How hard is it to get an IMS press pass?

[carbday]

I know i'm no ron mcqueeny..but as a long time IMS veteran and a rabid race fan,over the years I have taken some very insightful and interesting pics of the cars,the drivers, and the total month of may that I believe are good enough to get published .
I walk around the track every year,and 85% of the people are oblivious to the person that just walked by them is a legend of the indy 500 in some way.

I have taken some obscure pictures at IMS that are good enough to make it into any national publication and just wish (some how) to share them with the rest of the world.

P.S...insighful+ obscure = national publication
P.SS...my snakepit and infield pics are C+B material
any info on how to obtain a press pass would be way helpful !!!

[petersmtrsprts]

chances are slim to none if you have no media affiliation...

youll usually need to have some sort of credentials with a media outlet

[Roadrage]

chances are slim to none if you have no media affiliation...

youll usually need to have some sort of credentials with a media outlet

Exactly. Actually it's NONE. You can buy a garage pass, but that's it.

[a.brewer]

I'll try to help you, if you'll promise to be serious in this and give every day's time of the next several years and all of your energy, plus some of your treasure, to making this dream a reality

First of all, you need to forget about starting out on the very pinnacle of American OWR at the Indy 500

Start small and grow your way to a deserving spot there just like everyone else: drivers, teams, owners--pretty much everybody you see working at the tracks around the country

Find a form of racing you enjoy and inquire with the trackowner how you might safely get some pictures--perhaps as doubling as a corner worker at a go-kart track or being the designated litter picker-upper in the garage area at a bullring

If people see you're serious and willing to dedicate some time and effort (and some money) to getting to actually be on a level with Mr. McQueeney (who is the Godfather of all race photographers) they'll start giving the nod to other track owners, and PR people, and credentials coordinators

It's like everything else: if you work hard and keep your nose to the grindstone eventually someone will notice and all the effort will pay off in a press pass to a place where you're looked upon as a member of the team--not some outsider giving away photographic services for free

[jp]

We'll, I might be able to give you a little more hope. What you need is to be affiliated with a recognized media outlet. Back in the mid-90's, I, like you, decided to try to secure press credentials for the 500. At the time I was working for a small cable company here in the Detroit area. I ran the local production department and along with the high school basketball games and city commission meetings that we covered every week was a daily 5-minute CNN Headline News local insert. We ran live every morning at around 10:00AM, and the same newsbreak was taped and replayed throughout the day. We reported on whatever was going on in the community, mostly pretty lightweight feature stuff. Well, here was my Indy credential angle: It just so happened that Roger Penske lived in our community and he and his wife were well-known around town. Once I decided that I wanted press passes, I contacted the IMS press department out of the blue. They put me in contact with Roger Deppe who I believe ran the credential office at the time. I pitched my story idea: We were to run a piece on local community member Roger Penske's attempt to lead his team to another Indy 500 victory. The story idea was pretty weak, so I imagine it was our affiliation with CNN Headline News that impressed him. He had me submit the idea in writing. A couple weeks later, I received the official request for credentials in the mail, which our GM had to sign. He did, and we managed to get two credentials for the whole month. Penske missed the race that year so I figured for sure the credentials would be revoked. Fortunately, they weren't. I had the time of my life walking the grid on race morning!

Here's the cool part: Once you're in, you're in. I received a request for credentials automatically every year. All I had to do was fill it out and fax it in. I had the hook up for 5 straight years, no questions asked, until I left the company. The press room was the coolest. Lots of free food and drink, and cool freebies, too. Got to see Robin Miller scoffing around plenty of times. The last year we were credentialed was the first year of the new Pagoda. Good times. Our CNN Headline News affiliation got us into MIS and the Detroit Grand Prix too, but neither were nearly as cool as getting the hook-up at IMS.

My suggestion is to be creative and connect with a local paper or tv station. Find out who has the media contacts at the station and work your way in. Work for free, find out who's who. Use their good reputation to get your foot in the door at IMS. Once you get in, let them know who YOU are and work on establishing yourself on your own.

Good luck!

[SeeUinMay]

"Press"........."Press"........."Pull"!!!!



I hope there are other "Stooge" fanatics here that get this!

