Growth & Scale Report: [FULL STORY] Jaime Kosofsky - The Perfect Shot

On May 21st, 1920, Leo Dreher drove an hour from his house to watch the 8th annual Indy 500 race.

Fifty-five years later, on May 29th, 1977, and one year after his death, Dreher’s great grandson, Jaime, would be introduced to the Indy 500 for the first time by his wife and daughter..

104 years after that initial drive to Indy, it's safe to say a passion for the Indy 500 and racing runs deep through the Kosofsky bloodline. However, when Allen Felstein bought Jaime a camera at the age of 8, no one could have predicted where that camera would take Jaime or how many doors it would open.

NASCAR, really?

“My parents wouldn’t let me drive the family race car,” says Jaime, wincing as he recalls his childhood.

Not many families can claim to have a “family” race car, but the Kosofsky family is not your average neighbor-next-door. Growing up in Terre Haute, Indiana, across the street from the owner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, racing runs through your veins, and your family might just own a race car for weekend fun.

While names like Al Unser, Mario Andretti, and A.J. Foyt might not be common terms to today’s sports fans, these racing legends were frequent topics at the

Kosofsky family dinner table. On his 21st birthday, Jaime received a Silver Badge which is an all-access pass to the Speedway, setting the stage for his future career.

It's no surprise that one of Jaime's first jobs involved video and stats for a local TV station which produced a daily show called “Trackside,” which highlighted daily activity from the Speedway.

“It was the best job,” recalls Jaime, reminiscing about those days. “But I'll never forget the call from my boss, Mike King, who became the voice of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Broadcast Network. ‘Jaime,’ he said, ‘I need a big favor. My wife is in labor, and there is a tire test at the track, and by the way - it's NASCAR. Can you over there and get some interviews, and footage?’”

For anyone unfamiliar with the difference between NASCAR and Indy, it's akin to the difference between the Detroit Pistons and the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s or comparing apples to oranges. Both may be fruit, but they taste very different. The same is true for NASCAR and Indy racing, which feature distinct racing styles and draw very different fan bases.

So, true to his roots, Jaime initially declined. He simply did not want NASCAR running on the hallowed grounds of the Speedway. However, his boss eventually convinced him to go. Little did Jaime know how this one day would change his life forever.

The First Shot

In 1992, amid NASCAR's peak popularity fueled by the movie "Days of Thunder," Jaime found himself among 150,000 passionate fans at a race, not all of whom were Indy enthusiasts. Surrounded by the thunderous roar of the crowd, he was in awe.

Earlier that day, as he left his house, Jaime grabbed the camera given to him by his grandfather. Then, following the on-track activities, Jaime proceeded to interview and take pictures of popular NASCAR drivers like Dale Jarrett and even the “King,” Richard Petty, who had just retired but wanted to drive a stock car at the famed Speedway on this special occasion.

However, one driver, Dale Earnhardt, refused to answer any questions or pose for a picture. Earnhardt sat on the toolbox, glaring at Jaime without uttering a word.

“Fuck this asshole,” Jaime remarked under his breath as he passed the legend. The microphone picked it up, and so did Earnhardt.

“Get over here, boy, I’ll answer ya,” shot back Earnhardt.

After a shared laugh and a quick conversation, the two parted ways. This encounter marked just the beginning …

THE SHOT THAT PAID FOR LAW SCHOOL

One of the shots captured by Jaime that day featured racing legend, Richard Petty, with his trademark cowboy hat and sunglasses. However, what made this shot unlike any other shot of Petty was the fact that this photo revealed the reflection of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s iconic logo in his sunglasses.

Jaime had no idea of the significance of the image until his father took him on a business trip to Charlotte, where he found himself seated next to a man named Charlie Patterson.

Charlie had been involved in motorsports since the late 1940s, and upon seeing the photo, instantly asked for the rights. This photo and Charlie Patterson opened the doors for Jaime to shoot full-time on the NASCAR Winston Cup series the following year where he would have one more encounter with the same man who had given Jaime grief during his first NASCAR experience; Dale Earnhardt.

This time, however, Dale allowed him to snap a picture, and the result was not simply a picture of a racing legend, but an image that Jaime was able to sell, affording him the opportunity to pay for new equipment while funding some of his law school tuition.

Jaime continued to shoot races while in law school and moved to Charlotte after graduation. He began representing drivers and other individuals in the racing industry, eventually becoming a sports agent. His first client as an agent was Dale Earnhardt’s nephew, Andy Houston. On the day Dale was killed in the Daytona 500, Jaime and his client walked out of the garage area to driver introductions with Dale and his wife. Jaime would attend Dale’s funeral with the family and NASCAR community.

Prepare to Win

“I remember looking through old magazines that my grandpa had - I studied them, and it was those magazines that taught me what people wanted,” says Jaime. “As a photographer, it’s up to me to learn what people want, determine how to get the right shot, and then capture it.”

“Business is no different,” says Jaime. Although the process of taking thousands of shots to get that one perfect shot may not be extremely exciting, he applies the same diligence in his career as a real estate attorney.

He has learned to do the work, knowing that the right result will come.

EXPERIENCES CREATE FEELINGS THAT LAST

“Just like trying to be a photographer capturing images at a race, so much of our job is behind the scenes and won't be in the highlight reels,” says Jaime. “But it's only as exciting as you make it. You can either make a good living in the title and escrow industry by doing your job or look for unique ways to make the day for your clients and make the industry better. I always strive to find those unique things that no one else is doing.”

“You know,” Jaime continues, “I don’t only shoot race cars. I also capture birds on film; because if you can capture a bird, you can capture a car. The birds are just practice.”

The Growth & Scale Report is published by CloseSimple, and explores strategies for growth and tools for scaling your title or escrow company. The report emphasizes the art of balancing growth and scale, with a focus on personal and organizational success stories. It aims to share insights from industry leaders who have navigated these challenges, providing a platform for broader conversations in the business landscape.