69 replies to this topic

[scooperman]

racer Paul Newman is reported to be very ill. I saw him drive at a couple of Nationals and at the Runoffs, that boy could drive.

http://prodracing.co...opic.php?t=9566

http://69.28.73.165/...wthread/308781/

[Richard Jenkins]

Originally posted by scooperman
racer Paul Newman is reported to be very ill. I saw him drive at a couple of Nationals and at the Runoffs, that boy could drive.

http://prodracing.co...opic.php?t=9566

http://69.28.73.165/...wthread/308781/

Not just very ill, but near death. He has a matter of weeks, at most, to live, I understand & I would expect to turn on the TV any day & be told that he has gone. Indeed, he was on the TV this afternoon in an old film & I made a point of watching it, despite it being pap, to remind myself of his star quality.

Brilliant actor, no mean racing driver, but a complete gentleman above & all.

So sad that cancer will shortly claim both Newman & Sir Bobby Robson, another dignified gentleman. At least both have the opportunity to say goodbye before they go, something many racing figures have not had the luxury of having.

[bradbury west]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Richie Jenkins he was on the TV this afternoon in an old film & I made a point of watching it, to remind myself of his star quality. Brilliant actor, no mean racing driver, but a complete gentleman above & all. QUOTE
Must have been The Towering Inferno, playing opposite Steve McQueen. Real stars, both of them.
Roger Lund

[Frank S]

I miss McQueen, with whom I had contact as an SCCA racer in the run-up to Le Mans.

I'll really really miss Newman, who made giant strides in directions most can only fantasize.

Cheers, PLN!

[Spitfire]

It was telling, in the recent Keke Rosberg interview in Motor Sport, that Keke couldn't help mention what a great thing it was to work for the man. He makes clear, how easy it is to be taken advantage of when you are just starting out, but PLN just isn't that kind of guy.

[JacnGille]

I got to watch PLN pedal his way around Road Atlanta many, many times. Be it in a Datsun 510, a Porsche 935 or a NIssan 300 ZXT.

[Fiorentina 1]

That's sad news. When David Hobbs mentioned it during the F1 coverage I knew it was serious. We knew he had cancer, but it wasn't really announced how serious it was. Or maybe we didn't want to believe it.

I saw him race a few times as well, including I believe his last race at the Daytona 24 Hours in 2005. The only time I spoke with him was when he tried to kick me out of the Newman-Haas hospitality area in Phoenix in 1994. I thought it was pretty funny at the time. I was sitting at a table with a friend of mine and we were chatting with a Lola engineer (the guy who brought us to the hospitality area and offered us a drink) and Newman walks over and asked if we had a pass to be there. We said no. The Lola engineer told him we were with him and he walked back and continued talking with some guest. The thing that was funny was that he stopped talking to whom ever he was talking with, walked over to the table and asked to see our pass. We walked in with the Lola engineer, he open a cooler, handed us a couple of sodas and we proceeded to walk to an empty table and sit down. Paul was looking at us the minute we walked into the hospitality tent. It was pretty funny.

I hope Justin Wilson or Graham rahal can win the Detriot IRL race next weekend......

Man, if Paul Newman can be dying of cancer what chance do any of us mortals have against it?

[philippe7]

Just read the news on another website that Paul Newman passed away today

[Gary C]

Sad news indeed. A Great actor and a true racer.

[Team Result]

Very sad news. My condolences to his family.
A true legend on film and on track.

[Coral]

Oh that is sad news. Rest In Peace Paul.

[lanciaman]

PLN began racing about the same time I did, in the early 1970s, in a TR6. We sometimes raced at the same tracks. He tried to keep a low profile (in the early days Joanne sometimes came with him), but when fans discovered his presence, his motorhome was beseiged.

The camera loved him. We sat together in a motorhome at the Caesar's F1 race and I was surprised to discover him to be much smaller, almost frail, then he looked on screen. He blitzed around New Canaan, Connectict (where I lived) in a VW with a Porsche engine and Joanne sometimes was greeted at the train station in a stretch limousine on her return from Manhattan. She created a dance school for underprivileged kids.

Newman was a memorable humanitarian, giving the profits from his "Newman's Own" brands to the charity he created, the Hole in The Wall camp for underprivilieged kids. There may be no Hollywood couple who gave more to charities than PLN and Joanne, the amount having run into many millions of dollars.

And what cajones the man had, to keep racing. I remember hearing him say the twin turbo IMSA Z-Car was a frightening brute, but he raced it and many others that were beyond mere mortals like me.

He brought a great deal of class to the sport.

[f1steveuk]

That's sad news.

