Sad day at Lime Rock

[Tom Blaney]

I raced against him a number of times back in the mid-70, he was always a regular guy, and us young snot nose racers would always be trying desperately to keep up with him in our Datsun 240Z's. He always had perfectly prepared equipment and the half a dozen of us young guys with home built racers never had a chance to keep up, but we tried like hell.

I remember one day he had gone off the track in a race so he fell back behind all of us who now "were beating him" so he comes ripping through the field picking us off one by one (probably chuckling at each pass), he comes up on me (I was now in second and he’s not gonna beat me), and we go head to head into turn one, and I held him off (until turn 2 ……) then he blows by like a freight train.

I happily finished third (he wins), I’m in impound all proud and happy, Paul walks up to me and gives me a smile and said “Son you got a lot of balls, I’ll give you that”, I was sort of stunned that he even cared, then he asked me a few questions about who prepared my car and all that (I proudly said I did it all myself etc) then he calmly said “You know instead of stomping on the gas and the brake pedal like you do, just try and squeeze them, you’ll be a whole lot faster” and then calmly walked back to his trailer.

I was so surprised that he would actually offer some words of advice and even notice the seemly little mistakes I made (all the while I was trying cut him off in the corner) and encourage me to try harder.

I’ll never forget that incident, and wish him the best as he faces the next challenge. He was quite a guy and truly a man’s man.

[bonespec]

Sorry, I don't see this as a "sad" day, I see is as a celebration of life.

80+ years old, been there and done that, was humble about it.

Yes when "Big C" takes the last breath we shall mourn.

But then we'll laugh at all the old stories and be smiling thru the tears.

In the name of Frankie, he did it his way. A true hero.

[lateapex911]

I posted this over at RRAX, so sorry if you've read this already, feel free to skip, but, since we're telling tales, I'd like to make 3 points.

When I was working for him at his house, he was often around. In fact, one day he came back from a run and went straight for the fridge, walked back with two beers (Buds, of course), and handed me one..."It's Friday, why not?" he said. I know it's gehy, but that can is in my mementos collection. (One of a million he probably gave out over the years, but the first one he gave me, LOL)

Another time, he was sitting behind me while I worked, BS-ing, and out of the blue says, "I hear you're a racer".
(I start sweating!) "Yea, SCCA Club stuff".
Him: "Cool, what class and car?".
I tell him, and try to downplay it.
He says, (And I never could believe this), "Don't you live right around the corner?"
"Sure..." I say, "....just about a block away".
And he then suggests, "Why don't you bring it over Friday? Cops will never know". (My first IT car)

So, on Friday, he comes out kicks the tires so to speak, asks questions and listens patiently. He points out I could stand a little more roll cage on the right, and I reply that I would but since I drive it to the track, my girlfriend would have no place to sit if I added a bar. He gets a huge grin, and says, "You drive it to the track???? THAT's the way to go racing!"

He is just that nice...

Somebody somewhere mentioned how cool it would have been to be at Lime Rock to watch his laps Wed. I was talking with a friend on the phone about that last night, and we both agreed that we were kinda glad we missed it. I know there is no way I would have been able to see a thing through my tear filled eyes. How his crew guys (who he's known for years) strapped him in for the last session, I'll never know.

He is just that much of a hero to us all.

(And I'm sure he responded to any tears at that point with a wise crack like, "C'mon, hurry it up here, I'm not going to live forever!".......)

He's just that cool....

[88YB1]

Though he doesn't know it, Paul Newman is responsible for me becoming a scca club racer. In 2002 I went to Road Atlanta to work a corner. I was working turn 6 when my instructor pointed to a car that went by. He said see that car? That's Paul Newman. As the car came around the second time, he said see that number ? 78 Thats his age. I remarked to my trainer, "if a man 78 can drive surely a man of 59 can." I went home and began building a car.

Chuck
ITA Pontiac Fiero #34

[pballance]

Part of the reason that I race a 240 is PLN. I had the fortune to meet him and Jo Ann one time, in the middle 70's at an IMSA race at RA. Like so many of you have said, he was all about racing at the track, forget the star stuff.

I watched him stuff a Bob Sharp Z under the bridge that weekend. He walked away but I still remember it like it was yesterday.

I too think of this a celebration of his life. God bless you and your family

[almracing]

I got into racing when my father took the family to LRP for a Fram family day. (Dad made machines at Fram) P. Newman was running that day and I got to wander around his paddock with the VIP pass. From that day on I wanted to race. P. Newman broke on the warm-up lap and had to exit the track near turn 3. My mom was there as the staff opened up the fence and PLN walked right by her. Nothing like being a teenager and see your mom act like a swooning school girl... LOL.