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THOMAS: Remembering NASCAR Photographer, Tyler Goodson

by Hunter Thomas February 8, 2025 0 comments

Tyler Goodson was in his happy place when he was standing atop the Turn 4 photo tower at Atlanta Motor Speedway, capturing images of NASCAR race cars and breathtaking sunsets, all while being surrounded by fans and breathing in the aroma of meat on a charcoal grill.

Goodson passed away on Jan. 2, 2025, just two months prior to his 35^th birthday. Leaving behind a legacy of helping others and saving pit bulls from being euthanized, Goodson was also known throughout the NASCAR Media Center for providing kindness that placed smiles on people’s faces.

Early Years

Goodson, a native of Darlington, South Carolina, was born into a racing family. In fact, his uncle, Eddie Goodson, competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in the early ‘90s and his cousin Bobby Goodson raced Late Models on the regional level. His father Tom Goodson made sure that Tyler and his brother Barrett grew up attending races from a young age as well.

Tyler originally grew up as a diehard Dale Earnhardt Sr. fan, but when the Intimidator passed away, he became a dedicated Kevin Harvick fan. On his family’s farm when we were growing up, Goodson had the Blue Deuce, a small truck named after Harvick’s No. 2 NASCAR Xfinity Series car. Often, he and I fired up the truck and took off through the farm, shifting gears pretending we were NASCAR drivers. We’d rip up the dirt roads and drift around heavy construction machinery. The family had a grassy airstrip, and Tyler and I would get the Blue Deuce up to top speed and yank the parking brake. We’d spin around and around, as we tried to muscle the truck that had no power steering.

I had the pleasure of accompanying Tyler in 2001, when he saw Harvick compete for the first time in the NASCAR Cup Series at Rockingham Speedway. That was a special moment for both of us, but it means more now than it ever did before. Tyler and his father traveled to Phoenix Raceway in 2023 to see the Bakersfield, California native compete for the final time as a full-time driver, and I know that was a special moment for a father and son to experience together. I’m glad that Tyler lived long enough to see one of his heroes begin their career and end it.

Media Years

I’ll give Tyler credit, in the 10 years he spent taking photographs for fans of TheFourthTurn.com, he never showed favoritism, and he snapped just as many photos of all the drivers, as he did of Harvick. That’s one reason why Tyler made such a great media member because he could see the industry through the eyes of the fans and the lens of the media. He wanted to see the industry grow, no matter who was on the track or what sponsors were on the cars or how the cars and tracks were designed. If he had a passion for writing, I think he would have been one of the best journalists.

Goodson is the one who introduced me to NASCAR, quite honestly. We were exposed to the industry at birth with Darlington Raceway down the street. I grew up attending races with my father, but Goodson and I talked NASCAR nonstop in school, at church and everywhere else.

When I became a journalist/photographer in NASCAR, I always texted Goodson photos of the incredible moments that I was experiencing. We religiously watched every race in our childhood, and as an adult in college, I was living the dream that he and I had all always envisioned. In March 2015, he accompanied me for the first time as a photographer at Martinsville Speedway. That was such a cool experience for us. It was truly an honor to offer my best friend an opportunity of a lifetime because he had always been there for me.

Throughout the years, Goodson and I traveled the Southeast, living out our dreams. We both had jobs outside of the industry, but on the weekends, we often traveled to races, both regional and NASCAR. In addition to taking photos, he was my historian and statistician. Often, he reminded me of moments in the industry’s past that I had just completely forgotten about.

I can’t recall all the memories we spent at the track, but one that really stands out in my mind was Bristol Motor Speedway’s 2019 Night Race. Maybe because that was pre-COVID-19 era when the world made more sense, but, nevertheless, this was the trip in our media career where the journey came full circle. On race day before heading to the track, we traveled in the opposite direction to dine at the Banner Elk Café, a restaurant where both of our families often met for lunch back when we attended races at Bristol as fans. This was a really special experience because it was both of us reliving our wonderful childhoods and seeing how far we had come. However, the sentimental moment was short lived, because we had to get to work.

The trip took place in the same year Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s airplane crashed, so after lunch, we stopped by the crash site and took a few photos. Once at the track, he and I photographed bull fighting in the parking lot and the weekend ended up, at the time, being one of the most successful of our careers. All our content was viewed by so many fans, which really added an exclamation point to the weekend.

Other notable experiences on the road with Tyler included visiting the The Birthplace of Country Music Museum in Bristol. Tyler absolutely loved country music. When we’d head to the track on race days, he’d always play this slow country music. You’d expect to listen to some hard rock or hip-hop on race day, but Tyler was a mellow guy who just enjoyed living life one minute at a time. He and I also explored caverns in the Bristol area together as well.

I’ll also never forget one year when we were covering the NASCAR races at Richmond Raceway and our motel room didn’t lock – it was broken, so Camille Jones (writer, TheFourthTurn.com) and I placed Tyler on an air mattress in front of the door in case anyone tried to walk in. We have so many little memories like these few examples, but I guess you had to have been there to fully understand the impact Tyler had on everyone he encountered.

In his 30’s, Tyler moved from South Carolina to Fayetteville, Georgia to build a life with his wife, Ashley. Atlanta Motor Speedway quickly became one of our premier stops on the NASCAR schedule. Being Clemson fans and covering races in the heart of Bulldog country had its challenges, especially when Clemson would lose, but Tyler, who was an alumnus, always enjoyed speaking with the fans in the infield about college football. Throughout the years of covering races at Atlanta Motor Speedway, we made so many memories; however, some of the best times were when we said nothing at all and soaked in the view of seeing the pack of race cars emerge from an incredible sunset from the view in the Turn 4 photo tower.

Tyler picked up on photography really quickly at the track, and he made friends with many of the photographers and journalists. Tyler never ever met a stranger. He could befriend anyone. Tyler will certainly be missed, but his legacy will live on for those of us who knew him. I don’t know how Tyler would want me to end this story, but I’d imagine that he’d want everyone reading this to remember to cherish every moment, to treat everyone with respect and while he loved fast race cars, he’d want everyone to slow down and enjoy life.

Godspeed, Tyler.