I-57 Dragstrip

I grew up attending church on Sunday morning and attending motorsports Sunday evening. In an attempt to visualize the emotions and experience of those magical Sunday evenings of my youth I started the project I-57Dragstrip. Sadly, the speedway of my childhood has gone by the way of a shopping development amongst suburban sprawl. Having found a new place to explore located in Southern Illinois- I-57 Drag Strip closely illustrates the spirit of my childhood motor-head memories. Racing is a sport that combines man and machine to create action, speed, smell, sounds, and tight competition. The machines are amazingly powerful creations that not only function meticulously but also are personal expressions of the driver. The landscapes of these events are filled with an atmosphere of fire and smoke that reassemble a romance. This project is my story of that romance between the machines, the drivers, and fans that are both young and old. There is a power within these events that create a level of fear and excitement. It's an experience that one can feel in the body every time an engine fires up and speeds down the track. The visceral experience of the crowd is felt both emotionally and physically. Some win…some lose…And all in attendance feel the power.