Farewell Mister Newman

[16&Gtown]

he died this morning, age 83

[tstran17_88]

Sad day for motorsport. :(

[Old3Fan]

I just read this sad news on the internet. Paul Newman lived his life to the fullest and gave so much to others and will be missed in the racing world and everywhere else. He was one of the best.

[Rex Monaco]

"He was smiling...That's right. You know, that, that Luke smile of his. He had it on his face right to the very end. Hell, if they didn't know it 'fore, they could tell right then that they weren't a-gonna beat him. That old Luke smile. Old Luke, he was some boy. Cool Hand Luke. Hell, he's a natural-born world-shaker."

"When my feeble life is o’er,
Time for me will be no more;
Guide me gently, safely o’er
To Thy kingdom shore, to Thy shore."

[garyshell]

One of the classiest men to ever grace a race car, both as a driver and an owner. When so many others of his ilk played the rich boy card, Paul was humble and a friend to all who approached him as a driver or owner. He wanted NOTHING to do with his other life while he was at the track.

I wish this news had been public prior to David Letterman's show taping yesterday. I await what he will have to say on Monday. I know there will be a tear in David's eye. He thought a lot of Paul, as did we all.

RIP, Paul, you will be missed but NEVER forgotten.

Gary

[Chris R]

Paul Newman was one of a kind - he will be missed but we are all the better for his life.....

[nigelred5]

I'm glad to have had several chances to meet and speak with a truly iconic personality.

[BobGarage]

sad day :(

[ArrowsFA1]

A class act in all aspects of his life. The world is a poorer place for his passing.

RIP Mr Newman and thank you.

[cartpix]

I woke up this morning to a motage of his his life. I knew he was gone. A sad day indeed.

Jeff

[VkmSpouge]

It is sad to hear of the death of Paul Newman.

[Nikki Katz]

It's a great shame and a great loss.

[SarahFan]

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=SRg7UpSxO5g&feature=related

[The instant classic]

:(

we will miss you paul newman thank you for everyone you did for racing,
we shall see you again some day, in a better place

[Mihai]

That's sad news, I just heard of it minutes ago from local TV.

R.I.P. Pablo Nuevohombre !

[Miatanut]

Would it be possible to change the thread title to one with a little class?

[fugariracing]

I can't think of anyone more selfless in their celebrity, or not even wanting anything to do with it.

A great man and a great friend to racing, this is a huge loss.

RIP PLN

[Forum Buddy]

It is a very loss to us all and motorsport, thanks all those years you support racing.

[DBell]

Thanks for all you did. A life well lived Mr. Newman.

R.I.P.

[Marbles]

"He was smiling...That's right. You know, that, that Luke smile of his. He had it on his face right to the very end. Hell, if they didn't know it 'fore, they could tell right then that they weren't a-gonna beat him. That old Luke smile. Old Luke, he was some boy. Cool Hand Luke. Hell, he's a natural-born world-shaker."
[/i]

Nice touch Rex. That choked me up.

Never mentioned in scandal rags. A class act from a bygone era. He set a standard for his brothers and sisters I've seen few match.

An award winning actor with a list of movie credits that are second to none. With his celebrity he brought instant star power to CART as an owner. He was also one of those rare beasts -- a gentleman racer who had legitimate speed. And last but certainly not least, he was generous, a philanthropist with a heart of gold.

R.I.P.

[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/story/newmans-own-foundation-celebrates-life/story.aspx?guid=%7BBEF7379C-9CDF-4B85-AFDA-B4A9E5FDFCEC%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

[F1boat]

Farewell, Mr. Newman. You were the best :(

[ChampUSfan]

RIP Paul. Thanks for the memories !

[mate]

I was in shocked about paul newman! My thoughts, Prayers and condolences are with his family and friends

[domaza]

R.I.P. Paul - You were the greatest teamowner ever in motorsports!

[indycool]

Robin does a great job of capturing the man......

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/miller-paul-newman-an-american-original//P1/

[MDS]

You can tell the effect a man has by the number of people who notice his passing. Centuries of warfare have kept the middle east separated, but both Israel and Iran are morning Paul Newman. The front page of the state-owned Tehran newspaper that largely runs propaganda ran full page story on Newman. Many smaller papers followed suit. His death is a major story in Israel as well, marking one of the few times in modern history both Arabs and larger world have mourned someone at the same time.

One of my big career goals was to work for Newman-Haas. Its a goal, that sadly I will have to let pass from my life. He was a class act, whom the entire world will miss.

[MAX_THRUST]

Thank you for everything....God bless you and your family, sleep peacefully, you've earnt it.

[Hoop-98]

Godspeed Paul

[jimispeed]

IndyCar Series Tribute to Paul Newman

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


Wonderful job......

[Randy_L]

I don’t post or read this board very much these days, so forgive my tardiness on this. Everything I try to say at a time like this sounds cliché. But, I can suffice to say that when I go, I want to go where Paul is now. He was a great competitor, a superb actor, and an exemplary humanitarian. He is an enormous loss to the world at large. Not just to the racing community. God Bless you Paul.

[indycool]

Robin Miller piece on Indycar site......Mario and Paul were together a long, treasured time......

http://www.indycar.com/news/?story_id=12632

[Chaparral66]

This doesn't sound like much, but I want to share it anyway. You remember that appearence on Jay Leno where he and Paul Newman raced karts? You knew Leno had no chance, but even as Paul was winning by an increasingly wider margin, I began to focus on his technique. His car control was very disiplined and almost effortless, even if he hung the tail out a bit. He was so smooth you forgot he was driving a kart. And this is from an 80 year old guy.

There were very few greater friends to racing than Paul Newman.

[Scheckterfan54]

I was in shocked about paul newman! My thoughts, Prayers and condolences are with his family and friends

He did have cancer! You might have been the only one who was shocked!

[Cart750hp]

A very great man. He lived his life to the fullest and loved by many. A life lesson to all of us.

[Mark in Oshawa]

I know I am getting in late to this one...but I will really miss Paul. He didn't just talk about helping people, or made meaningless gestures towards charity, but he put his money where his mouth was.

The fact he was a hell of a race driver is why we are mourning him here, but he was a tremendous man in so many ways that there is no justice we can bring to his legacy.

A buddy of mine met Paul in the most interesting way. One year at the race in Toronto, us local Timing and Scoring volunteers were not needed to assist the CART timers, so we were looking for places to watch. My buddy Paul found a spot with the TV spotter on a small platform under the Timing tower at Pit Exit. He settles in with the spotter when they hear a voice behind them as the cars are doing pace laps "you guys have room for one more?" It was Mr. Newman of course...and of course they found a chair for him there on the spotters stand. Since no one but authroized people could get there, PLN knew he would be safe from the prying eyes of the press and fans. He loved his racing and didn't want to be a distraction, so it was why he rarely watched the races from the pits. They talked racing and enjoyed the race, which Mikey Andretti happened to win, making Paul's day...and my buddy's as well. It was very much the fact he was a regular guy despite the fame that has made him such an endearing guy..and why we mourn his loss so...

Godspeed Paul...you were a tremendous actor, racer, phlantropist and man....and we will all miss you.

[Chaparral66]

I know I am getting in late to this one...but I will really miss Paul. He didn't just talk about helping people, or made meaningless gestures towards charity, but he put his money where his mouth was.

The fact he was a hell of a race driver is why we are mourning him here, but he was a tremendous man in so many ways that there is no justice we can bring to his legacy.

A buddy of mine met Paul in the most interesting way. One year at the race in Toronto, us local Timing and Scoring volunteers were not needed to assist the CART timers, so we were looking for places to watch. My buddy Paul found a spot with the TV spotter on a small platform under the Timing tower at Pit Exit. He settles in with the spotter when they hear a voice behind them as the cars are doing pace laps "you guys have room for one more?" It was Mr. Newman of course...and of course they found a chair for him there on the spotters stand. Since no one but authroized people could get there, PLN knew he would be safe from the prying eyes of the press and fans. He loved his racing and didn't want to be a distraction, so it was why he rarely watched the races from the pits. They talked racing and enjoyed the race, which Mikey Andretti happened to win, making Paul's day...and my buddy's as well. It was very much the fact he was a regular guy despite the fame that has made him such an endearing guy..and why we mourn his loss so...

Godspeed Paul...you were a tremendous actor, racer, phlantropist and man....and we will all miss you.

I envy you that one, Mark. Nice tribute to a great man.