May 16, 2022

In 1988, the Briggs and Stratton 200 Indy Car CART race was held at Road America. Danny Sullivan had the pole position but Emerson Fittipaldi won the race!

Road America looked a bit different back then, and I see the new media center was already built. Didn't think it was that old.

The short lived Porsche Indy Car was racing then with Teo Fabi. It was a beautiful car that never did very well and was only around a few years.

Must have been a combined weekend with the IMSA racing cars because I notice a photo I took of Walter Payton! Looks as if his #34 blew an engine in turn 5. He is standing next to it as it's smoking away.

Love the livery on Arie Luendyk's car!!!!

Enjoy a look back to 1988. Were you there that weekend?

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann

March 7, 2022

The world is in a crazy place these days but the Indy Car season has begun!

It's great to see Scott McLaughlin win the first race of the year in St. Petersburg, Florida. He has a great future in Indy Car.

Last week was Mario Andretti's 82nd birthday and Sebastian Bourdais on the same day! Will Power's birthday was the following day. He had a strong showing in St. Petersburg. Will is trying to beat Mario Andretti for most pole positions with only one more to do it.

Here are a few photos of the Indy Cars through the years to get us in the mood for the season.

Good luck to all.  Last year's champ ,Alex Palou, has some competition this year. Colton Herta is my pick on his way to the championship!

Enjoy and be safe.

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann

July 12, 2021

Last week, I focused my blog on the Vintage Indy Reserve cars. This week, I'm showing you the Indy Cars that ran that same weekend at Road America.

Included in this blog are some Indy Lights, USF2000 and Indy Pro 2000 race cars and drivers.

The Indy Cars are my favorite race cars of all. They never cease to amaze me with what the drivers can do with them! Takuma Sato is a wild driver and his car shows it as the race went on. It will need some bodywork!

After two days of practice and qualifying, it seemed Joseph Newgarden had things under control for the pole and the race. Well, he got the pole position and led a lot of the race but did not win.

Joseph really seemed to have it done until the last few laps when his gearbox had other ideas. Alex Palou won the race and Colton Herta was close behind in second. Will Power finished third followed by Scott Dixon and the Formula 1 racers Marcus Ericsson and Romain Grosjean.

It was interesting to watch NASCAR Champion Jimmie Johnson trying to handle an Indy Car. It's going to take some time for him to get up to speed.

Not so for Formula 1 veterans Marcus Ericksson and Romain Grosjean. Romain really is fast and has adapted very well to Indy Car and is having fun being very competitive. Marcus and Romain will be winning soon I believe.

Check out the photos and enjoy the HOT brake photos taken near the end of the race. One actually looked like it was on fire! Unfortunately I missed that shot though..

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann

Here in Wisconsin, snow is on the ground and it's going to be 6F tomorrow with a crazy windchill!! We should be seeing daffodils and rabbits outside instead of snow, ice and cold.

On February 28th, two of my favorite race car drivers celebrated their birthdays. Mario Andretti turned 79 and still drives the two seat Indy Car. I still want a ride in that car Mario! Sebastien Bourdais turned 40 on the same day!

On March 10th, the Indy Cars have the first race of the season in St. Petersburg, Florida. Sebastien Bourdais has lived in St. Petersburg for a few years and won that race twice I believe.

To get ready for the season let's take a look back at the birthday boys and some of the Indy Cars.

Last year Scott Dixon won the championship and I think he could do it again! Good luck Scott!

Stay warm and get ready to hear the awesome sounds of Indy Car again!

See how many drivers you can recognize here.

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann

The 1991 CART race at the Milwaukee Mile, won by Michael Andretti.

September 12, 2016

Wow!! It's a very busy weekend around here fighting horn worms on our tomato plants!!!! Never heard of these things until a month ago and now I can't get rid of them and I'll be dreaming of them soon!!

First one, then another and then Friday night three of them!!  Today, one this morning and now I come back from our bike ride to find another!! Yuck!!! Photos will have to come soon I guess because you will not believe these things!!

