Pit stop in the fifties

by Sidney van den Boogaard

In a few seconds everything happens at once. One mechanic pours fuel from a jerrycan, another knocks the wheel loose with a hammer, a third waits with the new tyre. Behind the wheel sits the driver, leather helmet on, ready to go again. This is a pit stop from the fifties, long before today's high tech: craftsmanship, oil on your hands and men in white overalls who know exactly what they are doing. The silver race car with number 7 gleams in the warm light of the pit box. A tribute to the people behind the speed.

This work is part of the Golden Racing Years series: ten painterly scenes from the days of leather helmets, roaring engines and crowds lining the track. All the works share the same warm, muted colours and loose brushwork, so they combine easily as a pair, a triptych or a full gallery wall.

The work was created digitally, based on my own concept, composition and colour choices. I then finished it myself: removed badges and logos, refined the crop and added a fine grain and a print-ready colour profile. The cars, drivers and places are fictional and do not refer to real people or brands.

A lovely gift for anyone who smiles at the sound of an old engine: for the study, the garage or above the desk.