February 12, 2024
I keep finding photos of races that I don't have in my website at www.richzimmermann.com. Here is one of those missing races that I've scanned in now.
It is the Road Runner 225 Champ Car race held on June 3, 2005 at the Milwaukee Mile.
Jimmy Vasser would get the last pole position of his career and I have his helmet visor from the pole winning run!
Paul Tracy won the race and led most of the laps of the day with his beautiful Forsythe Racing Champ Car.
I spent a lot of time with the Mi-Jack racing team with drivers Andrew Ranger from Canada and Nelson Philippe from France.
Andrew had a lot of promise as did Nelson but they finished the race 16th and 12th respectively. Andrew would continue racing after one more year of Champ Car then back to racing in Canada.
Nelson Philippe had a heavy shunt during a practice session and was just very sore. I shared my Bio Freeze with him! I always carry it with me and use for my sore neck and back. Got his helmet visor for that. He's a very nice guy.
Oriol Servia was racing for injured Bruno Junquiera and finished third with future star A. J. Almendinger finishing second.
Great late racer and friend Justin Wilson finished fourth. Justin was one of the nicest guys in pit lane. He always had time for a chat.
Sebastien Bourdais won the championship in 2004 and would win it again in 2005 but only finished sixth here. Love the photo of Carl Haas giving Sebastien a thumbs up before the race and hugging the nose of Oriol Servia's car as he always did with his cars.
Enjoy a look at that weekend.
Thanks,
Rich Zimmermann