September 7, 2015

The biggest surprise of the Indy Racing League this year has to be that Scott Dixon is the 2015 champion!

Everyone was looking at Juan Montoya or Graham Rahal or Helio Castroneves to win the championship.

Meanwhile, Scott Dixon was quietly saving fuel, winning a few races and he becomes the champ!

Congrats to Scott and here are a few photos of Scott from 2005 to 2014.

Happy Labor Day and have a nice week.

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann

August 30, 2015

Today, is Sunday, August 30, my birthday and I should be happy. I am happy but I'm saddened because of Justin Wilson's passing.  I am a huge Indy Car race fan and photographer and I have photographed Justin Wilson for years.

He passed away last week after an accident during the Indy Car race in Pennsylvania at the Pocono race track. Sage Karam crashed and the nose cone of his car became airborne and landed on Justin's head. Justin never regained consciousness and passed away on Tuesday.  His organs were donated and I heard that he saved six lives.

Justin Wilson was the nicest guy on pit lane.  He was one of three drivers of the Driver's Committee and would help anyone he could. Everyone liked him and I mean everyone.

Through the years of photographing drivers, I have traded my photos for their helmet visors for my collection at home. After I have their visor, I trade photos for their gloves, if possible. I have Justin's visor and a pair of his gloves from Milwaukee's race in 2007. During today's final race of the season at Sonoma Raceway, I think I will get those gloves out and look at them.

Attached here are photos of Justin through the years driving Champ Cars, IRL cars and having fun with Tony Kanaan on pit lane in Milwaukee. One photo that I really like is of his steering wheel from 2012.  One of his guys put "Badass Wilson" on the top of it!

Miss you Badass Wilson, and I will soon frame those gloves and display them in my race room.

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann

Justin Wilson, racing in Champ Car and the IRL.

August 24, 2014

In tunnel boat racing in the 1990's, Buck Thornton was an excellent racer. Bill Seebold and Buck were the old guys and they were probably the best racers out there.

Buck was from Louisiana and was always classy and clean. You would never see him without his hat and team colors.  Both he and his crew were always well dressed.

He gave the Seebolds some good competition and was fun to be around. He passed away a few years ago. We miss him and what he brought to the sport of tunnel boat racing.

Enjoy a few photos of Buck from the 1990 St. Louis Grand Prix.

Please join me on Facebook at Rich Zimmermann Photography if you haven't yet to stay up to date with my photography.

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann

Buck Thornton, at the St. Louis Grand Prix in 1990.

August 17, 2015

The next few weeks of blogs will make my boat racing friends happy!

This week, we feature the Seebold family racing at the St. Louis Grand Prix in 1990 and 1991. Bill Seebold along with his sons, Mike and Tim, are comparable to the Andretti family in Indy cars.

They live in the St. Louis area and the St. Louis Grand Prix is their home race.

In boat racing, the St. Louis Grand Prix is equal to the Indy 500 or the big Daytona 500 race for NASCAR.

Bud Light was the main sponsor for many years of the St. Louis Grand Prix. Budweiser's home is St. Louis and this race is BIG. It is known worldwide with racers coming from all over the globe.

So, enjoy a few photos of the Seebold family racing in St. Louis in 1990 and 1991. The next few weeks will feature other boat racing teams and other boat races.

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann

The Seebold family racing team at the St. Louis Grand Prix in 1990 and 1991.

August 9, 2015

Last week, I forgot to wish happy birthday to my friend Ramblin' Jack Elliott who turned 84 on August 1st! I gave all the birthday attention to Buddy Guy last week, who turned a young 79 years old. Both of them have such an amazing history in music!

This week's blog is on 12 string guitar master Leo Kottke. He will be performing this coming Saturday night about a mile from our house here in Brookfield, Wisconsin at the Sharon Lynn Wilson Center for the Arts. Come check him out and you won't be disappointed. He is such an amazing guitar player and he has a great voice to go with it.

Some of the photos here are from an interview that I was a part of in 1973. Leo was just relaxing before his show at the Performing Arts Center in Milwaukee when we asked him a few questions for the Bugle American newspaper that I worked for. He was very nice and just reading the paper when we came in.

I have to say that the first photo of Leo and the mirrors is one of my personal all time favorites.

So, for today's photos, enjoy three pictures of Ramblin' Jack and then some of Leo, from the 1973 interview and show.

Have a great week!

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann

August 3, 2015

This past week on July 30th, Buddy Guy celebrated his 79th birthday!

He is still playing, touring and having fun!

At Summerfest in 2008, I was fortunate to photograph Buddy and those photos are attached here.

This year at Summerfest, Buddy Guy opened up the show for The Rolling Stones!! A few days later, my good friend and musician Jon Paris, opened up the show for Buddy Guy!

So, enjoy a look at  man who loves polka dots and loves playing! I did watch his show after photographing the Jon Paris show. Buddy was having fun that night and walked out into the crowd and then backstage and then back onto the stage, playing the whole time!

Have a great week and join me on Facebook at Rich Zimmermann Photography if you haven't already.

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann

July 27, 2015

Last week's blog focused on the portraiture of pit lane and the Indy Car drivers.

Photographing the drivers on pit lane is one of my favorite things to do!

Still I cannot forget the beautiful cars that they drive. So, here are some of the best looking cars at The Milwaukee Mile a few weekends ago.

Plus, one more portrait of pole position winner, Josef Newgarden.

Enjoy and have a great week.

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann