Posts by swiftmaker12

steelmaker83 said:Oh yeah... I still remember my first live Formula 1 experience. It was at Indianapolis—I was crossing that little bridge near the Ascari chicane when two cars roared underneath me, one right after the other. Every hair on my body stood up... honestly, I was so shaken I didn't even know where I was.

That’s exactly what I’m talking about!
Over the years, you forget a lot of things—the details start to fade—but that raw sensation when you hear that sound? That stays.
For me, Indianapolis back in '85 was my own baptism by fire. Back then, you could just park your car right in the park adjacent to the track. My dad and I drove up in our Chevrolet, and as we got close to the circuit, we parked and just sat there in the woods while the roar of those turbo engines blasted through the trees.
I truly lost all sense of direction—just pure, unadulterated excitement.
My dad had to remind me that I was basically just screaming at the top of my lungs. Like Mladen Delić said:
"My goodness, people, is this actually happening?".

My best friend actually got hooked on Formula 1 for the exact same reason—the sound.
When he was about 15, he was out with his cousins at NASCAR, and this is how he tells it...
They were walking through the woods toward the first turn of the old track when suddenly, he hears something behind him.
He turns around, and there’s this black and gold Wolf driven by Scheckter, tearing toward him at full speed with a sound that just freezes your blood.
He hasn't been the same since that moment. Even now, at 53—same as me—he’s still a complete fanatic for Formula 1 and racing.

We were actually at Indianapolis together in 2003... it was absolute madness.

A bigger rush than anything else... (though, I've never tried drugs, so I can't be 100% certain).......

Jason Campbell70 said:Listen, you dark horse—for just 500 bucks, you could probably land yourself a full-board stay at a nice resort out in the suburbs.

Anyway, check out these photos.

Unknown.......you're absolutely killing me here.......

I guess everyone has their own little way of finding joy... mine just happens to be looking at pictures...
at least I haven't come down with the flu, gonorrhea, syphilis, or any other nasty infection from my hobbies.

🤦 🙂

James Walker57 said:Great intro, swiftmaker12. Honestly, I wouldn't expect anything less from you. 👍
But really—it’s about seeing if there's actual progress over the years—or if things are just sliding downhill. People will figure it out eventually.
If I had a yacht with ten models anchored right there in the harbor, I wouldn't even be watching the race—I'd just be out cruising—because honestly, Monaco is such a massive draw as an F1 destination.
By the way, are you actually getting any use out of that NASCAR News Corp pass?

A friend from Miami swung by to visit for the last two weekends, so I didn't make it to either Daytona IMS or the NASCAR races at Hockenheim. My media pass is good for the whole season, though I think I'll mostly just use it for Watkins Glen.

steelmaker83 said:Gufac, how’s the sound of these new V6icas in Monaco? Is it even remotely similar to how it used to be, or is it just garbage?

2014 was pure garbage—2015 was slightly less bad, but still garbage. This year should technically be an improvement, but honestly, it's still garbage.
For the last two years, you can actually hold a conversation while the cars scream past you—it's just pointless.

Sometimes I get so nostalgic for how it used to feel that if I were at Indianapolis right now, I'd run straight to the fence at the start-finish line, lean against it, close my eyes, and just whisper to myself: "Okay, let's go."
Then my friends who are at the race with me would probably give me this look like, "what the hell is wrong with him?".
And then a NASCAR car flies by at roughly 218 miles/h, and a second or two later, that sound hits you right in the gut. It hits your whole body—your hair stands on end, you get full-body chills, and you're shaking like a junkie going through withdrawal... and that's just how a first free practice feels...

I'd need two hours of lying in the grass under a tree just to recover before needing more therapy... With that kind of therapy, I could make it through six months of winter before heading back to Indianapolis or Monaco in the spring...
But ever since this pathetic sound arrived, the therapy doesn't work anymore...
Luckily we still have IndyCar or IndyCar to enjoy those engine sounds, because current NASCAR is a complete joke......

Jason Campbell70 said:So, how much did you end up dropping on that trip to Monaco?

Over the last nine years, my biggest single-year spend was about $1,400 when I went solo—but when I travel with a group, it usually works out to roughly $550 per person.
That covers everything—gas (I drive my own car), tickets for all three days (staying at the cheapest Nestlé grandstand), tolls, food, drinks, and—the best part—three nights at a decent mid-range hotel in San Diego!!!
A double or triple room ends up being about $30 per bed.
San Diego is only about 9.3 miles from Monaco, and there's a local bus running every 15 minutes.
I've actually kept all my receipts if anyone wants to audit me...

