Trax 2012 - Beyond The Blue Oval
Posted: 12th September 2012 | Author: @AdrianFRST | Photography: @AdrianFRST

Aasbø Drift
TRAX is I guess what you might call a sister show to Ford Fair. It’s organised by the same company - Future Publishing, and takes place at the same location - Silverstone.
Driving down the same route and parking in the same car park, my sense of déjà vu only persisted until I got over the first bridge to be greeted by a sea of different makes.
We’ve already covered the important bit - the Fords, so let’s take a look at everything else beyond our favourite badge.
Image Info
- Camera
- Canon EOS 5D Mark III
- Lens
- Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM + 2x
- Focal Length
- 400.0 mm
- Aperture
- f/6.3
- Shutter Speed
- 1/80 sec
- ISO
- 160

Fredrick Aasbø and Rod Chong
My first move after arriving at the show was to make a beeline for the Speedhunters stand, which unsurprisingly was packed. Making my media bib very obvious I managed to position myself at the front where I found head honcho Rod Chong and Norwegian drifter (that’s drifter as in drift driver rather than the nomadic sense) Frederick Aasbø signing autographs.
Image Info
- Camera
- Canon EOS 5D Mark III
- Lens
- Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM
- Focal Length
- 50.0 mm
- Aperture
- f/2
- Shutter Speed
- 1/320 sec
- ISO
- 100

Speedhunters Book
This impressive looking slab of the finest coffee table literature is a book Speedhunters have put together documenting a year of car culture. Actually to call it literature is a misnomer as it’s predominantly photos - over 700 of them.
Image Info
- Camera
- Canon EOS 5D Mark III
- Lens
- Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM
- Focal Length
- 50.0 mm
- Aperture
- f/2
- Shutter Speed
- 1/1000 sec
- ISO
- 100

309 Cosworth
Looking like it was straight out of 1992, probably because it pretty much was straight out of of 1992. This ex-Thundersaloon Peugeot 309 has, I think, a Cosworth engine. I can’t find much information on it and I didn’t think to glance into the engine bay when I saw it.
Image Info
- Camera
- Canon EOS 5D Mark III
- Lens
- Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM
- Focal Length
- 50.0 mm
- Aperture
- f/2
- Shutter Speed
- 1/50 sec
- ISO
- 100

309 Cosworth On Track
It was doing the business on track though. So it looks like whatever repairs were being done above paid off.
Image Info
- Camera
- Canon EOS 5D Mark III
- Lens
- Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM
- Focal Length
- 200.0 mm
- Aperture
- f/7.1
- Shutter Speed
- 1/80 sec
- ISO
- 100

Gymkana Grid
Gymkhana is a modern interpretation of Autocross, as envisaged by a guy called Ken Block (who you may have heard of). Whereas Autocross is designed for low power but nimble cars, Gymkana is intended for cars with plenty of power. Of course if your car is both powerful and extremely light like this one, you’re laughing.
Image Info
- Camera
- Canon EOS 5D Mark III
- Lens
- Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM
- Focal Length
- 90.0 mm
- Aperture
- f/2.8
- Shutter Speed
- 1/800 sec
- ISO
- 100

Monster Energy Girls
It’s very difficult to write a caption for this photo without being sexist so I’ll just say that the bigger the budget, the better the quality of talent that can be acquired, and Monster Energy are not short of a bob or two. Whatever your opinion on promo girls, there’s no denying that some people definitely enjoy their company!
Image Info
- Camera
- Canon EOS 5D Mark III
- Lens
- Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM
- Focal Length
- 70.0 mm
- Aperture
- f/2.8
- Shutter Speed
- 1/20 sec
- ISO
- 100

Nissan 370z
Pro drivers were offering passenger rides in these Nissan 370s, you paid up, strapped a helmet on and waited to be signalled onto the track where…
Image Info
- Camera
- Canon EOS 5D Mark III
- Lens
- Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM
- Focal Length
- 102.0 mm
- Aperture
- f/2.8
- Shutter Speed
- 1/1600 sec
- ISO
- 100

