October 22,, 2012

It was a hot day on June 7th 1987 when I went to the Milwaukee Mile to see the CART Indy cars race.  I have always loved Indy cars but had not been to a race in years because I was too busy trying to make a career as a rock 'n' roll photographer!

I took my Nikon camera and sat in the grandstands with some friends who were there to cheer for Rick Mears.  It was hard for me to just sit there in my seat!  I wanted to be closer to the action to get a better photograph with all the colors of the cars.  The best I could do was walk down to the fence and try to shoot through it, or somehow use the fence in the photograph.

Rock 'n' roll photography was going to the back seat for a while because now I wanted to be an Indy car racing photographer for a magazine or the Milwaukee Mile or anyone!

The race itself that day was a good one with Michael Andretti, the son of Mario Andretti, starting fourth and winning the race in his Kraco car.  Roberto Guerreo started on the pole in his True Value car but finished 16th.  Bobby Rahal in his Red Roof Inns car started second and finished second.  Derek Daly came in third and then went on to become an announcer. He has a son, Conor, who races just  like Bobby Rahal's son Graham races, Arie Luyendyk's son, Arie Jr.,  and Michael Andretti's son, Marco!  Rick Mears did not finish the race that day.  He crashed.   Many fans at the race came to see Arie Luyendyk who was living not far from the track and was sponsored by the local company Provimi Veal.  Arie started sixth and finished fourth.

Attached are a few photographs from the race that day for you to enjoy.

All blog photographs are for sale at a special price of $30.00 for a limited edition 8 X 10 or 8 1/2 X 11 gloss print which includes shipping in the U.S..  This sale is just during the week of the featured blog.  Contact us soon.

Please visit me on Facebook or Twitter @ richzimmermann.com

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann

July 9, 2012

Marco Andretti is the first Indy car driver that I have photographed exclusively with digital equipment!

Marco started his rookie year in 2006 at the Homestead-Miami Speedway where he started 13th, broke a halfshaft during a pit stop, ending his race that day.  At the Indy 500 in 2006, he became the third Andretti to finish in the top five. It was his first Indy 500 appearance.  He finished second to Sam Hornish Jr. in the second closest finish in Indy history (0.0635), joining his father Michael (5th in 1984) and his grandfather Mario (3rd in 1965 and first in 1969).

On August 27, 2006 Marco became the youngest winner (19 years, 5 months, 14 days) of an Indy car race with his victory at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, CA.  That race, not far from grandfather Mario's winery, made Marco the 2006 IRL Bombardier Rookie of the Year.

Driving for his father Michael Andretti and Andretti Autosport, Marco has teamed up with some very good talent in Ryan Hunter Reay and James Hinchcliff. 

Enjoy these photographs of Marco.

All blog photographs are for sale at a special price of $30.00 for a limited edition 8 X 10 or 8 1/2 X 11 gloss print which includes shipping in the U.S..  This sale is just during the week of the featured blog.  Contact us soon.

Please visit me on Facebook or Twitter @ richzimmermann.com

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann

March 18, 2012

In 1998 at the Milwaukee Mile I had the pleasure of chatting with Greg Moore who was one of the nicest racers I have ever known.  He was always very calm it seemed when he was going to his Indy  Car office.  He was one of those guys that went into his car and just did it.  Greg made it look very easy to go so fast and he was always very fast.  At the time, I was a bass tournament fisherman and an Indy Car photographer.  I don't remember exactly what shirt I was wearing that day pictured here, which was a Friday practice, but as I was talking with Greg on pit lane he noticed my fishing shirt. We got to talking about fishing and found out that he loved to fish too!  I told him that I lived on Pewaukee Lake which was 25 minutes from the Milwaukee Mile and it was full of bass and muskies and he said he would love to fish it sometime with me in the future.

In October of 1999 we lost Greg Moore in a race in California.  In 2000 he was to be driving for Team Penske which was the seat to have at the time.  Team Penske instead of Greg, hired Helio Castroneves which is another whole story of another favorite race car driver.  As we are about to start a new Indy Car and fishing season Greg has been on my mind.  I don't know if he would like the new Indy Car we are about to see but I think he would.  It's a whole new safer car and if it is faster than the old one I really think he would like it!

Greg and I still have a date to go fishing someday upstairs.  We miss you Greg.  Tell me what you think on my Facebook or Twitter page.

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann