The Solar Eclipse at Turn 2 Suite

Candid photos are always the best. It’s easy to stage a happy photo for social media, to get the best angle, to put on a front to appear happy and welcoming to the public. This photo speaks volumes about what unfolded during our Solar Eclipse Event. 

As the Executive Director, I often don’t get to take a moment to enjoy the day and experience the moment with everyone. I am so concerned with ensuring everything is running smoothly so everyone else has a great experience. During our Solar Eclipse event, I could not have planned for a better day. We had the MOST perfect weather for early April to experience at IMS. This photo, taken by Annalynn Houk, captures the pure joy of the day and speaks to me every time I look at it. We had no idea she even took this photo out of her phone. We were so enthralled in our conversation, and quite frankly, I don’t remember exactly what we were laughing at. Our conversation was filled with laughter at many points; it could have been taken at any of them.

The ability to build relationships with the people I meet and support in our mission is my highest priority. This photo captured the absolute joy that I take in just learning who these amazing humans are. I am most proud of our Ambassadors they are some of the most genuine, kind, compassionate, trustworthy, and capable individuals. Most of them thank me for the work that I do, but in reality, I am blessed beyond measure to share this life with them. I am always grateful to catch up with our old friends and welcome new ones into the foundation.

The other important point to note in this photo is we don’t care how young or old you are. Age is only a number. We truly enjoy having everyone in our suite and at our events. The ages in this photo are 19-77. Where else can you go with that age range and have this experience? Beaver may look like he is sitting over there just watching the track, but I could not imagine this suite without him and his never-ending shenanigans. He is always there to enjoy the beautiful day at the track, share his thoughts, and support our drivers. We can always count on joining the conversations and enjoying his lunch in this spot by the track. 

According to the Nashville Film Institute (nfi.edu), the definition of candid photography is “A genre of photography that spontaneously captures the organic, genuine, and unposed moments of a subject.” This photo wasn’t taken with the most expensive camera; many professionals would say it is not a good photo. It is the best photo to represent how much we enjoy each other and what we do. Because of that, this photo is nothing short of a perfect representation of the day.