Tail Happy 370z
…the aforementioned driver would light up the rear tyres around every corner. Cue massive smiles, smoke inhalation and a large bill for new rubber every couple of laps.
Image Info
- Camera
- Canon EOS 5D Mark III
- Lens
- Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM
- Focal Length
- 200.0 mm
- Aperture
- f/11
- Shutter Speed
- 1/80 sec
- ISO
- 100

Martyn Ashton Bunnyhop
It’s not just cars at Trax. MTB Trials legend Martyn Ashton was busting some moves in the Animal / WD40 demo area. He made it look easy, which I guess when you’ve done it as much and for so long as Martyn has, it may well be.
Image Info
- Camera
- Canon EOS 5D Mark III
- Lens
- Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM
- Focal Length
- 102.0 mm
- Aperture
- f/2.8
- Shutter Speed
- 1/2500 sec
- ISO
- 100

Toyota Hilux Invincible
As a kid I always wanted a Toyota Hi-Lux. From Baywatch to Tamiya RC trucks they always seemed like the coolest thing on four wheels. I’ve still got a bit of a soft spot for them now, although I’d imagine when you’re used to hot hatches they probably don’t drive too well.
I didn’t know what this was when I took the photo and had to resort to looking up the reg plate. They’ve certainly changed a lot since the RN36 of the 1980s.
Image Info
- Camera
- Canon EOS 5D Mark III
- Lens
- Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS
- Focal Length
- 28.0 mm
- Aperture
- f/4
- Shutter Speed
- 1/200 sec
- ISO
- 100

Race Of The Photographers
For snappers wanting to access the inner corners - where the best locations for photos are - they need to wait for the track to go “cold”. Either that or have the foresight to ask a marshall if there’s another way to get there, which it turns out following the fence and climbing on top of the wall will do.
Lacking in foresight but good at eavesdropping I followed a couple of guys round which explains how I was able to get this shot.
Image Info
- Camera
- Canon EOS 5D Mark III
- Lens
- Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM
- Focal Length
- 200.0 mm
- Aperture
- f/2.8
- Shutter Speed
- 1/500 sec
- ISO
- 100

Steve Biagioni Impreza
Taking place on the track was the qualifying for the peniltimate round of the British Drift Championship. Some seriously impressive skills in some serious cars but the standout, both in metal and mental had to be…
Image Info
- Camera
- Canon EOS 5D Mark III
- Lens
- Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM
- Focal Length
- 200.0 mm
- Aperture
- f/7.1
- Shutter Speed
- 1/80 sec
- ISO
- 100

Fredrick Aasbø Toyota GT86
…Frederick Aasbo’s Toyota GT86. Built in his garage at home with assistance from 15 friends, it was put together in just 37 days.
The car features a Toyota Supra 2JZ-GTE engine swap putting out around 600hp, wide track with Rocket Bunny arch extensions and a rear mounted radiator setup.
I was determined to get a good action shot of this car and I’m pretty happy with how this one turned out.
Image Info
- Camera
- Canon EOS 5D Mark III
- Lens
- Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM
- Focal Length
- 200.0 mm
- Aperture
- f/8
- Shutter Speed
- 1/80 sec
- ISO
- 100

On The Roof
Sometimes to get the upper hand on rival photographers you have to go the extra mile, even if that means climbing up a ladder and through a trapdoor onto the roof. Here’s snapper Jonathan Moore doing just that.
Image Info
- Camera
- Canon EOS 5D Mark III
- Lens
- Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM + 2x
- Focal Length
- 400.0 mm
- Aperture
- f/5.6
- Shutter Speed
- 1/200 sec
- ISO
- 100

400mm & Monopod
Some setups just make a guy feel inadequate. Here’s Speedhunters’ Larry Chen with a camo-wrapped 400mm lens so hefty it needs a leg to stand on. They don’t call them Canons for nothing.
This was the last shot I got before my battery died but with over 1500 shots in the camera I was just about done anyhow. Time to surrender my bib and head for home.
Image Info
- Camera
- Canon EOS 5D Mark III
- Lens
- Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM
- Focal Length
- 200.0 mm
- Aperture
- f/2.8
- Shutter Speed
- 1/250 sec
- ISO
- 100
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