Zapata Racing Presents – Vintage Racing Today (2012), Directed by Ben Cissell, produced by V. Carl George, David Conrad, Bob Yeager, and Ben Cissell, 96 minutes.

For the month of October, I’ve chosen to highlight the documentary film ‘Vintage Racing Today’. Thanks to filmmaker Ben Cissell, we get to experience the spirit and excitement of the vintage racing world as he follows the Zapata Racing Team of Nashville. The film includes historic footage of the team as they have evolved over the years, through the 2012 vintage racing season. It also takes us on a tour of the paddock to see the inner workings of a typical racing event, along with the people who make up this unique world of speed enthusiasts.

We, the viewers get to come along as they travel to classic racetracks such as Road Atlanta, Road America, Lime Rock, VIR (Virginia International Raceway), Sebring, Watkins Glen, Mid-Ohio, Pittsburgh/Schenley Park, Grattan Raceway, and Roebling Road. Director/producer Ben Cissell very effectively documents the fun, laid-back yet competitive atmosphere of vintage auto racing. We even get to take a ride behind the wheel with frequent in-car camera footage. Buckle up! The film captures everything I like about being around the vintage racing community.

As a kid, I thought I would one day follow the IndyCar or Formula One circuit, photographing races around the world. But later, even with a commercial photography degree, life and reality dictated the various employment opportunities I pursued. Though I still attended races as a fan, that idea never died. Then, in 2008, while attending an IndyCar race at Mid-Ohio, I shared my thoughts with my cousin about my longtime dream of being a racing photographer. He said, “Why not start now?” So, on the drive back home to Maryland that weekend, I developed a plan to build a portfolio that would enable me to be considered by one of the vintage racing publications. Once I felt I was ready, I approached Victory Lane Magazine in early 2012, and we agreed to meet at the Sebring 12-hour endurance race in March. I had already planned to attend the race, where SVRA served as a support series. I met my point of contact; we hit it off from the start, and the rest is history. I’ve been covering vintage racing events ever since.

My schedule is less busy these days, but I still attend one or two race weekends a year. The atmosphere and the collegial spirit of the competitors are what brings me back all the time. Once I started photographing for Victory Lane, I was asked whether I enjoyed writing and would I be interested in writing the race weekend reviews. Having been a federal background investigator at the time, with extensive experience writing reports, I found the transition to race weekend reviews to be seamless. The process is familiar: gather the facts, interview key players for a few quotes, and weave everything into a chronological summary of the weekend. As the years have gone by, I find that I enjoy the writing more than the photography. I enjoy sitting in the air-conditioned comfort of the press and scoring booth, lap-charting the races. It’s much easier on the knees. 🙂

I hope you enjoy this film. Vintage racing is a great community of like-minded souls, all having a great time. And finally, here are a few photos from 2009–2011, when I was building my portfolio and getting started in vintage racing photography.

TJ…2026