Fine Art Photography to Me?

If you look up "Fine Art" here's what you get. "Creative art, visual art, whose products are to be appreciated primarily or solely for their imaginative, aesthetic, or intellectual content."

So what does that mean? To me, it means a photographer can modify an image the way Ansel Adams transformed his images in the dark room. Compare that with an automotive or wildlife image that may be taken for a magazine. That has more of a journalistic purpose.

I want my photos to be appreciated for the way they look. So with Fine Art Photography, anything goes just as with the two images below, the original and finished.

I've always wanted to do a drag racing image that showed movement and action close up. You can just imagine the sound of a dragster at the point the butterflies are cracked open sucking massive amounts of air, and the power is laid down.  Meet "Deep Throat" This is a new image that is available printed on photographic paper, available in several sizes on my website at this link: https://www.johnstraubimageworks.com/p175506786

Out of camera...

Finished image...

To This Day When I Hear That Melody

In the mid 60's many adults viewed drag racing with disdain, a pastime for hoodlums and delinquents. To them, drag-strips were one step up from seedy bars, pool halls and other dens of no-good, so kids took to the streets. Racing on the street back then was an every Friday and Saturday night adventure fueled by speed, noise, and beating the guy next to you at the stop light. The good part, there were far fewer cars on the streets back then. When I came upon this green beauty, it took me back to those days, the days of the melody of weekend nights on the boulevard. .

Message me if you're interested in possessing, acquiring, obtaining or stealing an image of this. You can reach me, here.

Pig Juices and Ribbons of Smoke...

Car clubs are perceived at times to be ruffians that just want to race around, and are often overlooked for the good they do for a community. The Shafters in Fallbrook, SoCal, do something quite unusual for their local community every New Years Day.

Just the Timing...

While shuffling through the hot stagging lines at the local strip, this caught my eye. A guy sitting in his Willys just passing time. I grabbed my camera and pulled the trigger. After posting the shot on Facebook one of my friends made this comment..."The competitor with his hand relaxed on the wheel, the boot propped in the door well, and the look of earnest patience etched on his face. All inside the hollowed out cockpit of an iconic treasure..... it all speaks volumes." - Don Lawrence.

Yes it does Don...

To share a comment, click here.

Things You Learn...

I posted this photo of Eugene "Red" Case back in 2011 with little knowledge of whatever happened to him. Since then, I've received two comments about Red that I thought you guys would like to read.

Eugene "Red" Case getting ready to make pass. Getty image.

Standing in Line Markin' Time...

Some say, "Hey man, you can't make an image like that...it don't look like it should."

"Said, hey old man, how can you stand to think that way? Did you really think about it, before you made the rules? He said, sure. That's just the way it is, some things will never change, that's just the way it is. Haaa, but don't you believe them." - Bruce Hornsby and the Range...The Way It Is

Standin' in line to take on any fool...

To share a comment, this is the place to click.

Getting My Head Screwed on Straight...

This image doesn't look straight to me. Either I held my camera crooked, my glasses are crooked or maybe my head is crooked. I'm not sure. It could be my ears are a different height. Also what to do about it. I'm not taking any meds, even if they had a crooked head med. Maybe I could buy one shoe with a thicker sole. But that wouldn't help me sitting at the computer working on a photo for the blog. Maybe a single-cheek butt prosthesis would help.

Anyway thought I would share what I've been up to. Taking these shots makes me nervous, very nervous. A snapped rear axle and I'd be a gonner. I click the pic and run...come to think about it, maybe that's why they're crooked.

Nothing like a ol' Willys to get your blood pumping...

One of Those Days...

Just sitting along side the midway looking back on memories as they drove past at the last Del Mar Goodguys Show, it was a day to soak in. Glancing down the asphalt corridor, I spied Pete Smith approaching in his badass rod, grabbed my camera and got the shot. If a car looks mean, it better back it up, his does. Read on for the details.

Brisket Grease and Burn-Outs...

It was a wide open, full throttle, sweetheart kinda' New Years Day for the So-Cal Fallbrook car club, the "Shafters." As a club, they always like to start the year off with a bang, and what better way to do it than having a "Burn-out" party, the 5th of its kind for the locals. Professional drag racer, car builder, and all around good guy Mike Hayden donated his home, shop, and private burn-out strip for his fellow club members to fill the air with tire smoke.

You could say, that's wicked enough. However, there was more to the celebration, including a bitchin belly busting BBQ with all the fixins' prepared by fellow racer, George Sevelle during the lunch break. It was just a year ago when this gathering became so popular, the club decided to put it over the top by collecting donations for the "Wounded Warrior" project, and again that was repeated, as the donation can was stuffed full, to say "Thank You" to those that have given for their Country.

Tom Sceberras starts the day off with smokin' some massive meats.

Maker of Tires... Robert Newton

Robert Newton along with his wife, Joyce started their racing tire company called Hoosier Tires in an old horse barn in South Bend in 1957. Bob had started racing stock cars on weekends at tracks in the Midwest. Back then they were running on regular street tires and Bob had lost some races because the tires were coming apart. Bob and his wife got the idea to start recapping street tires with softer rubber, which gave them more grip which meant more speed and lasted longer. The company grew from that small beginning to the largest race tire company in America.

Just a night at the track with Bob and Joyce Newton. Image via Hoosier Tires.

Just a Day on the Strip... / Barona Antique Drags

The pungent smell of burning rubber wafted through the air. As the smoke cleared, another run of 6.45 was layed down on the black as tar strip.   Barona’s Antique Drags were well launched into the day with over 150 entrants, the 42^nd installment. This twice yearly event grows larger time and again. The rides on the track are ’75 and older, so this totally retro event takes one back to the day before the corporate spitting drivers with cars that barely resemble their ancestors.

The cars had pulled in early and were bound to leave late as plenty of rubber had been vaporized. It is truly a run what ya’ brung gathering with straight axle gassers, old school dragsters, rods, even muscle cars. As usual for this event, there were air filling burnouts, side by side strip long battles, and sky reaching wheelies.

Barona Antique Drags. Image © "Along For The Ride"

L.A. River Basin Drag Racing / The Nights Rocked...

It was the mid-fifties and not unlike the streets today when it came to drag racing, the allure of going fast and getting away with it, you and your friends, was hard to resist. And, what could be better than night racing?  Sure there was a strip to the south in Orange County, California that held weekly events, the first on its kind, where John Wayne Airport now sits. But, that wasn't like impromptu racing that was conjured up at Bob's Big Boy Drive-in, Grisinger's, or Harvey's Broiler after a burger and malt in front of your best girl.

Naturally, there were plenty of places to race, San Fernando Road, North Sepulveda Blvd., Ventura Boulevard, anyplace with a stop light to "choose off" and light them up to find out who was the fastest. Sometimes it would even come down to racing for "pinks." But the cops weren't amused.

The law was trying to crack down on the hoodlums any way they could. They were cruising along side the kids on the street trying to nab them, so the kids came up with the idea to take it off the streets down into the L.A. River Basin. It was called, "The River Road," a wide concrete channel with a trickle of water running down the middle during the summer. It was smoothed out from water running over it for years during the winter, long, wide, and straight, with banked sides, perfect to sit and watch the action below.

The cops finally figured it out and would sit at the top of the entry/exit road to the channel, and when the kids would leave they would hand out tickets for equipment violations or exhibition of speed. Life Magazine was there to capture the images with a long shutter.

The river basin would end up being a place to film movies such as, Grease, Gone in 60 Seconds, Repo Man, The Gumball Rally and more, with racing no more.

L.A. River Basin Drag Racing,1950s. Image © Life archives

A Porsche Dragster 356 style...

For all my Porsche friends...how about a beautiful little 356 Dragster? Well, Doug Church ran a badass 356 powered rail back in the '60s. He tried out the rear engine idea way before it became a popular mainstream way of getting down that quarter mile strip.

There was no expense spared on this Porsche 356 powered dragster as evidenced by the use of chrome on the widened wheels, chassis, four megaphone stingers and valve covers.

Related post: 4-Cam Dragster

To share a comment, click here.

Pork Juice and Burnin' Rubber

For New Years Day most were thinking about going to the gym, Jenny Craig, or some other worthy diet goal. That's not for me! It was a "Burn Out Party," with pig-roast, all the fixings, friends, lots of smoke, open header noise and a little mayhem. Upon receiving an invite from my buddie Jon Guilmet, to Mike Hayden's annual New Years Day party for hot rodders, racers, and badass fast cars...how could I say, no.

