We really are in the midst of what is increasingly looking like another incredible season of motorsport. When there are amazing events on each weekend, it’s often all so easy to become overwhelmed by events and not truly appreciate what we are very fortunate to be part of. 

I love motorsport. Regardless of the package or presentation, I can’t think of anything else I’d rather do on a weekend than photograph some cars from the side of a track.

There are types of people involved in motorsport who just only ever seem to talk about the numbers and the details. There is nothing wrong with this of course but sometimes I wonder are they missing the bigger picture. 

I’ve always loved motorsport for the atmosphere and the experience. I may not be able to tell you who won Le Mans in 1972 or what the chassis number of that particular car was and where it is now but I’m more than aware of how incredible that period of Le Mans history is and I’m aware of just how important events like Le Mans are.

I’ve been quite spoilt recently shooting the GT1 & GT3 series at Silverstone. It’s quite an experience shooting at the pinnacle of tin top racers but it’s important not to forget your roots.

A couple of weeks before the GT1 World Championship at Silverstone, I ventured up north to shoot the seventh and eight rounds of the 2011 Irish Touring Car Championships. Just outside Belfast, there is a small racing circuit called Kirkistown which bills itself as Ireland’s fastest racing track.

That it may well be (I overheard that the Formula Libre cars were clocking over 175MPH on the start / finish straight) but I don’t think you could find a race circuit further away from what Silverstone has become.

Where the likes of Silverstone boasts state of the art pit and paddock facilities, along with a world class media centre, Kirkistown has a small clubhouse, a control tower and not much else.

Although they share a similar history – they were both active airfields which opened before or during WWII – it’s incredible to see the differences between the two today.

Thankfully however, the beauty of a racing circuit isn’t in its pit buildings or medical centres – it’s what happens on that black strip of tar that carves its way around the immediate lands.

Regardless if your racing in a world championship or clubman event, racing is racing. The attitude and desire to win is often the same.

So, arriving at a windy, cold and occasionally wet circuit I was reminded of the importance of clubman level racing. 

Men – and women in other classes – taking time out of their own lives, with money from their own pockets to travel and race each other. Not out of neccessity but because they want to.

On track – they'll give it their everything. This particular all Honda battle in the Touring class was some of the best racing I've ever seen in person. For the full length of the race, this VTEC train was bumper to bumper at maximum attack. More importantly, it was clean racing.

The fact that these guys push each other so hard, then rush back to the pits after the race to swap stories and their own experiences is really such an incredible thing to be a part of.

Worst of enemies on track, best of friends off it. It's surely the ideal for any motorsport scenario ?

Motorsport is very, very rarely as glamorous as it looks. Save for the Monaco F1 event maybe (if I ever shoot this, I'll be sure to let you know) most, if not all motorsport events are dirty, physical and exhausting affairs.

But no matter what the event, no matter how big or small, winning is winning and the feeling that comes with it will always be the same.

Folks, if there is one thing you do this year – get out their and support your local motorsport scene in whatever way you can. Without grassroots motorsport, there is no motorsport.

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Paddy McGrath

Official Event Report on ITCC.ie