October 21, 2024

Here is a look at some great old days of Indy Car racing when Champ Car AND the IRL both existed.  It was called "The Split" and friend Paul Zimmermann has written a good book on the whole mess. It was a mess that almost killed Indy Car. Thank you Tony George for almost destroying Indy Car racing.

The Time Warner Cable Road Runner 225 was the Champ Car race at the Milwaukee Mile on June 4, 2006 with Sebastien Bourdais in the pole position and winning the race. The late Justin Wilson took second and Nelson Philippe third.

Got to be friends with French driver Nelson Philippe who had a very sore neck during practice. I had some Bio Freeze in my truck that I use and I gave it to him to help calm his neck pain down a bit. It did, and he gave me his helmet visor for being nice!

Alexander Tagliani destroyed his car in practice right in front of me in turn 4 and was very lucky that he didn't get hurt at all. Alex was Will Power's teammate that year for Derrick Walker and Aussie Vineyards racing.

The Champ Car was a beautiful looking car and the Aussie Vineyards and McDonalds liveries are beautiful. Really a lot better looking than the IRL race car and faster I believe.

Justin Wilson led 61 laps, Katherine Legge 12 laps and A.J. Allmendinger led 7 laps.

Enjoy a look at some pretty cars and a mangled wreck of Alex Tagliani's car.

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann

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

April 4, 2022

In 2007 the Indy Car racing world was very divided. We had the Indy Racing League (IRL), formed by Tony George in 2003 with his Indianapolis Motor Speedway at the helm.  We also had the Champ Car World Series.

From 2003 through 2007 we had the IRL and Champ Car as two separate series. It was a mess and mistake by Tony George that Indy Car is just now recovering from. In 2008 it became one series again called Indy Car as it still is today.

I was photographing the IRL at the Milwaukee Mile and the Champ Cars at Road America each year for four years.

On August 12, 2007, the Generac Champ Car Grand Prix at Road America was held. Race driver Sebastien Bourdais won the race and end up winning his fourth straight championship at the end of the year. Seabass, as we call him, was fast everywhere then and still is now.

Dan Clarke finished second and a very young Graham Rahal finished third.

All of the Champ Car race cars were beautiful and fast looking with great paint jobs.

Enjoy a look at the guys and a young Katherine Legge racing around beautiful Road America.

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann

The Champ Car and IMSA series at Road America in 2007.

Here in Wisconsin, snow is on the ground and it's going to be 6F tomorrow with a crazy windchill!! We should be seeing daffodils and rabbits outside instead of snow, ice and cold.

On February 28th, two of my favorite race car drivers celebrated their birthdays. Mario Andretti turned 79 and still drives the two seat Indy Car. I still want a ride in that car Mario! Sebastien Bourdais turned 40 on the same day!

On March 10th, the Indy Cars have the first race of the season in St. Petersburg, Florida. Sebastien Bourdais has lived in St. Petersburg for a few years and won that race twice I believe.

To get ready for the season let's take a look back at the birthday boys and some of the Indy Cars.

Last year Scott Dixon won the championship and I think he could do it again! Good luck Scott!

Stay warm and get ready to hear the awesome sounds of Indy Car again!

See how many drivers you can recognize here.

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.