November 18, 2024

Been some tough weeks around here lately with my bladder cancer BCG infusion therapy going on now. BCG is a vaccine for tuberculosis that they learned kills cancer cells. Just had the third of six infusions last Friday.

It's a once a week deal and the first week was bad. Second week I developed a urinary tract infection and ended up in the hospital overnight getting big gun antibiotics that worked!

Third week and third infusion and I feel good!  Weird, but happy and lets see what the next three hold and hopefully the infusions work... Now I can get back to being retired with my wonderful wife and doctor here. Could not have done this without her!

This is a Part 1 of the Indy Racing League at the Milwaukee Mile in 2005 for the ABC Supply Company 225 race. Part 2 in a couple weeks will have more photos and history of the race.  In between my cancer treatments I'll get'er done!

The race in 2005 was won by Sam Hornish Jr., Dario Franchitti was second and Tomas Scheckter in P3.

The IRL came to town here and this was during the Indy Car split. Because of that we had Champ Car and the IRL at the Milwaukee Mile in the same summer with different dates. Great, but expensive for fans and busy for this photographer.

How good is your Indy Car knowledge because there are two cars in here that are Champ Cars! Must have been the beginning of the first roll of film that was left over from Champ Car.

Enjoy Part 1 and be well.

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann

November 6, 2023

Hope everyone had a fun Halloween! Two inches of snow here and no trick or treaters.

This blog is about Scott Brayton who was an Indy Car, CART and IRL racer in the 1990's. He passed away tragically on May 17, 1996 at age 37.

A tire blew in practice at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Indy 500 and Scott was killed instantly after hitting the wall. Sad story of too many racers I've known through the years in Indy Cars.

It's a crazy business and you know the hazards going in but it's a heartbreak every time we lose someone for the family and our racing community.

I met Scott Brayton only one time.  It was at the Milwaukee Mile and then I photographed him at Road America in 1993.

He was such a nice guy.  I recently realized that on Facebook we have a mutual friend!

We miss you Scott.  Here are some pictures from 1993 of Scott in a beautiful Indy Car.

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann

April 18, 2022

On June 3, 2007 the Indy Racing League came to the Milwaukee Mile for the ABC Supply A.J. Foyt 225 Race.

The Milwaukee race was run traditionally one week after the Indy 500.  Miss that race a lot.  Bring it back please Roger Penske now that you have control and own the Indy Car series.

Helio had the pole for this race but his rear wing broke during the race right in front of me!  He was done for the day and Sam Hornish had a similar situation and was out of the race a few laps later. Tony Kanaan won it with Dario Franchitti in second. Dan Wheldon finished third.

Danica and Dan Wheldon had a little track incident that had Danica steaming down to Dan Wheldon's pit after the race. They weren't friends anymore and fists almost came out!! Great seeing photos of Dan Wheldon again.  Fun guy that I traded some photos with for his helmet visor that year.  I also have Danica's visors in a photo trade I did every year she was in Indy Cars! I also have a Toyota Atlantic visor of hers from the early days.

Victory Lane was dedicated with a plaque now calling it the A.J. Foyt Victory Lane.  A.J. Foyt loved it and he received a Packers Jersey from A.J. Hawk!

Enjoy a look at the Milwaukee Mile and some great racers.

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann

June 14, 2021

Congratulations to Helio Castroneves, aka Spider Man, for his fourth Indy 500 victory!!

We call Helio Spider Man because after he wins a race, he gets out of his car and climbs the track fence! He cheers with the fans and goes wild. His crew even joins him! It's fun to see his excitement and amazing enthusiasm.

I've photographed and known Helio since his Indy Lights racing days.

In 1998, Helio was in the CART Indy Car series with Hogan Racing. He was a great qualifier but never got the win with them. One of the photos here shows him coming into pit lane after qualifying on the pole position and breaking the track record at the Milwaukee Mile in 1998! It is the photo with his fist in the air.

The year 2000 brought Helio to Team Penske. That seat was to go to racer Greg Moore but he unfortunately passed away in an accident during a race in California in 1999. Who knows how far Greg Moore could have gone, but I think Greg would have won multiple Indy 500's and championships. Sadly, Greg was gone, but now Helio was on his way to a great career with Team Penske.

Helio started in CART and has raced in the IRL and Indy Car for Team Penske.

The past few years Helio has been racing in the IMSA series for Team Penske in an Acura NSX. Last year at the Road America IMSA race ,in pouring rain like I have NEVER seen during a race, he won despite two red flags. It was an amazing victory!

While in IMSA racing, he would still do the Indy 500 for Team Penske. That is until this year when he raced the Indy 500 for Meyer Shank racing in the SiriusXM car. He won and climbed the fence at Indianapolis!!! Spider Man is back!!

Winning the Indy 500 four times has allowed Helio to join a very exclusive club of racers, Rick Mears, Al Unser and AJ Foyt.  He said that he is not done with his Indy Car career just yet!

Enjoy a look at these photos of Helio through the years. He is a family favorite. We have a pair of his gloves and a helmet visor of his.  They look great in our race room!

My next blog will be on the Indy Cars and the Vintage Indy Cars at Road America which is coming up soon!!! Come join us on Father's Day weekend June 18, 19 and 20 at Road America!!

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann