Some track photographers prefer to stick behind their viewfinder, while others, such as Steve D Sabo, take a more prominent role. You can find Sabo doing whatever it takes to see his home track of Grandview Speedway prosper, including putting up additional money for the purse.
The Bechtelsville, Pennsylvania, dirt oval holds a special place in Sabo’s heart. He grew up going there.
“I went from a fan to a photographer, and I am grateful,” Sabo, of Macungie, Pennsylvania, said. “I couldn’t believe it when the track asked me to fill the role of Chris Budihas, who did the job before me.”
When not at the races, Sabo works as a data coordinator at a local hospital.
“Grandview Speedway is my great escape,” said Sabo. “Everyone who works a 9-to-5 job, Monday through Friday, needs a getaway. My 9-to-5 pays the bills. Being a track photographer is a break from the reality of everyday life.”
However, don’t view the photographer gig as a vacation. It’s more like a labor of love.
“All week long our family puts in the hours needed for me to be track photographer,” Sabo said. “People do not understand the work that has to be put in. Being a track photographer is just like being a race car owner. You don’t just show up on Saturday night. There are batteries to charge, cameras to be cleaned. Photos, stickers, and pins have to be made. The fans tell us the week before what items they want, and we have to have those items, as well as replenish our stock week after week.”
You can find Sabo’s family surrounding him at the races. His father, Stephen, aka Poppa Pepper, shoots photography, too. Sabo’s wife, Sandy, works the photography stand. Their 11-year-old daughter, Abby, helps in the stand, too, and also serves as Little Miss Grandview Speedway this year.
Sabo’s connection to the track go beyond photography. Recently, he put up $400 to the winner of the Firecracker 40 sportsman race.
“I felt I had to give back to the sportsman drivers,” said Sabo. “They are a subdivision to the modifieds, and the drivers do not get the big payout the modifieds do.”
His spirit of generosity caught on to others.
“People started reaching out to contribute to the purse,” Sabo said. “Fans and teams chipped in. It was fun to see the enthusiasm and appreciation it generated. It made me feel that I wish I could give more back to the drivers.”
Ultimately, appreciation goes both ways, and racers appreciate the Sabo and his efforts to promote Grandview Speedway through his photography and beyond.
“They especially like when I grab candid photos of them working on the cars, in the pits,” said Sabo. “You can get action shots all the time, but the candids make the difference. We even had a photo of the water truck at work. The fans went nuts for it — people enjoy every aspect of the track.”
While Steve D Sabo also photographs races at other tracks, Grandview Speedway remains his home.
“I know I am not going anywhere else when Grandview Speedway is running,” Sabo said. “I love it — I don’t want to be anywhere else.”
The Outside Groove Director of Photography has written hundreds of stories since the website’s inception. This year marks his 54th year of covering auto racing. Adaskaveg got his start working for track photographer Lloyd Burnham at Connecticut’s Stafford Motor Speedway in 1970. Since then, he’s been a columnist, writer, and photographer, in racing and in mainstream media, for several outlets, including the Journal Inquirer, Boston Herald, Stock Car Racing, and Speedway Illustrated. Among Adaskaveg’s many awards are the 1992 Eastern Motorsport Press Association (EMPA) Ace Lane Photographer of the Year and the 2019 National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) George Cunningham Writer of the Year.
