Night Under Fire 2013 NHRA Drag Racing

August 31, 2013

NHRA Drag Race Car NUF-2013-291

Every year the Summit Motorsports Park, an NHRA drag racing facility, has a 24 hour event called Night Under Fire. Located in Norwalk, OH the race track is owned and operated by the Bader family who started the facility 50 years ago this year. Each year towards the end of the racing season they bring out all the big names in racing, along with exciting acts, music and of course fireworks, in recognition of all the fans and racers that patron their facility. This year they had 40,000 fans in the stadium, and they were almost as loud as the cars.

My friend Mike Davis, of Moto Lens Photography, is the Summit's official track photographer. Each year he hand selects photographers to photograph the event. I have been fortunate enough to be selected the past three years. It is a long couple of days, but in the end, the images that we get are worth it. The fans, and racers appreciate the work that we do and always stop and tell us that. It is nice being told that your efforts are appreciated!

Below are some of my favorites from the event.

Now that is the way to get around!

photograph of young mechanic helping his father

Daddy's little helper!

Photograph of racing car owners RV NUF 2013-1724

This is the way that Larry "Spiderman" McBride sets up when he is at the track, wow what a spread it was!

NUF-2013-001 This is the starting line, it is where everything is on the line!

photograph of the 1970 NUF-2013-147 These are the ladies that help position the cars on the track for their final runs, in 1970's uniforms.

The Night Under Fire really is an event that they take very seriously at the Summit Motorsport track. Below you can see their desire to present a first class show. All the track personnel wear tuxedos, especially the owner.

photograph of the track official in a tuxedo

Track staff looking good!

photograph of owner Bill Bader in a tuxedo

Owner Bill Bader in his NUF "uniform"

All day long the track races cars, as it normally does, just a lot more of them. When it starts getting dark, later in the evening, the the festivities begin. They start with a "Parade of Cars" which showcases the more prominent cars and drivers. They all drive side by side down the track and every now and again Bill Bader stops a driver to speak with them.

NUF-2013-174	NUF-2013-179
NUF-2013-181	NUF-2013-182
NUF-2013-183	NUF-2013-184
NUF-2013-185	NUF-2013-189 These two 13 year old girls were the two champions of their class.
NUF-2013-203 Larry "Spiderman" McBride	NUF-2013-210
NUF-2013-213	NUF-2013-216
NUF-2013-220 Jill Canuso in her Queen of Diamonds II Jet powered dragster.	NUF 2013-1583 Bob Motz and his 200 MPH Jet powered Kenworth

One of the big names of the event is John Force, 15 time Nitro Funny Car Champion. The first time I met John was the first year I photographed the Night Under Fire. I was assigned to photograph the autograph session, and he was there along with the other celebrity racers. Later that night he stopped by the photography trailer to look at the images taken of him and his friends and I happened to be the only one there. We chatted for a while, longer then just polite conversation would dictate. I really did not know who he was, but he came across to me as a very nice, sincerely interested person. We talked about this and that, nothing in particular, I really could not talk about racing, as I knew very little about it, but he kept talking to me anyway. After he left some of the other photographers came in and I told them about my conversation, and they all said: "Do you know who that was?!" I said; "not really, just one of the racers from the autograph session." They all shouted back: "That was John Force, he is the biggest racer there is!" "Really" I said, I did not know that. Maybe that is why he stayed so long to chat with me, because I was not star struck with him and he knew it, maybe he just wanted to have a normal conversation for once. Anyway, I now know who John Force is, and I am a fan of his for several reasons.

John Force himself!

The specially painted car for the event, that John drove

After the parade Chris Morena did some two wheeled stunts, I have no idea how they can drive on two wheels for so long, they went the entire length of the track, 1,000 feet!

photograph of stunt truck on ramp on two wheels

photograph of truck on two wheels and stunt man on top

Stuntman Chris Morena waving to the crowd

Photograph of large American Flag from underneith NUF 2013-1620

How patriotic is that, a 50 yard American Flag!

Then the racing started:

NUF-2013-242	NUF 2013-1635
NUF 2013-1639	NUF 2013-1647
NUF 2013-1699	NUF-2013-291
NUF-2013-296	NUF 2013-1723
NUF-2013-307 Jill Canuso and her Jet powerd Queen of Hearts II car. She is from Potstown, PA where my Uncle Stan is from.	NUF-2013-317 My friend Joe Miller ducking as the Jet powered card flys by, those flames are really hot. [Note that my other friend Rachel Speir is NOT ducking out of the way.]
NUF-2013-322 That's 282 mph in 5.58 seconds!!	NUF-2013-327 That is one hot Jet Kenworth driven by Bo Motz.
NUF 2013-1733 Notice the camera person running for safety!	NUF-2013-434 John Force riding to the applause of the crowd.
NUF-2013-263 Larry "Spiderman" McBride on his supercyle	NUF-2013-270 He went 220 mph in 5.88 seconds!
NUF 2013-1408-2 I wonder what would happen if they did not have those wheely bars.	NUF 2013-1502-2 My good friends Rob Miller photographing John Force (right) edging out the other racer (left)
NUF 2013-1559-2	NUF 2013-1611-2

After the big name racing was over, they actually had a wedding! Interestingly enough, I had photographed this couple's engagement session, out on the track, at last year's Night Under Fire, so it came full circle.

photograph of wedding on drag racing track NUF 2013-1343-2

After the wedding, the Pyro acts started. The first was "Benny The Bomb" who started the special events out with a big bang!

NUF-2013-345 The calm before the storm, all looks peaceful...	NUF-2013-346 ...and then the car blows up!
NUF-2013-348	NUF-2013-350
NUF-2013-355 The safety crew reached Benny right away and pulled him out.	NUF-2013-358 ...and Benny The Bomb was unhurt, and at the age of 71!

After Benny The Bomb walked off with a loud roar from the crowd, up next was Bubba Blackwell who jumped 13 cars, then it was Disney stuntman Chris Morena's turn to make his jump. We also had two "Monster Trucks" take their turns at crushing cars.

NUF-2013-370 Bubba Blackwell motorcycle jump	NUF-2013-395 Chris Morena spiral auto jump
NUF-2013-535 Randy Moore	NUF-2013-450 Bigboot

Then it was time for the big finale, it started with burning down "the sign," which is a fan favorite. Bob Motz lended his Jet Kenworth's jet engine to fulfill the crowd's wishes.

photograph of jet car burning down sign NUF 2013-1630-2

The evening was ended with a large firework display.

NUF 2013-1406	NUF 2013-1427 Those fireballs were extremely hot even from where I was standing.
NUF 2013-1516	NUF 2013-1533

It was a long, long day of photographing and as tired as we all were, we had a great time of it. Looking forward to next season's Night Under Fire.

Keywords: car racing