IndyCar

IRL: Team Penske Pit Notes 2003-02-03

Marlboro Team Penske was at California Speedway last week for their annual "closed track" photo shoot in which they create and capture the racing images for their 2003 marketing and public relations campaigns. Vic Huber, renowned automotive and ...

Edited: Mar 27, 2008, 5:32 AM

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Marlboro Team Penske was at California Speedway last week for their annual "closed track" photo shoot in which they create and capture the racing images for their 2003 marketing and public relations campaigns. Vic Huber, renowned automotive and racing photographer, chose Fontana as the location for the shoot as it is close to his Irvine, CA studios.

The intense three-day shoot involves five days of pre- and post-production planning, more than 60 hours of track and studio time and more than 15 crew members (not including race team and crew) all working together to produce more than 10,000 images.

Huber incorporates some complicated shooting techniques to bring out the intensity of the action in the photos. The cars are photographed on the track from a specially fitted vehicle built with booms and platforms that allow the cameras to hang literally inches from the cars wheels. Cameras are also mounted on the racecar and are controlled remotely by Huber. Marlboro Team Penske drivers Gil de Ferran and Helio Castroneves and crew are on site to take the cars into action. At speeds of about 40-50 mph, quite a difference from their normal 200+ speeds, the end result is shots that feel as if the car is moving three times as fast. Overhead "Cherry Pickers" are also assembled for catching the pit stop action. This perspective allows the photographer to capture the entire team in a fully involved task and convey the frenzy of the pit action.

"By closing the track for our shoot and creating a racing environment, we have a great opportunity to get shots that we wouldn't normally get during a test or race weekend," said Hugh Dever, Associate Brand Manager, Marlboro, Philip Morris, USA, Inc.

For the first time this year, Marlboro Team Penske brought their Dallara/Toyota into Huber's studio. On the third day, Huber shot the cars in "a peaceful setting with a controlled lighting environment, allowing him to bring the beauty of the cars to life."

The end results are the speed-inspired and beautifully lit photos that will be seen in the Marlboro Team Penske media guide, as Marlboro Team Penske track signage and in race program advertisements.

HELIO CASTRONEVES IN BRAZIL FOR FASHION WEEK

Last week Marlboro Team Penske driver and native Brazilian Helio Castroneves made the circuit with Brazilian media at the Winter 2003 São Paulo Fashion Week. Castroneves attended the ELLUS fashion parade with Brazilian model Isabella Fiorentino on his arm. Photographed in the latest Hugo Boss fashions, his celebrity as back-to-back winner of the Indianapolis 500, made him a favorite with his native press.

While in town, he also made an appearance on GNT Fashion with Lilian Pacce where he spoke about his racing career and upcoming Indy Racing League (IRL) IndyCar Series season. By week's end Castroneves had been featured in O Estado de São Paulo and Jornal da Tarde, two national Brazilian newspapers and Caras and Quem, two popular Brazilian magazines.

MARLBORO TEAM PENSKE - A SEASON BY THE NUMBERS

As the 16-race, eight-month 2003 IRL IndyCar Series season gets closer, Marlboro Team Penske has begun planning and organizing all of the equipment they will need to run a successful two-car campaign this year.

Beginning with the Test in the West at California Speedway on February 3rd & 4th and at Phoenix International Raceway February 6th & 7th, Marlboro Team Penske will have used the following resources before the checkered flag drops at the season-finale at Texas Motor Speedway on October 12: <pre> 5 Complete Race Car Paint Jobs Per Car 6.8 Tons of Laundry 180 Hours Spent in the Wind Tunnel 250 Sets of Car Springs 300 Sets of Gears Used 600 Gallons of Water Consumed 900 Quarts of Mobil 1 Oil 1,584 Firestone Tires 2,500 Miles Run on Engine Dynamometer 3,500 Hours to Paint Race Cars 3,600 Decals Ordered 4,000 Pieces of Team Apparel 7,500 Testing Miles 80,000 Feet of Paint Shop Making Tape 165,000 Transporter Miles 1,283,474 Total Airline Miles

-mtp-

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