I sometimes got the job of showing VIPs around the digital broadcast village at Grand Prix, and usually it was someone who was there to be seen, knew nothing, and you'd never see again. At Indy', for the first GP there, I gave Mr Newman a guided tour, of both the village and pit lane, and he knew his stuff, and asked some very very difficult questions, but was so aware of the history of F1, it was a joy. My biggest dissapointment was not being able to tell my mum, who had passed on, and a HUGE Newman fan, that I had met him, but to make up for it, the next day as I walked into work, with my work colleagues, imagine my pride (and surprise he'd remembered me and my name!), when Mr Newman shouted across the road, "hey Steve, how's it going, see you later in Gasoline Alley". I walked a bit taller for that. A great guy, and a great fan of motorsport, of all types

[TrackDog]

A great sportsman, artist and humanitarian...Paul Newman left everything he touched the better for it. He will be greatly missed, but at least we have his legacy on film, our memories of his racing endeavours and the opportunity to keep his memory alive by supporting his causes and philanthropic efforts.

There will always be a jar of Newman's Own in my refridgerator.


Dan

[B Squared]

Mr. Newman at Milwaukee IndyCar (CART) race 1997. He will be missed. A true friend of the sport and fellow man.

Brian

[fines]

Huh, I didn't even remember Roberto Moreno driving for them!

This is sad news , and a good enough reason for me to watch "Cat on a hot tin roof" again tonight.

[TrackDog]

Originally posted by fines


This is sad news , and a good enough reason for me to watch "Cat on a hot tin roof" again tonight. [/B]

Or "Winning", with a bowl of Newman's Own popcorn...


Dan

[barrykin]

Very sad to report that Paul Newman succumbed to cancer yesterday.

http://www.sportscar...m/archives/1785

[Mark A]

Sad news.

Statement from the team regarding the passing of Paul Newman:

“On behalf of Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing, my wife Bernadette and myself, I want to express our most sincere condolences to Joanne and the entire Newman family on the loss of a great human being. Paul and I have been partners for 26 years and I have come to know his passion, humor and above all, his generosity. Not just economic generosity, but generosity of spirit. His support of the team’s drivers, crew and the racing industry is legendary. His pure joy at winning a pole position or winning a race exemplified the spirit he brought to his life and to all those that knew him. We will truly miss him.” - Carl A. Haas, co-owner of Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing

"We truly lost a great man. Most of us knew him as Butch or Fast Eddie from the theater or from our living rooms at home. He was much more than a great actor. His legacy will be his five children, his wife, Joanne and all the sick children around the world who desperately needed his help. Paul was a man of character who cared about the world and the people who lived in it. Putting a smile on a young person’s face and helping people in need was a virtue he excelled at. Little did anyone realize a child born of such humble beginnings could affect our lives in so many positive ways. We should all learn to live by his example. We will miss him dearly but will never forget him." - Michael Lanigan, co-owner of Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing

[don hodgdon]

An inspiration to us all...

Thank you Paul, RIP.

[Richard Jenkins]

Alas, no surprise at all, but a great shame.

A true link to Hollywood's Golden Age gone & in motor racing terms, a hugely influential & supportive team owner & a very, very under-rated driver.

A sad day.

[Cargo]

This is pretty glum news.... caught "Cool Hand Luke" (again) on the box just a week ago. A very fine movie, and a fine bit of acting by him.

Paul, I believe, also did a pretty good job with a steering wheel and pedals. If he'd chosen racing before acting, he'd have done very well.

As far as I could tell from watching interviews with him, etc, he was also a very nice chap.

Condolences to his family.

[Rocky2]

Very sad news He was a wonderful person and he will be truly missed. Indeed, his life was an inspiration to all of us. My deepest condolences to his family and friends.

R.I.P

[Twin Window]

Sad news indeed.



The only photo I ever took of the man, at Daytona in '05

[petefenelon]

What a man and what a life - to have reached the highest levels in two worlds as disparate as cinema and motor racing (oh, and pretty good food as well), to have lived such a happy private life and seemingly to never have made an enemy along the way...


RIP PLN

[vashlin]

Very sad to hear this news. Although not unexpected, it is still hard to believe he is gone.

One summer at Watkins Glen (I believe this was in '79) we were "next door neighbors" in the Paddock. We found him to be very unassuming and we tried not to be intrusive by snapping pics as he just wanted to be "one of the guys."

I did take this as he stood waiting for the driver's meeting to start. Didn't want him to see that I was taking his picture.

[URL=http://g.imageshack.us/img91/newmandatsunglenljc79ji2.jpg/1/][IMG]http://img91.imagesh...ljc79ji2.jpg/1/

He was such a great ambassador for our sport.

Lin

[alansart]

The statement from the Newman Foundation shows what a remarkable person he was.

In a statement issued today by the Newman Foundation, the charity organisation mourned its founder saying he will be missed by all who surrounded him.

