Larry Chen at the 2026 Velocity Invitational.

When we caught up with Larry Chen at the 2026 Velocity Invitational, the longtime Think Tank Pro Team member and one of the most recognizable photographers in modern automotive culture was exactly where you'd expect him to be: in the middle of the paddock, surrounded by fans, friends, drivers, builders, and fellow enthusiasts.

Larry Chen at his booth interacting with fellow gearheads.

Velocity Invitational at Sonoma Raceway melts together historic motorsports, modern performance, car culture, and fan experiences across a full weekend. My colleague, Jonathan Kirker, and I were invited out to meet with Larry and see the event firsthand, with Sonoma Raceway being less than an hour's drive from the Think Tank HQ.

Throughout the afternoon, Larry was in constant motion, signing swag, posing for selfies, catching up with familiar faces, and making time for anyone who stopped to say hello. The Retrospective 10 V2.0 in Pinestone rarely left his side, giving him quick access to his gear as he moved between the paddock, interviews, and fan interactions.

For what seemed like the first time in hours, the line at Larry's booth had disappeared. As we stepped away together, I mentioned that it must be difficult having to be "on" for the entire day. Without hesitation, Larry pushed back on that idea, explaining how grateful he was for the community and the support surrounding him at the event. Without them, he wouldn't be here. It was a simple exchange, but one that spoke volumes about the genuine appreciation he has for the people who have followed his work over the years.

We followed Larry across the facility as he made his way to interview Scott Birdsall, whose 252 MPH land speed record-holding mini-truck has become one of the most remarkable grassroots engineering achievements in modern motorsports. Within minutes, Larry had shifted seamlessly from greeting fans to asking thoughtful questions, once again doing what he does best: telling the stories behind the people and machines that define automotive culture.

Larry Chen with Scott Birdsall.

Scenes from Velocity Invitational.

One of the highlights of Friday's event centered around actor, filmmaker, and lifelong car enthusiast Sung Kang, who was on hand for a preview of his new film, DRIFTER. Larry's connection to the project runs deeper than simply helping promote the film. He was initially brought onto the DRIFTER set to photograph behind-the-scenes coverage, but that role eventually expanded when he was asked to appear in the film as well.

Sung Kang and Larry Chen answer audience questions.

At Velocity, that connection carried onto the stage, where Larry joined Sung for a Q&A following the trailer premiere. From where we were standing, the audience's excitement was obvious. It felt less like a standard event appearance and more like a shared moment between the people on stage and a community that was deeply invested in the cars, the story, and the culture behind it.

That same energy carried outside to Turn 7, where Formula Drift champion Dai Yoshihara was set to put Sung's AE86 Trueno, Lola, through an up-close drift demonstration. The run ended almost as soon as it began when the car suffered a driveline failure, but even that became part of the experience. It was a very real motorsports moment: unpredictable, imperfect, and still surrounded by an audience that was there for the culture as much as the spectacle.

Dai Yoshihara hops out to see what went wrong.

For Larry, it was a fitting environment. He wasn't just there to photograph cars from a distance. He was moving through the same community he has spent much of his career documenting, from behind the camera, onto the film set, onto the stage, and back to the edge of the track.

If you'd like to experience more of the day's atmosphere, be sure to check out Larry's Reel from Velocity Invitational. It captures many of the same moments we experienced throughout the day, from the paddock and the people to the energy that makes the event so memorable.

A huge thanks to Larry for having us and for his continued support of Think Tank!

Extras

Article, photography, and video editing by Randy Wentzel. Video footage by Jonathan Kirker for Think Tank Photo.