As slow ‘N Steady Wins the Race for this gentlemen
Driver…
Following the 1969 movie Winning, Paul Newman
bought himself a brand new Corvette Stingray. In 1970 He set out from home in
Westport, Connecticut and drove to Lime Rock Park Raceway, where once a week, anybody
could test themselves and their own cars on it’s racetrack. As Lime Rock Park was
built on the site of a former Gravel Pit and comprises of 325 Acres.
Yet Newman didn’t wish to embarrass Himself, so
He asked the track’s Manager for a few “Pointers.” Newman was then introduced
to bob Sharp, a Racing Driver, Auto Dealer and Team Owner who had No Clue who
Newman was, which made Paul Happy.
Initially when in California for work, Newman took
his first laps around Ontario Motor Speedway, (OMS) a sister track to the
Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Before returning to OMS during the spring and summer of 1970. Doing so
while on location in Oregon filming some Kinds of Nothing, Paul took time going
Back and forth to Ontario Motor Speedway and driving Ontrack, even becoming a
Board Member along with Kirk Douglas and Dick Smothers.
Newman and a veritable Who’s Who of “leading
Men,” including James Garner, Steve McQueen, Robert Redford, dick Smothers, Robert
Wagner and Pancho Gonzalez competed in a Charity race at OMS that year.
Newman continued striving to improve at Lime
Rock and by 1971 had reached agreement with bob Sharp, father of some Indy
Racing League driver named Scott Sharp… To lease a Bob Sharp prepared and
maintained Datsun 510 racecar in local SCCA competition the following summer.
Sam Posey was less than impressed by Newman’s
driving in ’72, saying the Guy’s totally Oblivious to Anybody around Him
Ontrack! Although Newman was just taking it Slow ‘N Steady, which had been his
successful method towards Acting…
Newman continued racing at Lime Rock and elsewhere,
including Nelson Ledges and Qualified for the 1973 SCCA National Championship
runoffs at Road Atlanta, where He Spun Out in practice and finished ninth in
his Class.
Newman competed poorly in the final International Race Of Champions (IROC) inaugural
IROC I event on February 18, 1974. Held on
Daytona International Speedwa’s Infield road Course with 12 identically
prepared Porsche 911 RSR’s.
Admitting He’d gotten in Over his Head! As Newman
Spun Out at the first Corner, then caused another competitor to spin out before
ultimately Detonating his Porsche’s Flat Six lump’ on lap-6!
As ‘Ol SuperTex’, nee A.J. Foyt, one of the
race’s competitors was so unimpressed with Newman’s driving that He took to
calling Newman Steve! As Foyt’s dig was in reference that Steve McQueen was a
better driver than Paul! As I can only surmise this slight was slightly less
annoying than another racing driver being called Coogan’ by Foyt, Yikes!
In September 1974, Paul unwisely agreed to be
part of a Driver Quartet including Graham Hill attempting to break 17 existing
Land Speed records aboard an N.A.R.T. (North American Racing Teams) Ferrari
sponsored by Ragu Spaghetti sauce. To which Newman said was like Driving On the
Moon! Since He’d Never driven on the Salt flats, where the course was simply
noted by sticks with ribbons on them, compared to normal racetracks. As the car
suffered mechanical failure and only five records were broken…
Newman continued racing every chance He got,
and soon his movie schedule revolved around his racing schedule. Continuing to
improve his driving, Bob Sharp had Paul join his race team, and in 1976, Newman
raced in the SCCA Runoffs in two classes. Finishing third in a Datsun 510, and
winning his Class in a Triumph TR6 and being awarded the President’s Cup for Overall
Excellence by the SCCA.
In 1977, He took the year off from filming and
solely raced cars. Returning to Florida for that year’s 24 Hours of Daytona,
his first Endurance race, musing how He’d never raced at Night before. Co-Driving
a Ferrari 365 GTB/4 with Elliott Forbes Robinson and Milt Minter. With the Ramsey
Ferrari/Medina Sports Car entry finishing fifth Overall.