"Paul Newman's craft was acting. His passion was racing. His love was his family and friends. And his heart and soul were dedicated to helping make the world a better place for all.

"Paul had an abiding belief in the role that luck plays in one's life, and its randomness. He was quick to acknowledge the good fortune he had in his own life, beginning with being born in America, and was acutely aware of how unlucky so many others were. True to his character, he quietly devoted himself to helping offset this imbalance.

"An exceptional example is the legacy of Newman's Own. What started as something of a joke in the basement of his home, turned into a highly-respected, multi-million dollar a year food company. And true to form, he shared this good fortune by donating all the profits and royalties he earned to thousands of charities around the world, a total which now exceeds $250 million.

"While his philanthropic interests and donations were wide-ranging, he was especially committed to the thousands of children with life-threatening conditions served by the Hole in the Wall Camps, which he helped start over 20 years ago.

"He saw the Camps as places where kids could escape the fear, pain and isolation of their conditions, kick back, and raise a little hell. Today, there are 11 Camps around the world, with additional programs in Africa and Vietnam. Through the Camps, well over 135,000 children have had the chance to experience what childhood was meant to be.

"In Paul's words: "I wanted to acknowledge luck; the chance and benevolence of it in my life, and the brutality of it in the lives of others, who might not be allowed the good fortune of a lifetime to correct it."

"Paul took advantage of what life offered him, and while personally reluctant to acknowledge that he was doing anything special, he forever changed the lives of many with his generosity, humor, and humanness.

"His legacy lives on in the charities he supported and the Hole in the Wall Camps, for which he cared so much.

"We will miss our friend Paul Newman, but are lucky ourselves to have known such a remarkable person."

I've watched Butch Cassidy many, many times and I might just watch it again tonight and enjoy.......

[Ross Stonefeld]

Originally posted by fines
Huh, I didn't even remember Roberto Moreno driving for them!

Moreno became Newman-Haas' third driver at the end of the 90s such was Christian Fittipaldi's regularity with injuries.

Released today by Newman's Own, which must have been difficult to prepare ahead of time; particularly Newman's final words.

http://www.youtube.c...63.131.143.186/

[sterling49]

A sad time, Paul gave so much and enriched so many lives with great films over many years, many of which are in my favourites list. R.I.P. Paul

[Lotus11Register]

Twenty-five or so years ago, watching a well-driven Nissan with the name P L Newman on its side, I realized I was watching Paul Newman the famous actor at work in a racing car. In the paddock he seemed anonymous, and it was a pleasure to see others treating him as just another racer. He seemed to do all things right, including being well-married to the same woman for decades. It was natural to respect him.

[philippe7]

Originally posted by vashlin
I did take this as he stood waiting for the driver's meeting to start. Didn't want him to see that I was taking his picture.

Linda, this must be Henri Pescarolo standing between you and Paul ?

[fines]

Originally posted by philippe7


Linda, this must be Henri Pescarolo standing between you and Paul ?

Hardly.

[don hodgdon]

Originally posted by philippe7


Linda, this must be Henri Pescarolo standing between you and Paul ?

Ted Fields...

[lil'chris]

An amazing human being

[wildman]

PLN warming up in Bob Sharp's Nissan in the wet, prior to the '84 Trans-Am at Sears Point:



This actor qualified 10th in a field that included George Follmer, Willy T. Ribbs, David Hobbs, Bob Bondurant, Wally Dallenbach Jr., Tom Gloy and Darin Brassfield. Sadly the car let him down on the first lap of the race, but it shouldn't be forgotten that this actor won two Trans-Am races when the series was at its peak in the 1980s.

"I love racing. I wish I could devote every minute of my time to it. Racing is the best way I know to get away from the rubbish that goes with being a so-called 'Hollywood star.' Racing is a way of being a happy child again." -PLN

Truly a life well-lived. Thanks for everything, Mr. Newman.

[stevewf1]

I sort of "met" Paul Newman once. I was working at one of those "dollar-a-lap" race tracks in 1977. This place was located in Indianapolis and called Rent-A-Racer. It was an operation similar to those Malibu Grand Prix tracks popular at the time and was owned by Eldon Rasmussen.

One day, Paul Newman and his entourage arrived to visit Rasmussen and take a few laps. Afterwards, as Newman and his group were leaving, I noticed he left his sunglasses at the timing stand. I grabbed them and ran after him to return them. He turned, looked at me, smiled and said "thank you"...

That teeny little exchange made a very positive impression on me. There was nothing "pretentious" about him.

[Mistron]

I don't normaly post on these tribute threads, as others have usually summed up all our thoughts, but watching the tribute on youtube I get the firm impression that while he was a very good actor and racer, he was a truly brilliant human being.

