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Le Mans, France — Imagine that you are a photographer on assignment at Le Mans, having arrived here from one of many locations around the world. Saturday afternoon your camera goes on the frizt. What do you do?If you are using a Nikon camera the answer is easy — call on Nikon Professional Services — known as NPS. NPS offers to professional photographers complimentary repair of equipment (when possible) and the ability for photographers to be able to borrow equipment at major events.

This program, started in the US more than 30 years ago, and copied by many other camera manufacturers who are competiting for users in the professional photography market, is another example of of Nikon’s continuing support of professional photographers around the world.

At Le Mans the service is managed by Nello Zoppe’ (at left) and also staffed by Phillipe Moreau (at right, below), who lists his title as technician, but who is much more than that. He is able to take apart, repair, and put back together a pranged Nikon as well members of the Audi, Puegeot, or Porche teams can repair a pranged race car.

These two Nikon knights in shinning armor have saved the bacon of many photographers and have also helped many with a loan of equipment get shots that perhaps thehy otherwise would not have been able to make.

They do not go to every event — only the most important and Le Mans with what seems like 500 photographers registered, is one of those races.

Photographers around the world say “Merci” to Nello and Philippe and other members of the NPS staff for their service.

Le Mans, France — All that is left now is the waiting for the start of the race at 3 pm today. That is three hoours away and while fans are still waking from the early morning partying, there are a number of pre-race events going on that include the a vintage race and several opportunities for various club enthusiasts to take a lap on the fabled track.

It is all a part of the show to give fans something to do while they are waiting for the race to start and to help them keep warm while the sun plays hide and seek with the clouds and the rain is driven through the crowd by a cool wind.

One of the activities is pictures of everyone and anything of any importance. Cars, teams with cars, and of course a variety of lovely ladies who certainly bring color to the race track (above). At right Frank Biela, of the star Audi drivers, poses with a fan.

There is of course much pomp and circumstance as each sponsor gets his time in the sun — or the rain as the case might be.

Including inthe festivities is introduction virtually anyone who is anyone, the playing of all national anthems of teams who are participating, and presentation of the colors of each country in the race.

During this time the weather continues to tease race crews and fans alike with sunshine and blue sky, grey skies and overcast, and blowing rain. The track with just over an hour to go before the start has nearly dried out from the morning rain and the showers are lessoning.

It is a very nervous time for many who are waiting for the show to start.

Le Mans, France — Race teams, courseworkers, members of the media and fans here awoke to grey skies and rain. The question everyone’s mind is how long will this depression last and will if ultimately affect the final results of the 75th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The weather forecast is for the “Seattle” weather to reamin with the track until 8 pm this evening and then it will change — but whether it will change for the better or the worse is yet to be determined.

As of 9 am a patch of blue sky opened over the track and 15 minutes later there was sunshine — but no sooner had the sun come out then the clouds returned the track to overcast. Weather will most likely deal the race a wild card and teams with the best weather guesser may have an advantage when it comes to dealing with the all important tire changes.

Teams will have their choice of three different kinds of tires (or as they say in the UK tyres): Standard tires for dry pavement, rain tyres for a wet track, and an intermediate tire that is a crossover between the two. Making the change at the right time in the race is tmay be the difference between winning and first runner-up.

There is the air of months and months of preparation in the air since yesterday evening as teams take care of critical last minute adjustments and put together their strategies for the 24 hours of competition still to come. In the big shoot out of the day it will be defending champ Audi against the up and coming French Peugeot team. The Peugeot has won the first two endurance type races of the year and has set fast time at Le Mans to hold the pole position for today’s event.

At 9 a.m. the track was opened for practice cars took the track spewing roostertails off their wheels that when cars are at speed together provide a spectacular image and a difficult driving conditions.

One of the amazing things to see this morning on the way to the track is the massive number of fans who camped out last night — many of them partying into the morning. Field upon field of motorhomes and thousands of tents, many of them flying the colors of their favorite team. More than 200,000 fans are expected for the race today and fans here do not let a little rain keep them from their motor racing.

This is a far cry from the wussie-boy Champ cCar racing of the United States where a little rain caused the the Indy 500 to be stopped. As Herodotus wrote in 500 BC (which was rewritten by William Kendall in 1927) and which we further tweaked for Le Mans: “Neither rain nor hail nor sleet nor snow nor heat of day nor dark of night shall keep this these drivers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.

As practice ends, the sun sprinkles for an obligatory 15 seconds, giving us hope for the future, and then the grey skies return, to remind everyone to be prepared for Mother Nature to play her hand.