5/20/2022
Midwest Wingless Racing Association
TRUE GRIT: Passion and Perseverance Keep Photographer Fly’N High!
Editors Note: Last weekend motorsports photographer John Lee covered the USAC National Sprint Cars & USAC MWRA Sprint Cars at Lakeside Speedway and I-70 Speedway. Here’s a look at the High Fly’N Man and his incredible story.
By Ray Cunningham
Over the last 11 years the highest high’s have met head on with the lowest lows for one of the Heartlands top racing photographers, John Lee. During this period for Lee who will turn 56 next week, he was involved in a jarring accident with a modified stock car that left him with almost crippling effects. Saw his daughter, and a chip off the ole block Nicole become a budding young racing photographer herself, while she also got married to another young racing photog protege Ryan, while John became a grandfather to their son Colton. Before losing his wife and matriarch to the family Glenda, also a photographer to illness. And finally, if that wasn’t enough, almost dying himself after a terrible bout of Covid put him in the hospital for many days over the winter months. Before, bouncing back once again, to document racing in the Kansas City area with his great photography and videos in 2022. All the while showing “True Grit”, defined in the dictionary as a combination of “Passion and Perseverance” something this North Dakota native has in spades.
Flying High and Soaring:
It all started for John Lee 834 miles and 12 hours away from KC growing up in Minot, North Dakota. It was here that a great passion for MX Bikes, Motorcycles, and Quad racing would blend together with the joy of watching sprint cars race as well. Riding MX Bikes, Cycles, and 4 wheel Quads, Lee said his motto was always “Fly High and Far”. A phrase he would repeat when he later started HFP “High Fly'N Photos www.highfly-nphotos.com. And also when he imitated Evil Knievel one day in his neighborhood somehow convincing 7 kids to let him jump over them with his 80cc Motocycle!
Moving to KC:
Lee also got to go with his family to the sprint races during his childhood, and watched Danny Schatz, father of future multi-time WoO champ Donny race. In 1986 after his mom passed away, 19 year old Lee would follow his older sister to the KC area to live and work and has been here ever since. The next year John would meet Glenda and they would be inseparable until her passing a couple of winters ago. During the years in between Lee would be a videographer at the races. And after digital photography would surpass film photography, Lee would make the transition to shooting pics on a regular basis at the races almost 20 years ago with digital cameras becoming one of the best in the area. While also conducting video interviews and using drones to further enhance his racing portfolio.
The Big One:
One event during that time stood out though in a way that almost ended his career as a racing photographer. Shooting the races on April 16th 2011 at Central Missouri Speedway in Warrensburg, the High Fly’N man would become grounded after a terrible accident when a modified lost control and hit Lee after he ran for cover behind a tractor tire. But unfortunately leaving his right foot exposed to the big heavy machine resulting in him losing all five toes and the ball of his foot.
High Fly’N Man Returns:
After the horrible accident that led to Lee losing all 5 toes, and the ball of his foot, leading to a 12 day stay in the hospital, and three months away from shooting races, his family stepped up in a big way to help out.
The next night at Valley Speedway his daughter took his place at the Modified races while taking the pic that would give her a national racing magazine cover. Something that John himself has done many times since, but Nicole beat him to it first. A very proud moment during adversity for a father and mentor. While on other occasions during his convalescence his wife Glenda would take the reigns shooting for HFP.
Lee Keeps Showing “True Grit”!
Since that fateful night as we stated earlier many other events both good and bad have been present in John Lees life. But two constants that have remained and have given him the strength and courage to go on have been his love first for his family, and second for the sport of auto racing. While Showing “True Grit” every step of the way. ??
Article Credit: Ray Cunningham
