James Pratt

Photographer, Writer, Storyteller, IT networking professional

You are here: Home / Assignments / Go Fast and Turn Left

Go Fast and Turn Left

by 1 Comment

Dirt Track Racing in Oklahoma

When most people think auto racing, they think of the hard charging, fender banging racing in NASCAR, or the high tech open wheel racing that is Formula 1, or the explosive, high octane spectacle found at an NHRA drag race. Yet Oklahoma has none of this type of racing. The car racing scene here is more local – more personal and grass roots in nature. You won’t find local dirt track racing results in the local newspaper, or see racing highlights on the nightly news. Yet there are 38 automobile race tracks across the Sooner State, where thousands of local enthusiasts who load their cars on a trailer, fill them up with high-octane race gas, and go out and bang fenders on a Friday or Saturday night. I recently spent a couple of weekends photographing the racing scene around Oklahoma, trying to get a look behind the scenes with car owners, driver and fans. The full story was published in Oklahoma Living Magazine.

Portrait of Harli White and her sprint race car at her home in Lindsay, Oklahoma. Harley won the Oil Championship Racing Series for 2014.
Portrait of Harli White and her sprint race car at her home in Lindsay, Oklahoma. Harley won the Oil Championship Racing Series for 2013.
Dirt track racing at Salina High Banks speedway in Salina, OK
Harli White working on her race car at Salina High Banks Speedway. Harli was burned over 70% of her body during a racing accident when she was 12 years old. She came back to racing and recently won the 2013 Oil Capitol Racing Series Championship.
Fans line the track at Salina High Banks Speedway in northeast Oklahoma.
Fans line the track at Salina High Banks Speedway in northeast Oklahoma.
Salina High Banks Speedway track official Jake Kelley from Glenpool, OK monitors the qualifying laps and acts as "traffic cop" for racers entering and leaving the race track.
Salina High Banks Speedway track official Jake Kelley from Glenpool, OK monitors the qualifying laps and acts as “traffic cop” for racers entering and leaving the race track.
A midget car drives past race fans on the way to the track at I-44 Speedway in Oklahoma City.
A midget car drives past race fans on the way to the track at I-44 Speedway in Oklahoma City.
Fans watch from the stands as the cars race around the dirt track at I-44 Speedway in south Oklahoma City.
Fans watch from the stands as the cars race around the dirt track at I-44 Speedway in south Oklahoma City.
A teenage race car driver with his mother awaits track time at I-44 Speedway in south Oklahoma City.
A teenage race car driver with his mother awaits track time at I-44 Speedway in south Oklahoma City.
A midget driver waits for their turn on the track at I-44 Speedway.
A midget driver waits for their turn on the track at I-44 Speedway.

Dirt track car racing at I-44 Speedway in SW OKC Dirt track car racing at I-44 Speedway in SW OKC Dirt track racing at Salina High Banks speedway in Salina, OK

After each feature race, the top three cars must pull into the tech inspection area to be looked over by inspectors who make sure the car meets the rules for that class.
After each feature race, the top three cars must pull into the tech inspection area to be looked over by inspectors who make sure the car meets the rules for that class.
Race car driver Bryce Leifheit from Verdigris discusses strategy with his father prior to his upcoming race at Salina High Banks Speedway.
Race car driver Bryce Leifheit from Verdigris discusses strategy with his father prior to his upcoming race at Salina High Banks Speedway.

Dirt track car racing at I-44 Speedway in SW OKC Dirt track racing at Salina High Banks speedway in Salina, OK

Jacob Lucas (red) and his brother Jeremy Lucas (blue) in front of Jacob's race car at Salina High Banks Speedway.
Jacob Lucas (red) and his brother Jeremy Lucas (blue) in front of Jacob’s race car at Salina High Banks Speedway.

Dirt track racing at Salina High Banks speedway in Salina, OK

Subjects

4x5 film 4x5x365 agriculture Amazon Web Services bicycle Bill Dragoo BMW Brass Ball Bobbers combine Darwin Motorcycles dirt bike drag racing Edmond El Reno film Fortinet Guthrie Ilford Delta 100 Ilford Delta Pro 100 Ilford HP5 Jeep John Deere Kawasaki Kay Pratt Kodak TMAX-100 Lexington Micha Young motorcycle New Mexico Nikon Norman Conquest Oklahoma Oklahoma City Oklahoma Living Oklahoma Living Magazine Oklahoma Today Ride Oklahoma South Canadian River Thunder Valley Raceway Tombo Racing Tommy Bolton Toyo 45A Toyo VX-125 wheat harvest Wrangler

About James Pratt

I am an Oklahoma based writer, commercial photographer, editorial photographer and adventurer based in Oklahoma City. I love telling stories about people. A motorcycle is my preferred means of travel, and I have over 5,000 hours piloting small airplanes. My editorial photography has been published in hundreds of magazines and my commercial photography has been used by dozens of companies worldwide.

Comments

Leave a Reply

Location

My Workouts this Week

Subjects

4x5 film 4x5x365 agriculture Amazon Web Services bicycle Bill Dragoo BMW Brass Ball Bobbers combine Darwin Motorcycles dirt bike drag racing Edmond El Reno film Fortinet Guthrie Ilford Delta 100 Ilford Delta Pro 100 Ilford HP5 Jeep John Deere Kawasaki Kay Pratt Kodak TMAX-100 Lexington Micha Young motorcycle New Mexico Nikon Norman Conquest Oklahoma Oklahoma City Oklahoma Living Oklahoma Living Magazine Oklahoma Today Ride Oklahoma South Canadian River Thunder Valley Raceway Tombo Racing Tommy Bolton Toyo 45A Toyo VX-125 wheat harvest Wrangler
%d bloggers like this: