Photographing the East Midlands Racing Association (EMRA) finals race meeting
Report by David Harbey from Mallory Park
13 October 2024
Some took the high road to Brands Hatch and the BSB final day with action guaranteed with the top protagonists so closely matched. I took the road less travelled by motorsport fans up the A5 to Mallory Park for the EMRA finals meeting.
I was after a more relaxed day of club motorsport at one the UK’s most accessible venues for the spectator photographer and at £15 to get in it wasn’t to going to break the bank either.
With the weather initially set to be cloudy and cool I layered up (good practice for winter motorsport), but in the event we had a degree of sunshine and the inevitable shadows. Unusually for me, I headed to the outside of the Esses on arrival mid-morning as practice was coming to an end.
Even more unusually, I was set up with the Nikon D850 camera body with a AF-S Nikkor 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens, a 500mm prime – at Mallory?! Lets see how I got on with this combination.
At the VSCC meeting a few weeks earlier I had been trying out some head on to panning shots from the outside of the track looking back at the Esses. The bikes were, of course, using the left / right at Edwina’s. Here’s a selection from the Esses to Shaw’s Hairpin.
Sidecars were also on the programme.
Moving back round the track gives shots back to Edwina’s. The CB500s produced some superb racing with battles up and down the field.
Wayne Guantario and Joe Duggan were rarely more that this far apart in race 1 at the front of the field.
Running the EMRA Race of the Year on the same day as the BSB final round seemed a strange choice – in past years leading riders have been seen at Mallory including one Kyle Ryde …. This year the “notable” name was Leon Jeacock on his plain black Honda. He was dominant in the All Comers and Mallory Trophy races.
For the afternoon races, I started out at the inside of the Esses – for the usual close-up shots of rider and machine. I swapped to my, more usual for Mallory, 70-200mm zoom for the afternoon.
Sidecars are equally photogenic here.
Deciding to finish the day at Shaw’s, as I walked through the paddock I caught this shot of Leon Jeacock, winner of the Allcommers & Supersport race and the Race of the Year Mallory Trophy.
The CB500s provided more action with the Guantario / Duggan battle from the first race again at the head of the field.
A wander down towards the Bus Stop finished the day for me –
Full results from the day can be found on TSL here - Round 7 Inc Race of the Year Mallory Park 13th October 2024
Thanks to David Harbey for this report which you can share with your friends on Social Media.
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