This was the fourth year for this gathering at Mike's house, race car shop and "burn-out" strip for a worthy cause. Collect donations for the "Wounded Warriors Project" and have fun doing it. Picture this, Mike has a concrete hundred yard strip in front of his house to test cars he builds for customers. How bitchin' is that? Add to that, the "Shafters" a car club from Fallbrook that kept the hospitality going strong and one could see there was something special sitting back and watching the camaraderie at this party, the smiles never left, even with a blown tranny or two, and a dropped drive shaft on another. Oh yeah, you know you're having a great party, when the Sheriff shows up packin' heat. That just slowed us down in time to dig into the slow cooked gourmet grub donated by "pit-master" and racer, George Sevelle, along with his wife, Lani and son Cas, with help from Liz Dely. Then back on the strip after the bellies were full.

Some of you may have heard about the car club, "Shafters," for those of you who have not, it was started in 1949 by prominent drag racer, Dode Martin along with some friends. The club is out of Fallbrook, California and is still going full on, under the leadership of president "Clint" Campbell.

What better way to start the New Year with friends, for a great cause...thanks Mike for the good time!

Mike Hayden's "Burn-Out-Party." Image © "Along For The Ride"

"Magicar" / Time with... Bill Pitts

Imagine you are fourteen or fifteen, sitting on a wooden boarded grandstand with your dad, watching a golden colored dragster called "Magicar" blast down the local strip...now imagine forty-five years later you had rescued the outdated rail, restored it and had the opportunity to show it to a new generation. That is just what Bill Pitts is doing.

It goes along with the increasing popularity of survivor and historic cars. People are no longer looking at old race cars as outdated relics. They get excited about what they are seeing, hearing and the history of those cars. It's also about past owners, drivers and builders brought back to the surface, and we all get a glimpse of how it really was.

At many of the drag meets and local car shows there is a spectacle called "Cacklefest" where nitro-methane dragsters are started to wow the crowds. I had the opportunity to sit down at a Goodguys show, and do an interview with Bill to find out more about his "Magicar."

Drag Racing a 4 Cam... / Jack McAfee

This is for all my Porsche 356 buddies. Jack McAfee, the Hollywood Imports and Burbank Imports Porsche Dealer was not only a veteran lakes and road racer, he also challenged the Model A and Model B motors that dominated NHRA's X/Dragster class with this 600 pound 4 cam strip car that he built. The new car was running competitive mid-11s at 107 mph in the quarter. Notice it has no starter motor, is topped with Solex carbs and is seen wearing skinny Michelin tires.

Does anyone out there in the 356 world know any more about this car?

Image © Eric Rickman

To share a comment, click here.

Ramona Drag Strip / San Diego Raceway

An email about the Willie's Pie Wagon kicked in my mental time machine...

Back in the 1960s with it's grand opening in 1963 and operating until 1966, Ramona Drag Strip was the place to race in San Diego. It was called San Diego Raceway and drew nationally known drag racers to run the strip. The venture was put together by Paul and Bob Darrough who leased the land next to the Ramona Airport, Lou Castenagna and Ray Richards also came in as managing partners. This was an effort to get kids racing on the streets like El Cajon Boulevard in San Diego to take it to a track.

The effort was successful as attendance varied into the thousands as kids came to watch or take part in the racing with special events, such as match racing with well know drivers or jet-engined cars drawing as many as 7,000 spectators. A new track in Carlsbad, called Carlsbad Raceway basically closed the doors on Ramona's strip.

This was nostalgia racing at it's best, no line-locks or computers doing the work. If you ran an automatic, belly up to the line, plant one foot on the brakes, the other on the accelerator, watch the count down on the Christmas tree and let her rip.

A fan favorite was the Willie's Pie Wagon running a flathead.

Barona Antique Drags / Just Ol' Americana

Wandering down the staging lane, he was spotted a few steps ahead along with his '30 five window Ford, chopped, channeled, flat-headed with Navarro emblazoned castings, and two 97 Strombergs standing attention over top. The "newsboy" cap on his head, cocked to one side said he was of a younger set. Approaching, I said, "Badass car dude."  He replied, "It's not mine, I'm just drivin' it today." Lucky guy, I thought. While examining his ride with the sun high in the sky illuminating every juicy bit, I noticed "Lefty's Speed Shop" hand lettered and a lemon yellow "Bean Bandit" club decal stuck on the polished rear sheet metal.

