To be honestly I didn't really expect to hear back from anyone but I ended up getting a meeting with Mike and Liza after the holiday season where they unexpectedly offered me a job taking photos for the track along with doing some stuff for the website. I'd dabbled in photography taking photos every time I attended events at the track but for I didn't think I was good it was just something I did for fun. Me being an impulsive person said yes on the spot because I felt like this was basically a once in a life time opportunity. I started my job the following night at the 2018 Oxford Championship series banquet. Anyone who knows me knows i'm not very social and kinda awkward but like I've done a lot over the last few years I stepped out of my comfort zone. My photos came out not as good as I hoped but instead of beating myself up about it I sat back and figured out how I could redeem myself.
The rest of the off season dragged on but with my newly purchased DSLR camera I was ready for my this new chapter in my life to start. Being in the infield surrounded by racecars is a truly incredible experience and the first time on May 4th made me realize my decision to take on this new job was the right one. I've watched races from the stands,the pits,the sky box even the roof of the sky box but seeing these cars up so close racing to get win a feature or a heat was so exhilarating.
It took me a while to get comfortable in the infield,at first I would only take photos by the front stretch wall then finally I began moving around the infield finding the good photo spots. It was exciting trying to capture photos that I thought people would like because really for me that's all that really matters to me taking photos for others to enjoy.
Action shots I discovered were fun but sometimes a challenge trying to capture a moment that was exciting in the race.The moments that were truly special and important for me were seeing someone ecstatic in victory lane after their first win or someone who hadn't won all season. In short track racing, wins aren't taken for granted because anything could happen and it could be your last. It was always interesting seeing how drivers would react victory lane. I've looked back at some victory lane photos this season and its kinda hard to believe I've been in the presence of so many great drivers.
Besides doing photos for the track, I was also doing driver profiles,results and recaps for Wednesday nights and motor mayhem events and by the end of the season I was also doing results and recaps for Saturday nights and doing some results for Oxford Pass events.I even added extra work to my plate by writing a driver spotlight story for the Oxford 250 and a preview. Along with all of my work I did for track I was also working my day job as a cashier at a grocery store. It was a lot of work I was almost always tired but to me it was all worth it. I felt crazy sometimes letting my life revolve around racing but I don't think i'd even know what to do with myself if I wasn't spending my free time during the summer at the track.
I know it may sound like I was very happy all summer I was most of the time but there were days where I found myself comparing myself to other photographers and just thinking I wasn't doing a good job juggling all my duties. My insecurities for sure got the best of me but I ignored it and put everything I had in me into my work and when I screwed up I didn't let it bring me down I just reconfigured and learned from my mistakes. People believed in my abilities so I knew I had to believe in them too. Oxford 250 weekend was rough for me since before that weekend Oxford was my track I was the only one there every week but suddenly all these professionals came in and it really made me realize just how different I am from most of these photographers and writers. Most of these people are either just a writer or just a media person,at least 10 years older than me and a good percent of them are males. I definitely did some deep breathing that weekend and tried to focus on my work and nothing else.These people were great it was nice meeting some of them but it still made my social anxiety a little higher than usual.
The highlight of my summer was experiencing my first 250 weekend as a photographer. I've always known it was a big event but I never truly felt the impact it had on everyone until I was in the center of it. A win 250 weekend meant so much to these drivers in lower divisions and it was so noticable from behind the lens. By the time Sunday came around I was running only on adrenaline from the past two night,the whole weekend I probably only slept a combined 8 hours. There was so much to take photos of and so much racing to watch my only regret was not taking it all in until the sunset on Sunday night. The whole day was surreal and when the winner was crowned I couldn't really believe I was there in that moment surrounded by so many happy people. By the following weekend it all felt like a dream but when I got to the infield you could see all the little things left over from the 250 like tape,rubber and tire marks. The 2019 event will forever be the most memorable Oxford 250 for me.
When championship night came around at Oxford I couldn't believe how fast the season went and as I waited for the races to begin I reflected a little bit about how truly lucky I am to be able to have the opportunity to do something I truly love and be able to share it with people who get it. It made me tear up thinking about all the friends I made this season and all the cool moments I witnessed at the track. I think the moment it really hit me that what I did this racing season wasn't just a dream was at the Championship series banquet when I saw my photos projected on the wall. All my insecurities about my photography faded away in that moment.
This blog post was a lot harder for me to write than I thought it would be. It took me nearly 3 weeks to finish it because it's hard putting into words how much getting this job has meant to me. I'm not just a nobody race fan who decided to write for my local paper anymore,I feel like I'm actually part of the racing world now and its something I never imagined. 2019 has been a huge year for me professionally and I'm so grateful for all of the opportunities I was given and for all of the amazing people I have met because of my passion for short track racing. I've already started planning for next season and I'm excited to return to Oxford in 2020!