Anyway, here is a follow up to the 1991 Indy cars at the Milwaukee Mile! Last weeks blog featured photos of Al Unser Jr. in 1991 at the famous Milwaukee Mile.

Here is Mario and Michael Andretti and Carl Haas giving a blessing to the nose of Michael's car on race day morning! It was a ritual every race day!!

Enjoy, and join me on Facebook at Rich Zimmermann Photography if you haven't yet.

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann

July 25, 2016

On race day morning the Indy cars usually do a warmup session to make sure that all systems are working on the cars. This year at Road America it was raining in the morning for the warmup session. With the race weather predicted to be sunny and hot, nobody was going out for the warmup it seemed.

Then, I heard one Indy car spring to life and saw Sebastian Bourdais getting ready to go out! He was wearing some big wet weather boots until he got into his car. He had the track to himself for almost the whole session other than Graham Rahal going out for just one lap.

How much fun was he having?? I think a lot by the look on his face when he got out of the car. He was out there for probably about 10 laps and had the whole four mile track to himself. The sound of just one car and seeing the spray of water behind his car was awesome! In the photos you can see what a wet weather rain tire looks like. They move a lot of water! Normally, an Indy car runs slicks with no grooves at all. I have included a photo of Sebastian during the race and you can see the difference in the tires.

I also have included photos of Sebastian being introduced to the fans with Miss Wisconsin's help.

Also included here are photos of Mario Andretti and the lucky winner of the sweepstakes who got to ride in the two seater Indy car with him. A little height difference between the two men! Enter the sweepstakes at Honda.com and you might get to ride too!

Have a good week.

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann

July 11, 2016

I think it is time for me to digitally scan more of my Indy car photographs from the 1990's and early 2000's.

After the passing of Carl Haas recently, I went through my digital archived collection of Indy car races. Couldn't find a whole lot of pictures of Carl Haas and I know I have more of him with his cigar, which was never lit. At least I never saw it lit!

Carl Haas passed away a few weeks ago from complications from Alzheimers disease. Terrible disease that I know about all too well because my mother was diagnosed with it.

The Milwaukee Mile and Indy Car can thank Carl for so much work that he has done for both. Paul Newman was his partner and at his side most of the time at the races. Mario Andretti was his main driver for years and then Michael Andretti, Nigel Mansell and Sebastian Bourdais came along.

When he brought Nigel Mansell over to Indy Car, fresh from a Formula 1 championship, people couldn't believe it!

Sebastian Bourdais won 4 consecutive championships with Carl and Paul. They were the team to be a part of because they were so good.

Newman Haas Racing is a team that is missed on the grid very much.

Enjoy a look at Carl, Paul and a few friends.

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann

May 16, 2016

Well, as I see it, 1993 was a VERY good year for Indy car racing. Last week I shared some pictures with you and now I have more for you to see from 1993.

Bobby Rahal won the 1992 CART championship and Emerson Fittipaldi had just won the Indy 500, a week before these photos were taken.

Jacques Villeneuve is shown in his Toyota Atlantic car here. This being the year before he went on into Indy cars. Nigel Mansell and Mario Andretti were teammates who did not get along. There are so many stories here in these photos. One of my favorites is the photo of Mario and Paul Newman. Then we have Carl Haas and his never lit cigar that he always seemed to have. These were the people that made Indy car racing what it is today and I thank them for that.

There are a lot of photos here for you to enjoy! Check them out.

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann

May 9, 2016

This week we look at Indy cars at the Milwaukee Mile in 1993. These were the good days of Indy car racing with some big names in the field and great competition.

Mario Andretti, Al Unser Jr., Paul Tracy, Rick Mears, Scott Goodyear, Willy T. Ribbs, Danny Sullivan, Bobby Rahal and many other good ones were racing at that time. Plus, we had Nigel Mansell who just finished clinching the Formula 1 championship in 1992!

These were really good times for Indy car that I don't think will ever be equalled again for competition and rivalries!

I'll let the photos do the talking now. Good looking cars and big names to enjoy!

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann