Farewell Mister Newman

[ChampCar_A]

We will miss you Paul Newman, Thanks for the memories.

[wedge]

RIP

Thank you for your wonderful contribution to motorsport

[jimispeed]

God bless him. Great man with a huge heart. Always true to himself.

We'll miss him, but never forget him.

[DanicaFan]

Yes, he will be greatly missed. A great guy. A great actor and contributor to motorsports.

[maxmach]

We have lost a great human being, one who was kind and humble to everyone, even if you were in awe of his talent. And as a supporter of open wheel racing, he set the bar pretty high, in racing and life.
Good bye Butch, this time the bandido's don't get ya.

[markabilly]

I remember being at Riverside in 1967, at the can am race. My dad and I were in the paddock area where people with special passes could park their cars in the infield close to the garages, and there was a pick up truck with a cooler in the back. My dad started talking to this guy by the truck, and he gave him a beer, then said sorry kid, got no cokes.

Anyway, my dad told him I was collecting autographs of all the drivers at the race where they were signing the front of my program. So I asked are you a race driver? and he said, no. So I said well, I only want race drivers and he chuckled said something like yeah, me too, don't blame you for that and statrted discussing all the ones i had, looking at the program with me, and all that...... Smiled just like I much later saw in the movie Cool Hand Luke. So anyway after my very impatient wait, my Dad said the usual we better go, thanks for the beer.....

What I remember the most is that he did not really have dark blue eyes. They were a very very light color, almost colorless, but friendly and happy. I asked my Dad, and he said that he did not notice but maybe he had albino eyes without color. In any event, I really could care less about it all, except that he seemed nice, just a regular sort of guy.

A few days later my Dad mentions the encounter to my Mom and she just went nuts, upset about no autograph, not being there, and all this stuff. About that time I began to wonder if I should have gotten it, paid more attention, but then realized that hey, I had Dan Gurney, Bruce Mac, John Surtees, Denny Hulme, Jim Hall and all the other really important people......

During one of the practices, I tried to get Bruce maclaren to sign, but he turned away and started pushing the car out to the track from the garage area. So I just shrugged and turned away. A few minutes later, I felt a tap on my shoulder and it was him, all dressed in his driving suit, and helmet, said sorry I was busy but do you mind? And then signed the cover of the program, and went off at a fast walk to get in the car and take off. Later when Bruce was killed, I quit paying any attention to racing for several years.

Those were the days, and I think they may never return....

[markabilly]

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/stor...C%7D&dist=hppr



WESTPORT, Conn., Sept 27, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Remembering the life and legacy of Paul Newman, Newman's Own Foundation has issued a statement. The statement, from Vice-Chairman Robert Forrester, follows:
"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."

[Chris R]

I remember being at Riverside in 1967, at the can am race. My dad and I were in the paddock area where people with special passes could park their cars in the infield close to the garages, and there was a pick up truck with a cooler in the back. My dad started talking to this guy by the truck, and he gave him a beer, then said sorry kid, got no cokes.

Anyway, my dad told him I was collecting autographs of all the drivers at the race where they were signing the front of my program. So I asked are you a race driver? and he said, no. So I said well, I only want race drivers and he chuckled said something like yeah, me too, don't blame you for that and statrted discussing all the ones i had, looking at the program with me, and all that...... Smiled just like I much later saw in the movie Cool Hand Luke. So anyway after my very impatient wait, my Dad said the usual we better go, thanks for the beer.....

What I remember the most is that he did not really have dark blue eyes. They were a very very light color, almost colorless, but friendly and happy. I asked my Dad, and he said that he did not notice but maybe he had albino eyes without color. In any event, I really could care less about it all, except that he seemed nice, just a regular sort of guy.

A few days later my Dad mentions the encounter to my Mom and she just went nuts, upset about no autograph, not being there, and all this stuff. About that time I began to wonder if I should have gotten it, paid more attention, but then realized that hey, I had Dan Gurney, Bruce Mac, John Surtees, Denny Hulme, Jim Hall and all the other really important people......

During one of the practices, I tried to get Bruce maclaren to sign, but he turned away and started pushing the car out to the track from the garage area. So I just shrugged and turned away. A few minutes later, I felt a tap on my shoulder and it was him, all dressed in his driving suit, and helmet, said sorry I was busy but do you mind? And then signed the cover of the program, and went off at a fast walk to get in the car and take off. Later when Bruce was killed, I quit paying any attention to racing for several years.

Those were the days, and I think they may never return....

two great stories - thanks for sharing them.....

[IWUTitan90]

Godspeed Racer.

[gofastandwynn]

IndyCar Series Tribute to Paul Newman

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Km7PcdMzaN4