Photographer Megan Green is known for her spectacular shots of cars and car culture. Recently, Megan sent Gaywheels three sets of her work, the first of which debuted last Friday. Here’s a series she calls “Lebanon Valley”, along with a note from the artist.

Any petrolhead will be able to appreciate the artistry behind these photos and they may even like the snaps to the degree that they’d want a print of one to display in their home – perhaps in their garage or man cave! Take a look at Bumblejax.com to see how you can get such prints specially made and sent to you. I know plenty of people whose homes have a strong yet tasteful motoring theme, extending to their home decor!

You can see more of Megan’s work at MeganGreenPhotographer.com.

The “Lebanon Valley” series is one of my more personal series because it involves family and memory. When I was a kid, my sister and I were occasionally allowed to go with my cousins and uncles to the races there. One uncle had started racing cars at 16, and worked on a pit crew for a friend’s car.

My first camera was a Kodak Instamatic, and I would sit in the stands with my father watching the cars and carefully frame my photos, believing in my naive eight-year-old-heart that my picture was special and it would look like a pro shot of a racing car, not a crappy snapshot with the chain link fence between me and the blurry car. One time, we stopped by the drivers’ garage, and the race car was outside on the trailer. I stood there with my Mom squirming, wishing I had my Instamatic with me so I could take photos of the stock car.

These days, I drive up toward the Berkshires and head to the races with my uncle, now an unofficial mayor of the pit. Stock cars — Pro, Pure, and Modified Big Blocks — race on a half-mile, banked clay track every Saturday night from April to September.

Car numbers and teams are handed down from father to son or daughter at regional tracks like Lebanon Valley. The pit teems with a temporary city — camaraderie, competition, families, friends, enemies, and lots of dirt. I will be shooting there much more in the summer of 2013, with the hope of eventually turning this series into a book.