the pegs, perched forward over the withers...and for me, stupid as I was on the top of the control tower in a lightning storm, I was pleased I was able to capture it...

One other rider who embodies how I felt when I was his age is Danny Eslick. Talented, entertaining, charming and an all round good kid, I watch him ride and see how I rode a bike when I was his age. Danny is a talented young man, charming, and very determined. I hope that in grand scale of things he does well. He has talent. I always look forward to meeting up with Danny, as does my wife.
I love what I do. I hate being away from my wife. So when the weekend goes well, the racing is good and the riders look like they're enjoying themselves. It all works.

Andrew

It's not always about the bikes..

Okay, so I'm a little inside my monthly update, but I wanted to mention whilst I'm deciding on how to cook salmon before I head off to Road America tomorrow, and wanted to share this missive with those peeps lucky enough to spend some time on my site and reading this verbiage. Please indulge me.

I love my wife. Deeply. Emily is truly the most wonderful person in my universe and sometimes I wonder what I did to be in the same time continuum as someone so switched on, so smart and so alive. Well, I guess that's something for the stars.

One thing I have observed being around these bike racer types, and chats with Rachel (Hacking) and Aaron Yates wife Heather, we all have one thing in common. We believe in the end goal. It's a team thing, like a marriage should be. No one person "owns" another, nothing "belongs' to one person, it's about the unit, and working together, love and trust.

And before I descend into the deep philosophical depths I just want to say, that having Emily be alongside me whilst working, (she even took some photos AND they were sharp, and in context) was equivalent to having training wheels taken off of your Raleigh, or learning to walk, falling in love (oh wait I do that each day - to this day my tummy flips when I meet her for lunch or see her face at the airport when i come home - and we've been married over 17 years).

I love you, I'll be home on Monday and I promise I'll send you some wallpapers buddy.

Thank you for being in my life Emily. I love you.



I should add, that a soupcon of motorcycle racing photography from the AMA Superbike races at Infineon are now online, I hope you like them..

Andrew :)

Well folks, here it is, my monthly blog update....Fame does have it's price you know! (You gotta love that self deprecating British humour...)

Anyways, what a busy few weeks. We had the AMA races at Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama, followed the next week by the AMA Superbike races at Fontana. Madness. Then this past weekend, and yours truly had a cold, baaad cold, I was at the Legend of Motorcycles Concourse D'Elegance at the plush Ritz Carlton Hotel in Half Moon Bay, mixing it up with notable chopper builders such as Roland Sands, Chica and ex-Porsche factory racer and erstwhile motorcycle nut Alain De Cadenet. It was a good day, and would've been better had I not been sick.

Oh well. Next weekend it's off to Infineon for the AMA Superbike races. It's always a good time there.

Bye for now!

17 Years of Bliss - Another Cover - AMA SBK Barber

Daytona is done with for another year. I was lucky that my wife was able to join me, thus stopping me from losing my mind. After two mechanical failures with my cameras and a CF card (sensor on the MK2N and lens mount on the old MK2 - fortunately they held on and off and on and off until almost the end of Saturday) I was able to complete the week and we left to come home on Sunday. Testing at Laguna Seca tomorrow (4/4) and Infineon/Sears Point on Thursday and Friday and then it's off to a real racetrack at Birmingham Alabama for Round 2 of the AMA Superbike Series. Wheelers World is being updated as I write, oh and as you can see above there's another cover shot from yours truly on the cover of May's RoadRacerX of the champ, Ben Spies.

Happy Wedding Anniversary to my wife Emily. 17 years we've been married today and I love her so much.

See you at Barber!

Another Cover Shot - Daytona Beckons - Book Info

Another cover shot, this time of Eric Bostrom aka Eboz, from yours truly adorns the cover of the new edition of Road RacerX for March/April and if I say so myself looks rather spiffy! This edition is a review of the upcoming 2007 racing season which is setting up to be a corker!

Also, my book is doing rather well, you can see the photo of it below or click on the link at the end of this sentence to see the cover, a sample of the inside (of images from Mugello) and of course a photo of the book in all it's glory...

Click here: AutoMotoPhoto® 2006 Review

A little under 3 weeks to Daytona for the start of the AMA Superbike Season. If you're a British/European motorcycle racing magazine please contact me for images, race reports or write-ups. I photograph and write.

I think that's all for now. I'll have some more news in a few days once I figure out how to make a splash... ;)

AutoMotoPhoto 2006 Review - Happy New Year!

Well folks, looks like another year is virtually done and dusted. Where does the time go?