[Kurt Cobain]

I get it (Stooge references), but let me give the poster some fair warning on this. Don't undercut any photographer because you'll make a lot of enemies right from the start.

People want to get involved in racing any way they can and I've seen some undercut long-time photographers and I've seen some even offer their services for free. Some of these guys make a living as racing photographers. I've even seen some people who think they are PR people take jobs from great PR people by working for less than half of what the real PR people make.

Of course the real pros are out, but then the professionalism goes down as well.

A friend of mine lost his job when some girl who thought she was a PR person said she would do the job for $20,000! Ditto the photographers. And some of these people think they're getting a bargain in all of this.

It's bull.

[gass]

I have taken some obscure pictures at IMS that are good enough to make it into any national publication and just wish (some how) to share them with the rest of the world.

he Indianapolis 500 has created countless memories for generations of race fans, whether it was side-by-side action among Indy legends, a family reunion in the grandstands or being awed by the pageantry of pre-race ceremonies.

Those unforgettable experiences will be featured in a special package of user-submitted content at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's official Web site and in the 2008 Indianapolis 500 Official Program. Indy 500 fans are encouraged to write about their favorite or most memorable experience at "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing" at http://www.indy500.com/talkback/.

Photos also can be posted to accompany written submissions, and fans also are encouraged to post comments about their shared experiences, providing fun interaction among the IMS online community.

A selection of written submissions and photos from fans will be published in the 2008 Indianapolis 500 Official Program that will be sold at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the Month of May and also available at the Brickyard Authentics Retail Store at the Indianapolis International Airport, online at the IMS Online Store at www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com or by calling (800) 955-INDY.

[RobbyMac]

I'd have to agree with Kurt. Thered be more success for the sport if everyone wasnt so busy being fans and actually knew what the heck they were doing and got some work done.

[IPS-Indy]

Heeyyyyyy Rob.

[DannyB]

I got it, SeeU. Thanks for the memory.

[brickyard1911]

How hard is it to get an IMS press pass?



Depends on how big the guy holding it is!

[t-o-double-d]

I see that there is a job opening for a media deli staff for the 500, that would get you in somewhat!


http://www.indianapolismotorspeedway...php?job_id=307

[cleanupcrew]

he Indianapolis 500 has created countless memories for generations of race fans, whether it was side-by-side action among Indy legends, a family reunion in the grandstands or being awed by the pageantry of pre-race ceremonies.

Those unforgettable experiences will be featured in a special package of user-submitted content at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's official Web site and in the 2008 Indianapolis 500 Official Program. Indy 500 fans are encouraged to write about their favorite or most memorable experience at "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing" at http://www.indy500.com/talkback/.

Photos also can be posted to accompany written submissions, and fans also are encouraged to post comments about their shared experiences, providing fun interaction among the IMS online community.

A selection of written submissions and photos from fans will be published in the 2008 Indianapolis 500 Official Program that will be sold at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the Month of May and also available at the Brickyard Authentics Retail Store at the Indianapolis International Airport, online at the IMS Online Store at www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com or by calling (800) 955-INDY.

excellent suggestion gass - great way to get noticed .... I would also suggest a simple note to Ron McQueeney with your history and a small sample of your work ... Ron's a great guy and while he may not be able to accomodate you, you never know ....

[impact]

Your best bet is through a news outlet or a racing paper - preferably, a regional one.

It will be best if you have covered considerable short-track races and have some good shots to show.

Never, and I mean never, take work that you have gotten via your credentials and sell, unless you are specifically asked by a crew member, car owner, etc. At many short tracks, photogs pay for a pit credential. However if you are there on a media freebee, do not walk around trying to sell things. And always give the track anything they ask for, or anything you think they might later use in a program, etc. - gratis.

If you are a long time fan, of circle racing in general, PM me and I will give you some publications that you might have some luck with.

As for working with the Speedway photo department directly, I would say that your chances are slim to none. Those positions are hand picked by McQueeny and unless you are well known by him, his list of wannabes will reach into the next century. If you like to take many different types of photos, not sure you would care to work with him, anyway. He assigns his photogs to specific areas, for the most part.