Michigan Motorsport Photographer at Winchester: Carson Klingelhofer's Run for the Gun 40 Recap
By Biography Photography | Michigan motorsport photography from Winchester 400 weekend
An Ohio modified driver. A racetrack in Indiana. And a motorsport photographer from Michigan. That's the combination that took me to Winchester Speedway on Saturday, October 10 for the Run for the Gun 40, and it's a story I think is worth telling. Carson Klingelhofer, a modified driver from Ohio, hired me to photograph his race on the high banks, and that's the kind of trust I don't take lightly.
Why an Ohio Driver Hiring a Michigan Motorsport Photographer in Indiana Is a Big Deal
Most drivers hire a photographer who's local to their home track, and that makes sense. But racing doesn't stay inside state lines, and neither does great racing photography. When a driver from Ohio is racing at one of the most historic tracks in the Midwest and chooses a Michigan racing photographer to cover it, that says something about how teams are choosing who tells their story.
I won't speak for why Carson made that call, but I can tell you what I try to bring to every team I work with. I show up prepared. I deliver fast. I stay with the team through the long day, not just the feature. And I'll drive wherever the race is. Based in Flushing, Michigan, I work as the track photographer at I-96 Speedway in Lake Odessa and shoot for the Great Lakes Traditional Sprints, but my motorsport photography goes wherever my clients race, whether that's Michigan, Ohio, Indiana or beyond.
If you're a driver or team looking for a motorsport photographer who will travel, this is what that looks like in practice.
What Is the Run for the Gun at Winchester Speedway?
The Run for the Gun is the signature modified race of Winchester 400 weekend. The winner takes home the famous Winchester rifle trophy, and drivers chase it for years. A Michigan driver, Trevor Berry, finally won the rifle in 2025 after many attempts, a reminder of how hard this race is to win. In 2026 it ran as the Run for the Gun 40.
This year's schedule was also unlike any other. With bad weather in the forecast for Sunday, the 55th Winchester 400 was moved to Saturday evening, and the modified, sportsman and street stock programs moved to Saturday afternoon starting at 2:15 PM. Fans and teams got two shows in one day, and the Run for the Gun 40 was the opening act.
Race Day With Carson Klingelhofer
I spent Saturday with the Klingelhofer modified team, shooting the day from the pits to the track. For the Run for the Gun 40, I mounted ride-along POV video so Carson's team and fans can see the high banks of Winchester from the driver's seat.
How the Run for the Gun 40 Played Out
Carson rolled off the grid 18th for the Run for the Gun 40. On a high-banked half-mile like Winchester, that's a tough place to start. Starting that far back means traffic, dirty air and a long list of cars to work around on a track where there isn't much room for error.
By the checkered flag, Carson had gained two spots and finished 16th. On paper, two positions can look small. In a modified feature at Winchester, those two spots are earned lap by lap, one decision at a time, in the middle of the pack where the racing is tightest and mistakes are the most expensive.
What makes the result more interesting is what Carson was dealing with away from the racing itself. Communication between Carson and the team wasn't where anyone wanted it to be. That matters more than most fans realize. A driver relies on information from the crew all race long: where the cars around them are, what's happening up front, how the car looks and what the next restart is going to bring. When that line gets messy, a driver has to lean harder on instinct and trust what the car is telling them. Carson ran well despite it.
That's something every team works through, especially one traveling away from home to race at one of the most historic tracks in the Midwest. It's also a big reason I like being embedded with a team for the whole day. When you spend the day in the pits, you see the full picture: the preparation, the adjustments, the frustration and the moments where it all clicks. The ride-along POV video I mounted for the feature captures the race from Carson's seat, and I think that view tells the story of this race better than any results sheet can.
Sixteenth place won't be the headline of a Winchester 400 weekend story, but a driver who gains positions and finishes on the high banks while working through communication problems has something to build on. Winchester isn't going anywhere, and a result like this is the kind of foundation a team can grow from.
Run for the Gun 40 Results
Carson Klingelhofer: started 18th, finished 16th. For the full official results, see the Run for the Gun 40 results on Race Monitor.
What a Michigan Motorsport Photographer Brings to Your Race Team
Whether you're a modified, late model, sprint car or Super Late Model team, here's what I bring to a race weekend:
Race-day photography of your car, your crew and your driver, from the pits to victory lane
Near-real-time image delivery, so your content is out while the race is still fresh
Ride-along and in-car POV video for social media, sponsors and fans
Travel to any track, including events across Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and the Midwest
My work covers Michigan racing, and I also freelance for MARC News, the Michigan Area Racing Connection, so I'm around the Michigan short track scene all year.
Hire a Michigan Motorsport Photographer
If you want a Michigan motorsport photographer for your next race, whether it's at home or on the road, I'd love to work with you. Biography Photography is built for drivers and teams who want to be seen at their best and don't want to wait for the photos.
Book me for your next race: mike@biojpg.com
See the full gallery from the weekend: Winchester 400 Weekend gallery
Read more about my full weekend at Winchester Speedway as a professional motorsport photographer HERE
Sources for event details: Racing America's coverage of the Winchester 400 schedule change and its report on the 2025 Run for the Gun.
