Pro for a Day: The Formula DRIFT Photography Experience

For the past five years, I’ve attended my local Formula DRIFT round with a special credential: the Photography Experience. Originally, the selling point was simple: Larry Chen was the guide. That was THE instant sell. The experience offered unmatched track access, putting us in spots off-limits even to accredited FD media.

I’ll never forget my first year. It was a 95°F mess. Required to wear long pants, I arrived at 8:00am, only to wait around until late afternoon for our designated track time. Sitting in my own sweat all day, I swore it would be my first and last time doing this. When I got home, I loaded the photos onto my computer and saw what I’d captured. I was hooked.

Over the years, the Photography Experience became an annual reunion for a few of us. While Larry’s commitments to the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb eventually kept him from returning, every replacement guide has been an incredible talent, always eager to help. Larry’s absence even spawned a running joke: every new guide introduces themselves by immediately apologizing for not being Larry Chen. The FD staff and drivers also piled on by occasionally yelling at our guide, “Hey, you’re not Larry Chen!”

This year’s guide was Yogi, who also led us in 2025. He remembered me from the previous event, which made catching up easy. Another subtle inside joke – one I’m not sure the rest of our group even realizes – is that staff and drivers view us as ‘ducklings’ following our ‘mama duck’ guide. Now and then, I’ll hear a faint“quack” from the sidelines as we march past.

The 2026 Formula DRIFT season brought a massive shift for me. My local event moved from its long-time home at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, NJ, to Stafford Motor Speedway in Stafford Springs, CT.

In New Jersey, I knew every sightline and how the cars slid through the figure-eight layout. This year, Stafford Springs felt like year one in sweaty pants again.

Instead of being right on top of the action, we were positioned farther back along a sweeping, spread-out ‘S’ curve. Finding clean angles and timing the transitions took some readjusting. But as our 90-minute session progressed, I got into a groove. It might not be my absolute best portfolio work, but I came away with shots I’m proud of.

Making new friends, refining my craft, and walking away with killer photos keeps me coming back. Breaking out of my comfortable routine at a new venue pushed me to adapt, and as long as Formula DRIFT keeps offering the Photography Experience, I’ll keep showing up to play pro for a day – even if Larry is still at Pikes Peak.