After a successful trip to Daytona for the tyre test, 2007 looks like it's setting itself up to be a cracking year as my plans begin to shape up nicely.

My 2006 AutoMotoPhoto Review book has now been published and it's 2 inches BIGGER than my 2005 Review...


A few "Thank You's" are in order...

Firstly my wife Emily, for all the love and support she provides me. Without her this woouldn't have happened (it's her fault I got into this business in the first place).

To Chris Jonnum and Laurel C Allen at RoadRacerX and to Matthew Miles and Robyn Davis at CycleWorld. I look forward to working with you through 2007. To Gary Inman and the folks at Performance Bikes and to Larry Carter and Rich Page at Motorcycle Racer in the UK and to all the other magazines and editors who have used my work and services throughout this amazing year.

Finally, to Andrea Wilson. Who has been a friend and a confidant throughout the year and someone whose company has been an important part of my world.

Watch out for my work in the new 2006/7 edition of the Motorcycle Racing "Bible" Motocourse and whilst you're here, why not make yourself a cup of tea, or coffee, grab a digestive or two and click on Wheeler's World and take a peek at my review of 2006

..and don't forget to check out Liam Shuberts' website. Liam is a great guy with a wonderful attitude and took the huge leap of faith to find work within the fast paced world of MotoGP by simply upping sticks, packing his bags and heading off to Spain to see what he could do to work with a MotoGP team. Through hard work and tenacity he landed a job as a mechanic with the Pramac D'Antin Ducati Team. Just before Christmas Liam asked if I'd like to be interviewed for the MotoGP Podcasting website. I took him up on the offer and so if you have the the technology, you can actually hear what I sound like (no Wurzel or Zyder jokes please...)! There is also an interview with Colin Edwards and other people who work in the fast world of motorcycle racing! So go listen!

Thanks again to all who ride and race and make this sport the thrill that it is.

See you in 2007...

Andrew

My "Once A Month" Official Update!

Another quickie update from me. I must try and finish my 2006 AutoMotoPhoto Review as well as update my "Wheelers World" on CycleWorld's website. I have just been so busy, with image requests and self assigned projects it's just crazy!

Anyways, off to Daytona in a couple of weeks for the tyre testing.

One from Smiths Beach in Australia (Phillip Island)



Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Andrew :)

No really! I have been busy....

Peeps, my apologies to all who click through to here. This year has been tremendously busy for me and in it's own way quite a successful year too.

Since I last posted I have been to Phillip Island in Australia for the Australian MotoGP and just the other weekend rounded out my AMA year at Mid Ohio for the final shootout of the year. Whilst I'm tooting (and I'll post some "tear sheets" soon - both on here and on my site) I have cover images on both RoadRacing World (October Issue) and now the new edition of Road Racer X.

I have also updated "Wheeler's World" on the CycleWorld website too! Click the link to the right to check it out!

Here's a couple of images from Philip Island - I'll share a couple from Mid Ohio2 in a wee bit...plus I'll have some exciting news for all in a couple of weeks too!

Phew - Busy Busy

Not much to add here, Mid Ohio was as always enjoyable, and considerably more enjoyable than it was last year when my dog Jack died. Speaking of which I cannot wait for the season to be over and we go find (rescue) a new big dog puppy. I love our two cats, Widget and Bean, immensely. But a dog has another quality I love and have missed since Jack died. However, it's taken me a long time to get over Jacks' death. This might sound odd to many folks, but it was easier to come to terms with my Father's death vs my dog Jack.

Ben Spies doing that thing with his elbows at Mid Ohio

VIR is always enjoyable, but oh my oh my it was hot. The smells that permeate the open car window on the way to the track are something else. I couldn't live there, far too humid and I don't need to be reminded of hurricane season each year (I did grow up in the UK so the weather systems are similar) and I enjoy my cool Northern California coastal air.

But it's extremely pretty in Virginia.

One very hot Mat Mladin after winning Sunday's SBK race at VIR:

Next up Road Atlanta. See you there.

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I know I haven't exactly screamed to the world (or Da Vorld) "I have a blog" but just to keep this thing current and to maintain a habit of adding verbiage, I have updated my website with my visual take on the USGP at Laguna Seca on July 21-23...

Cause for a celebration perhaps?

Mid Ohio up next. The AMA Superbike races are taking place at Lexington and It will be interesting to see how the new track surface affects the riders and their times. Apparently they have all new curbing so that should be a delight for the eyes, photographically speaking. This race also has some poignancy being that whilst I was here last year my dog Jack died. He was simply wonderful. Go see Jack!

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