Back in the day, the Bean Bandit's home track was a strip south of San Diego on Paradise Mesa. Years before it had been used as the Paradise Mesa Airstrip. The Bean Bandit's then President Mike Nagem got together with the San Diego Timing Association and went to the property owner Henry Adams and convinced him to create a safe place for racers to show what they had. He agreed, and with the help of the Bean Bandits, the SDTA and local law enforcement they organized the country's first legal drag strip in 1951, which lasted until 1958. Many years have since passed. 

"Bean Bandits?" I queried. He said, yeah it's Julio Hernandez' car. We struck up a conversation about the "Bean Bandits" and that my wife's mother had been a member back in the '50s. He nodded his approval. Nice guy, that Lance Conklin, and getting to race the '30...was plain bitchen!

Just then, his lane of competitors was called to order, as he wedged himself into the chopped top coupe and fired up the V-8 it coughed, then barked to life. With everyone's eyes glued, the '30 rolled up to do it's burnout. Smoke streamed up from the skinny white walls as he launched forward. It was an awesome sight. Another day of just ol' Americana'.

 

Barona Antigue Drags, the Julio Hernandez bitchen '30 Ford. Image © John Straub

  

Ramona Dragway / This Sunday

Take a step back with San Diego Raceway at Ramona. Here's an old flyer for the races announcing what winning paid for the different brackets. What really caught my eye, was the $2 admission fee. Whoa, where can you go today, smell the pungent buring tire smoke, feel the roar of engines beat through your chest, and have that much fun for the same amount of money? It's a time only in memory.

I don't remember who won this grudge race between Schartman and Walls...it was some 45 plus years ago, but I do member both cars were badass. My money would have been on the Comet, I was a Ford guy. Here's a video of 427 Comets and Thunderbolts racing back in the day. Check it out.

Related post:

Ramona Drag Strip

As Talked About...Ramona Drag Strip

Ramona Drags...Some Rare Images

To share a comment, click here.

1962 Southside Winter Nationals Indoor Drags

Fellow blog follower Jon Guilmet, passed these images on to me. He had never heard of these races, nor had I, but it seems that the weather was not going to stop drag racing.

Before McCormick Place was built in Chicago, there was the International Amphitheater, built in 1934 by the owner of the stockyards across the street. It had a long history prior to its demolition in the late 1990′s.

The Amphitheater was intended to host the International Live Stock Exhibition, but also became the venue for the Ringling Circus, the Chicago Auto Show, music concerts including Elvis in 1957 and the Beatles in 1964. The most unlikely event to be held there, was the 1962 Southside Winter Nationals. Oh yeah, who could forget the 1968 Democratic Convention…

It seems, racing promoter Bill Schade, well known at the time for hosting NASCAR races at Soldier Field until 1964, came up with the plan. Working in conjunction with the United States Auto Club (USAC), he wanted to bring drag racing inside through the winter months in the Windy City.

With USAC sanctioning the event, the first-ever indoor drag races took place on December 30, 1962. The “track” was a 440-foot stretch of the Amphitheater, with each lane being 60-feet wide and bordered by steel Armco guard rail. The temporary stripes were put down with lime on the surface. According to accounts from the event, several hundred cars showed up to race, finding the concrete slab floor “like racing on ice.”

Adding to the racers’ excitement was the 660-foot shutdown area that required them to exit the building, still at high speed, through a set of roll-up truck doors. As you’ll see in photos from the event, not everyone made it unscathed.

You can also see in the photos that this was a popular event, by the number of cars in the staging lanes, and the number of spectators at the sides in the stands.

There was a second event held on January 5, 1964. The first event’s success drew top name local racers such as Mr. Norm from Grand-Spaulding Dodge, and famed Pontiac racer, Arnie Beswick. However, despite the A-list turnout, it would be the last indoor drag race at the International Amphitheater. Bill Schade and his co-promoter of the Soldier Field stock car races, Carl Bledsoe, called it quits that same year. via

Spectators and racers waiting to get in. -Wayne Bryant, Omega-Photo

Staging lanes inside the Amphitheater. -Wayne Bryant, Omega-Photo
A relatively new Ford Falcon heads for the finish. -Wayne Bryant, Omega-Photo

Ford vs Chevy Battle...classic. -Wayne Bryant, Omega-Photo

Notice the push limer in the foreground. -Wayne Bryant, Omega-Photo

Corvette vs. Austin Healey Sprite on a slick surface. -Wayne Bryant, Omega-Photo

Not all finished unscathed. -Wayne Bryant, Omega-Photo

To comment, click here.