(Words and Photos by Joe Grippo) – (Editor’s note: Joe Grippo was our very first photo contributor to BangShift. He’s OG as far as Chad and I are concerned!) I don’t remember when I first started contributing photos to BangShift or what the first event I submitted was but it definitely has been a great opportunity for me to share my stuff with the BS readers over years. Hell, this year I was even recognized while wearing my BS staff coat at the Pumpkin Run Show. While checking out a nice Model A coupe someone yelled, “Hey Bangshift!”, I turned and introduced myself and the dude says, “THE Joe Grippo!”. Pretty cool. And a good indicator that the Bangshift nation is growing. I only hope my contributions have help it along in some way. (Joe told us that his wife still busts his nuts about being THE Joe Grippo. We love that. ed.)

So when the guys asked me if I was interested in pulling together a group of my favorite pictures from 2012, I was on it like fat lady on a golf ball. Thanks again to Chad and Brian for using my stuff and a huge thanks to everyone who has checked out the blogs items and photo galleries. Stay tuned, lots more to come in 2013.

So in no particular order, here are a bunch of my favorite shots from the year that was 2012…

Rolling Bones – It felt like 10 degrees outside of the Rolling Bones Shop in upstate New York, but I had to go out and get a night shot of Richie Whalen’s Bones built 32 3-window. I love that car.

The thrash was on between rounds of the ADRL SuperCar Showdown when Bo Butner decided to swap C4’s and make a rearend change in his Cobra Jet Mustang. The Maple Grove Raceway event was one of the highlites of my year.

This shot of the Pro Nitrous Mustang of Robert Patrick is one of favorites because one, I am huge Ford guy and two, I love the retro paint scheme on the car. I also thought it was a cool low angle shot of the launch with the slicks wrinkling and the wheelie slapping the track. It sounded awesome too…

I try not to get too “artsy” with my stuff but I couldn’t resist this capture of Jeff Naiser’s P/N Camaro in the lanes basking in the late afternoon glow. The colors, those gorgeous Mickey Thompson wheels turned just right and that big honkin’ exhaust….

Chrome. Webers. 427 Cobra seen at the Shelby National Meet at Watkins Glen. Show-N-Shine indeed.

The paddock garage of Watkins Glen is where I saw this GT40 J-Car. I stared at this one for long time until Stacey had to slapped me out of it….

I love this low angle shot of Mike Boyd getting ready to put the Winged Express through it’s paces at the Maple Grove 50th Anniversary Race. The calm before the storm.

Hey, I had to have at least one shot of my car, right? End of the night, haze of the fireworks still hanging in the air and I just got done loading up my race car. I thought it looked cool with trailer lights on against the dark sky. Another Maple Grove 50th picture.

I got this shot using available light from the parking lot of a my local Sonic Drive-In. Cool bike, on a hot and humid evening at a cruise night.

A killer Dodge Demon with arrow straight body work and mile deep black paint parked in front of John Haines’ lit up garage full of vintage trucks.

My buddy Jamie Schoenly getting ready to burn out in his Super Stock GT Maverick at the Dutch Classic. Super clean car and great guy also….

Look at the orange jumping out of the black on the Hawk and Cook Cobra Jet. I think this was the nicest, most detailed car I have shot to date. An amazing piece of race car art and engineering.

How about this bitchin’ Lil Indian Mini-Bike I spotted in the Hershey Swap Meet…I love the proportions and the color.

Ok, here is my artsy side. A sea of vintage headlights from where else but Hershey.

I love detail shots like this one of the 6 pot Weiand Dragstar manifold atop the Hemi in Tyler Hilton’s sweet channeled Model A. I grabbed this out at Bruce Larson’s end of the year party.

I think one of most popular galleries each year is from my trip to the Pumpkin Run at Fleming’s Auto Parts. This shot is one many taken while wandering through the massive facility filled with decaying, rusted hulks. It is a surreal place. I am trying to time a visit there with some snow on the ground.

I am closet Porsche fan, so when spied this 911 parked in front of the fall foliage covered fence at the Simeone Museum, I snapped a quick one from bout 50 feet away. A throw away shot and it makes my list of favorites for the year, go figure….

The Rodders Journal Show at Pimlico was another highlight this year and it was where I finally got a some good pictures of this Virginia based mild custom. Lots of hours in that paint job.

Back at Pimlico for this shot of Dan Webb’s modern interpretation of the Miller/Oldfield Golden Submarine. We spent a ton of time scouring the details of this amazing little car. Pictures don’t do it justice.

S&W Race Car employee, Lee Grinnell hangs ’em high in 10.00 Index Qualifying during the 2012 YellowBullet Nationals at Cecil County Dragway. Windsor based Fairmont hooks hard on Drag Radials…