[lanciaman]

Some more misc. about a man I admired:

-When he made "Winning," most of the Indpls. 500 pit scenes were shot at IRP, where I was employed. Newman and Bob Wagner were regular fellows who enjoyed a beer with us after shooting was wrapped. I recall that Newman drank Miller HiLife. Not long later he developed a long-standing relationship with Budweiser.

-I worked on behalf of the Budweiser-sponsored (centerseat) "CanAm" effort in the early 1980s. PLN hired Danny Sullivan to drive his "pontoon" car with Bud sponsorship. A number of promotions were developed to promote the Bud brand, including holding a carrot in front of Paul to sponsor his Datsun SCCA IMSA car if he would succumb to doing a Bud racing ad, but he would not personally or overtly endorse the Bud brand (alcohol), though he allowed his likeness to be used in a poster showing him with Sullivan promoting the CanAm series in general.

-In the late 1960s he came to the 500 and my wife, an Indianapolis Star reporter, went into the stands to interview him. (Into the stands! This preceeded the advent of suites...and of women being allowed into the pits, even though she had an SCCA National Competition License.) Newman had a cast on his right arm. He whispered to her that it was a fake, put there to avoid having to sign autographs.

-I always liked his response, when asked if as a Hollywood icon he wasn't tempted by beautiful women. "Why would I settle for hamburger when I have sirloin at home?" he said.

[RStock]

A sad day indeed .

Paul Newman was one of those people who I don't believe I've ever heard anyone say a bad word about .

http://michaelmannin...tled-796102.bmp

[RA Historian]

So many words can be said, but I will just say, he was a good man.

The world grieves.

Tom

[jonpollak]

Back in the sixties I went to the Oakwood Elementary School with his daughter Nell.
Paul would pick her up after school in a innocent looking red VW beetle, which I noticed sounded rather rough. One day when my father picked me up we were following Paul and Nell over Benedict Canyon, all of a sudden the VW took off like a rocket. I later found out that he had a Porsche 356 engine in the back of the thing!!

The following next year Dad worked on the movie WINNING with James Goldstone, his son Peter was also at the same school with Nell and I. Dad got a ride in the VW on the way back from watching rushes of the film. He came home saying he reckoned Paul would be found wrapped around a light pole along the canyon somewhere.
Dad was wrong.

Years later,while working for Forsythe, I mentioned Dad, Oakwood and the Goldstone's to Paul while he chatted to Lenny Kravitz at the Homestead race in 1999 before taking him for a lap in a CART pace car. His face glowed as he recalled the memories.

All my thoughts are with Joanne and the girls
May God bless your soul Paul.
Jp

[fuzzi]

A fine actor, driver, and humanitarian.
A good bloke.

[Kerb Bouncer]

Condolences to his family and to his many friends and associates.

I cannot help but notice that tributes to Paul Newman seem to have four consistent themes: his marriage to and partnership with Joanne Woodward, his long acting career, his humanitarian efforts, and his love of auto racing.

RIP, a true original


Mike

[Formula Once]

Just a memory of a story of Jan Lammers, who bumped into Paul in a hotel lobby, after retiring from the Daytona 24 Hours, which was still going. When Jan asked how Paul was doing in the race he replied: 'Well boy, at my age you're already happy just to have a heartbeat...' A great man and a motor racing legend.

[jimclark]

[i] I remember hearing him say the twin turbo IMSA Z-Car was a frightening brute, but he raced it and many others

He brought a great deal of class to the sport. [/B]

Yes it was. Yes he did. Yes he did.



Thanks for everything, PLN.

[HistoricMustang]

I think it is appropriate for our group that Paul's last movie was "Cars".

My grandson and I have enjoyed over and over Paul as "Doc" the Hudson Hornet.

And, am sure that my wife and I will enjoy "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof" as it must be aired in the next day or so in his honor.

I met Paul once as we both participated in the Daytona Continental with HSR. He pasted my old Mustang several times in his GTP, always with a wave. The beer and conversation with him that evening was very good.

RIP Mr. Newman

Henry

http://movies.about....arspn053006.htm

[thunder427]

,,,,,,,,,,durring the 80's, there was always a 'Threat' that Mr Paul Newman was comming to Bathurst,that was one time I would have been at the 1000, in a heart beat, just one of those people you felt you knew,somebody were a 'Nod would be as good as a Wink', if you get 'my' drift ........... RIP..God Bless

[f1steveuk]

As an aside, did Paul ever get tempted enough to have a go in one of his Indy cars?

[Ross Stonefeld]

It wouldn't surprise me if he did! He was out in an alcohol fueled sprint car a few years ago with Bourdais, Tray, and Junqueira.

[Jack-the-Lad]

I'll give PLN the same tribute I gave Phil Hill: A long life, well lived. We dare not ask more than that.

The world was definitely made better by Paul Newman's presence. Thanks for everything.

Jack