Let me start off by saying I'm a big fan of Max Biaggi, and I have been since he was riding for Chesterfield Aprilia in the 250 MotoGP class nearly 20 years ago. I'd never seen him in his MotoGP years so I was eager to catch him in SBK. There's only one round of SBK in the western hemisphere, so at the end of May I got on a plane and headed for Miller Motorsports Park near Salt Lake City, Utah.
When I bought my tickets to the race I was looking for an option for paddock access, since I was really hoping to get close to the racers and garages. I've been to the MotoGP races at Indianapolis since they started there in 2008 and access to the paddocks is strictly controlled and only available in packages costing nearly $1,000. I was thrilled to see a "Paddock Patio" package for Miller for less than $250 that included Paddock Access. In hindsight, I should have saved my money and gotten GA tickets. All the paddocks, from XR1200 support class to SBK were open to everyone. So far as I could tell, my "Paddock Access" pass didn't get me ito any controlled-acess areas. I was happy that I could get the access I wanted, but a bit annoyed that I was sold a bill of goods by the park.
Miller Motorsports Park is about 35 minutes from downtown Salt Lake City where I staid. A very easy and scenic drive on I-80 and then a few miles on a deserted state highway gets you to the park. Parking was free and close to the gates, and they ran free shuttles around the racetrack all day long, which was terrific. I was at the track all 3 days pretty much from gates open to the last event.
The crowds were nowhere near what you get at Indy, let alone what I saw at Mugello. I've also attended the AMA races at New Jersey Motorsports Park a few times, and this was closer in feeling to those events than a MotoGP round.
Thanks to GTS_Rider's arrangement of an STN dinner Saturday night I got to meet some fellow STN'ers, including satxbonneville and his son. We ended up sampling many of the beers on offer at Red Rock Brewery that night, and the three of us repeated that activity on Monday night at Squatter's Pub.
I brought a backpack full of camera gear - I was going to the race alone so I knew I could really concentrate on photography. Along with a D300 body I had a Nikon 18-200 for walkaround shots, a Nikon 70-200/2.8 for close action, and a recently purchased Nikon 300/4 making it's first showing at a motorsports round for me. the 300/4 combined with the Nikon TC-14 teleconverter turned out to be a fantastic combination (as you'll see)!
So, on to some of the better photos.
Track is in the middle of nowhere
Unloading bikes in the morning
Prepping Josh Herrin's bike. Love how open all the non-SBK garages are.
My backpack hung on the fence at my favorite shooting spot - the Release onto the main straight. You can see 3 bikes on the track, the closer section of track is the pit in.
Dane Westby in practice
Austin Dehaven in practice
Aprilia demo ride. I wish I had known about this - I would have brought a helmet along to try out the Dursoduro 1200 and the Tuono.
Biaggi chilling behind the garage
There were only a few fans who spotted him. I was thrilled to get an autograph only an hour or so of being at the track. I had to chase down another fan to borrow a sharpie while Max held my ticket. Told him I was a big fan since the Chesterfield 250 days and that brought a smile to his face.
Max!
Right before the first practice sessions the rain started coming down in buckets, accompanied by very strong winds (gusting to 35mph). Temperatures were in the low 50's so it was hardly a great day for racing (or spectating). This was Michel Fabrizio in wet practice
Leandro Mercado had a very elbows-out style
Biaggi looking focused
Marco Melandri pitting out. You could get very close to the end of pit lane.
Tom Sykes getting ready for more wet practice
Leon Haslam in the pits
Cleaning off Ayrton Badovini's BMW S1000RR after wet practice.
The "hospitality" area that my Paddock Patio got me access to. An utter and complete waste of money.
Lunchtime pit walk. Great that they did this on all three days. Saturday and Sunday were not nearly as crowded as Monday.
Aprilia parts during the pit walk
Biaggi's #3 Aprilia RSV4R getting worked on
Max's motor after the wet practice
Didn't note who's bike this was
Laverty's bike getting worked on
Again, should have written down the bike
Leon Haslam's bike torn apart
Some pretty suspenders
Ben Young leads a group of Daytona Sportbike racers during practice
Jason DiSalvo on his Triumph 675
Cameron Beaubier
Josh Hayes
Johnny Rea
Carlos Checa
Chaz Davies
Max Biaggi
Leandro Mercado was easy to spot every time he came around
Hello Marco!
Hi Eugene!
Hi Jakub!
Jake Zemke
Tom Sykes in front of Ayrton Badovini
Hiroshi Aoyama
Hi Sylvain!
Took the tram to the back end of the trackto watch the action on the Attitudes s-curves
Biaggi wheelying out of the Attitudes
Sylvain Guintoli
Some race action from the Attitudes
Biaggi leads a group through the Attitudes
Niccolo Canepa lowsides coming out of the Attitudes
Sliding along
I'm OK!
Hi Carlos!
Daytona Sportbike Race 1 start
Cory West leads a pack around the Release during Race 1
Tommy Aquino in Race 1
Ted Rich and his cool tiger bike
Hi Tommy!
Hi Fernando Amantini!
Very interesting bike in the parking lot - Buell front end
If you're ever in SLC make sure to visit the Beerhive Pub. Hundreds of beers including 20 or so on tap.
Their pizza was fantastic, and my Trappistes Rochefort 10 kept cool on the ring of ice around the bar
This was the only day with really nice weather. Crowds were of course larger than Saturday and Sunday but still very manageable. I had no problem finding great seats in the grandstands or a spot to stand along the rail during the day.
Walking into the facilitiy in the morning I was thrilled to see this gorgeous Ford GT40 sitting out. I had not yet visited the on-site museum so I didn't know what treasures lay inside.
There's a bunch of GT40's inside. Amazing.
Cobras, Cobras and more Cobras
Tommy Hayden's bikes come out of hiding in the morning
Choices, choices, choices
J. Pridmore bike rigged for video
Michel Fabrizio heading to the garage
"This is your trip meter, and this is your low fuel light, and over here..."
David Salom gets a push
Larry Pegram in front of Ben Bostrom
You could always hear when this KTM was coming - loved listening to it thunder past
BMW stunt rider Christian Pfeiffer was on hand to entertain the crowd several times a day
Monday's pit walk was much busier
Warm up timing on a garage video monitor
Lots of pretty umbrella girls today
BMW Original Parts
I'd be smiling too...
Nice flyover before the SBK race #1
Full grandstand right before SBK race #1. Still plenty of place to lay out on the grass or watch by the rail.
Melandri in front of Checa and Rea in the early part of the race
Johnny Rea leads Max Biaggi
Leandro Mercado crashed right in front of my spot on the fence. I wasn't tracking him so didn't get any "action" shots. Once they got his bike to the fence a track worker was nice enough to snap a pic on my iPhone for me.
Up close and personal
Checa won race #1
Some lucky fans
There was an 8 lap XR1200 race, and #29 Tyler O'Hara came in first.
Blake Young, Josh Herring and Roger Hayden come into The Release
You can see what a laid-back atmosphere there is at Miller. Bring a blanket or just chill on the grass. Plenty of room.
Josh Hayes won the race handily
There were a bunch of owls living in the grandstand
SBK riders come into view on lap 1, led by Tom Sykes
Pit boards
John Hopkins leads Ayrton Badovini
Laverty in front of teammate Max Biaggi in the post-red-flag race
Marco Melandri tries to hold on to his lead over Johnny Rea
Hi Max!
Race winner Johnny Rea makes some fans very happy
Johnny Rea having some fun
Johnny Rea heads to the pits after winning race #2
You can also see all the top 300 shots (out of 1800+) on my photo site at www.kendenton.com/2012millersbk.