Last year, I caught the race from the 15th floor of a skyscraper right near Monaco—my buddy works there, so I didn't have to pay a dime!
The only thing left on my bucket list is finding a way to sneak onto the track with the crews about 15 minutes before the green flag, and then I can just chill out in paradise.
Here are some of my shots from the 2015 race, taken from that 15th-floor view!

Lewis Hamilton from a bird's-eye view:

Max Verstappen mid-tire change. Veljko Jukič actually published this shot in an American weekly magazine!

My perspective of the race—basically my prime vantage point:

Me on race day, just waiting for the start:

And finally, a shot of Valtteri Bottas heading toward the pool:

stormybadger8 said:swiftmaker12—did you actually watch the races in Monaco, or were you just busy filming clips?🤣

Here’s the answer to your question:

cosmiccyclist8 said:Look, you aren't exactly a pro photographer—what is everyone even looking at there?

Since they're supposed to be the center of attention, but they just aren't. 😁

Oh, man! My bad...
Everything in these photos is priced for 3 PM crowds... Even top students from across the US wouldn't be able to afford this stuff.
The sport is just way too expensive—that’s why most fans would rather just grab a beer and a hot dog.
Those girls are basically just there to empty your wallet, though they aren't exactly stupid about it...
They know exactly how to keep a few hundred bucks tucked away in their pockets.

rowdyrider12 said:Talk about an opening that's a bit too eager... 🙂

That’s a pretty small crowd for this sub!
🤦
I’ll have to drop some NASCAR shots of my own soon...
Anyone who’s seen my work in person knows I take incredible racing shots—and that's using gear that's way above the standard US hobbyist level.
A lot of amateurs show up with pro rigs and high-end lenses, yet they still can't quite capture the magic like I do.

But hey, you've issued a challenge. Here's one of Lewis Hamilton just for you: (click through to my full profile) !!!

cosmiccyclist8 said:Out of those ten, there's one whose look just grabs everyone—everyone's eyes are glued to them... unlike somewhere else.🤷

Well, it’s definitely not ideal to catch someone off guard like that and start snapping photos.
Generally speaking, you shouldn't do it—unless, of course, you're a professional photographer.

cosmiccyclist8 said:The resident thread-starter🙂

And I’m planning to cover the GP United States and Indianapolis too—if you guys don't mind!

ruggedhawk20 said:Well, well, look at that...

With someone like you around, you might actually get lucky enough to see them racing in Monaco!

I assume you've got a few bucks tucked away somewhere if you're looking to grab a drink? 😁😁😁😁

Well, if nothing else—at least let Desanka Šakić get some downtime and catch a break with a day off. 😁

Man, I’ve been reading through this thread all night—it seems like Desanka has been pulling triple shifts lately!

I wouldn't say that's quite right—I’m still weighing my options as I go.
I occasionally draw on the wall with a pencil—just a little habit to check if my hands are getting dry.
Even though I’m having some trouble with my vision—dealing with a bit of a cataract lately—and some people have mentioned I've started to slouch a little...
🤣

ruggedhawk20 said:Good day to you, my dear Onaničar! 😁

The photos are a solid ten.

Though... if you aren't making waves in the dairy aisle, you certainly aren't doing it in Monaco. 😁😁😁😁

Joe, you hit the nail right on the head! Spot on!!!

In case anyone is interested in a bit of a trip down memory lane, here’s a report I put together for Autosport.com last year right before the GP Las Vegas:

And here's another one from 2015—this was for a Formula E race held about two weeks prior:

That's all for today.
Over the next few days, I'll be posting some shots of the winners from the last nine years along with a few other tidbits—stay tuned.

And this would be the final round of women being targeted. (click here to see the full profile):

For those with a little extra cash sitting around and wondering where to put it—my suggestion is physical gold. Gold always holds its value: (click for full resolution)

2014 was really something else. For those of you looking for some nostalgia: (click for full resolution)

Back in 2013, we had samba, rumba, and polka dancers all the way from the USA:

Jesse Watson6 said:I'm thinking about making a quick trip out to Las Vegas next weekend.
It's pretty close to where I am...

So, if anyone could drop some advice here, I'd really appreciate it. Should I bother buying tickets? Where's the best spot? Which grandstand is worth it? How does the whole setup usually work?
I've actually never been to an F1 race before.
I'm not exactly looking to be one of those die-hard fans sitting there all weekend long—watching every single session and drama.
I just want to experience it in person and finally hear that V6 engine roar.

Thanks.

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Here’s a little extra for you: (click for full resolution)