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September 19, 2022
Now that our Indy Car season is done which makes me sad, here is a look at the 1995 CART race at the Milwaukee Mile. The Miller Genuine Draft 200 was held on June 4th 1995, the weekend after the Indy 500 which was traditionally when they ran here in Milwaukee.
These cars were fast and sounded so great! Plus, I think one of my favorite liveries of a race car is the car of Christian Fittipaldi seen here. It has a bit of the Brazilian flag and his helmet is awesome too.
Some good memories here with Bobby Rahal, Stefan Johansson, Christian Fittipaldi, Al Unser Jr, Jeff Andretti, Emerson Fittipaldi and more. I remember using actual film in my cameras then. It was Kodak's Extar 25. It was a slow film but the colors were great.
Paul Tracy won the race with Teo Fabi second and this was the old Milwaukee Mile with the old grandstands. Good times!
Enjoy a look back.
Thanks,
Rich Zimmermann
Blog #400!!-1996 CART Miller Genuine Draft 200 Indy Car race at the Milwaukee Mile
May 30, 2022
On June 2,1996, the CART Indy Cars came to the Milwaukee Mile. This was the good old days when the race was traditionally the weekend following the Indy 500.
That particular race had a bunch of caution flags, but it was really a race between Michael Andretti, Al Unser Jr. and Paul Tracy who had the pole position. They finished that way and were followed by Emerson Fittipaldi and Greg Moore.
This was at the time when Michael Andretti basically owned the race wins at the Milwaukee Mile for several years. This 1996 race was no exception with Mario Andretti being an awesome father and mentor.
It was a nice 80 degree day but windy I recall which probably didn't help driver Parker Johnstone. He spun on the first lap and then crashed with 5 laps to go!
In 1996 Jimmy Vasser would become the series champion and Alex Zanardi was the rookie of the year.
Enjoy a look at that day and my 400th blog!
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
March 22, 2021
On September 10, 1989, the CART Indy Car show came to Road America.
I was just getting back into racing photography after some years of commercial work, rock and roll photography and having fun participating in BASS fishing tournaments.
For this race I only took a few photos and actually attended for the race itself. Now, I'm usually up at Road America for the full three days of competition. I travel back and forth each day from home so I can see my wife and download the day's work.
The cars in 1989 were awesome looking and sounded even better! They were powered by methanol. It is a nice, unique smell in the morning with Indy Cars in pit lane!
The race had the now famous Porsche Indy Car with driver Teo Fabi. Teo and his Porsche won only one race in the history of Porsche Indy Car racing with a win at Mid Ohio in 1989. Here at Road America, Teo Fabi finished second. Considering all the problems with the Porche racing program in Indy Car this was very good.
Danny Sullivan won the race and Rick Mears finished third. Wisconsin favorite Arie Luyendyk finished fourth.
Miss those great high horsepower cars and wish I had taken more photos of them in 1989!
Enjoy a look the photos and imagine the smell of methanol fuel.
Thanks,
Rich Zimmermann
September 10,1989 at Road America with the great CART Indy Cars!
Danny Sullivan won it with Teo Fabi second and Rick Mears third.
June 1, 2020
A long time ago in 1987 I was sitting in the stands at the Milwaukee Mile watching the CART Indy Car race. That was before I was getting access to pit lane and just having fun with the boys. Pardon the photos that are shot through the fence, which would be all of them!
I had to dig these photos up for someone doing an article on Arie Luyendyk's 1987 car. Then I thought I'd put them in the system and write a blog about it!
It's fun to look at the cool old cars of Arie Luyendyk, Bobby Rahal, Roberto Guerrero, Rick Mears, Michael Andretti, Tom Sneva, Kevin Cogan and more.
Rick Mears had a bad day and had an accident during the race as you will see. Other than that, it was a great weekend.
Check the photos out and enjoy a look back in time.
Thanks,
Rich Zimmermann
November 14, 2016
In a continuation of my past couple of blogs, I'm focusing on May 24th and 25th of 1993. These were two testing days at the Milwaukee Mile for CART drivers.
Way back when in the old Indy car days, the guys would practice and test at the Milwaukee Mile in between the Indy 500 and the Milwaukee race that was traditionally the weekend after the Indy 500. Not anymore, but back then and for many years it was tradition to come up and test at Milwaukee. The guys couldn't practice at Indy and they were looking for something to do! You could say that they were a little itchy for some driving or practice!
Paul Tracy is pictured here with Rick Mears coaching him along with Teddy Mayer who both were Team Penske engineer wizards! Teddy Mayer worked at McLaren F1 with the legendary Bruce McLaren and many others.
The biggest thing I remember of this test session was Paul telling Rick Mears that "wait until Nigel Mansell gets here and feels the bump in turn one"! There used to be a big bump in turn one that caught everyone by surprise. The track has been repaved since then of course.
Paul Tracy was in his first full season of Indy cars in 1993 and was Rick Mears' replacement driver. He scored five victories and finished third in points. He also led the most laps, named most improved driver by his peers and won from pole position twice.
Enjoy a look at 24 year old Paul Tracy at Milwaukee.
Thanks,
Rich Zimmermann