It’s hard to describe the elation I felt as I came across these small photographs in shoe box while going through some my dad’s old pictures. Though thumbing through the family pics was special, these pics are special in a different way. I had always heard about his trips to Laguna Seca Raceway, made years before I was around. I had heard the stories, finally in my hands was the evidence. Armed with a simple 35mm Pentax, sans any form of telephoto lens, my pops got as close to the action as he could. He taught me at a young age the concept of, “If you act like you are supposed to be somewhere, most people will think you are supposed to be there.” I’ve used this method at numerous race tracks over the years, and have confidently waltzed into numerous track settings designated for specific clearances I didn’t have-thanks for the tip Pops.
Please enjoy these snapshots of Laguna Seca Raceway in 1973. A glimpse of how it once was. Even the grainy photos a reminder of somewhat simpler times. You may recognize a few notable figures, Gary Nixon, Peter Williams and Dick Man for starters. See anyone else you recognize? Post them in the comments below.
Photography: Larry Trench