A View from the Pit and Paddock [Pic of the Month]
Each month our team at The Henry Ford chooses a collection of photographs to showcase for the Pic of The Month. This guest post is from Pete Kalinski, Archivist for The Henry Ford on photographer Dave Friedman.
During the 1950s and 1960s, American automobile racing underwent a radical transformation, evolving from a sport of weekend racers in their home-built hot rods and dragsters, to professional teams driving powerful racecars in competitions all over the world.
Photographer Dave Friedman had a front row seat on the action during this important transition, capturing the excitement, the grit and the glamour–and creating some of the most iconic images of American motor sports of that era.
In 1962, 23-year-old Friedman was hired as staff photographer for Shelby-American Inc., the racing design and construction shop owned by former driver Carroll Shelby. Here, Friedman had the unique opportunity to document the development of one of racing’s iconic cars, the Shelby Cobra. (Click here to hear legendary racecar driver and builder Carroll Shelby talk about building this car and about his career). In 1966 and 1967, Friedman was hired by Ford Motor Company to document the company’s racing program. Friedman captured the final development of the first American-designed and built racecars that dominated the grueling 24-Hours of Le Mans race between 1966 and 1969. After moving into the film industry, Friedman continued to pursue his passion for motor sports into the 1990s, when he refocused his lens on a different art form – classical ballet.
See additional pictures and read more on David Friedman on Pic Of The Month.