Then in 1979 as we All know, P.L. Newman in a
Porsche 935 Co-Driven with Team Owner Dick Barber and Bad Arse Sports Car Ace
and ex-formula 1 Driver rolf Stommelen finished runner-up to the Whittington Brothers
and Klaus Ludwig at that year’s 24 Heurs du Mans! As Newman was 54years old,
but far from done racing.
In 1982 at Age 57, Newman won his first
professional race. Winning that year’s SCCA Pro Racing Trans Am event at Brainerd
International Raceway in Minnesota.
As Newman won driving a Datsun 280ZX, the last
year of the Datsun Brand Stateside, switching to it’s Nissan Brand today. While
the Trans Am series was Dominated that season by Elliot Forbes-Robinson claiming
five wins Overall, including four in-a-row aboard a Pontiac Trans Am Firebird.
Handly Beating series runner-up doc bundy in a Porsche 924.
Between 1985-1986, Newman won his third and
fourth SCCA National GT1 Championships Consecutively behind the wheel of Bog Sharp Racing Nissan 300ZX’s. Paul also won
his second SCCA Pro Racing Trans Am race at his Home track Lime Rock Park in ’86,
also behind the wheel of his Bob Sharp Racing Nissan 300ZX.
Newman was Shocked when fellow competitor, good
friend and Trans Am teammate Jim Fitzgerald
Died at Age 65 during the season finale St Petersburg Trans Am race in 1987, after
crashing Head-on into a Jersey barrier at over 100mph! For which Newman was
unable to continue after the race had been paused…
In 1995, Newman made History as the Oldest
Driver to win a major Auto race, winning the GTS Class behind the wheel of a Nasty
Roush Racing Ford Mustang emblazoned with Nobody’s fool upon it, which just so
happened to be Paul’s latest movie.
Newman’s Co-Drivers were Michael Brockman, a
Connecticut Pal’, Mark Martin and the other TK’, aka Tommy Kendall.
Paul was hesitant during practice and the start
of the race, before getting into the Groove after his first hour behind the
wheel. Paul ran a total of six hours at the Keyboard, including a Double Stint
during the Night.
With 90mins remaining, Newman exited the car
with genuine relief. Thinking He’d finished driving and told Jack Roush how relieved
He was that was Over! To which thee “Cat in the Hat” (Jack Roush) said No it’s
Not! You’re getting back in the car for the final 45mins Paul! Which Newman did,
taking the Chequered Flag third overall…
While I also tend to recall the Crawford
prototype racecar the ‘Ol Fox was driving with the #79, matching his age being
adorned with flames on it’s nose after it had caught on fire during practice! And
I remember le Hamburgular’, aka Sebastien Bourdais who was then driving for Newman
Haas Racing’s IndyCar team being one of it’s drivers at that year’s Rolex 24.
Newman had a slight incident at Daytona in 2000
when crashing at 180mph and injuring His wrist! Along with Crashing during a
test lap with Kyle Petty in the passenger seat at Watkins Glen. As Newman
confessed “Father Time” was catching up with Him and his reflexes! But his
worst crash ever was on a public road in one of his Souped Up Volvo Station wagons
when a car Side-swiped him! Breaking off the side mirror along with breaking his
Hand, which was in a Cast for several weeks. Which His wife Joanne Woodward said
Paul was the most Distraught about of All of His Crashes!
Whilst Comedian Adam Carolla has somewhat “Quietly”
captured the market upon ex-Paul Newman racing cars, which I read awhile ago in
this Car and Driver Magazine article. When the Car & Driver Magazine
articles Hadn’t been Goobered Up on my Newsline telephone service…
Adam
Carolla Has a Thing for Paul Newman
For more of Paul
Newman’s racing “Connections”, visit the No Fenders link below.
Paul
Newman’s lasting Entanglement with Go fast leading Men
