Paul Newman takes a last few laps

[LDP82]

from http://www.apexspeed.com/forums/show...65&postcount=1

"LimeRock was closed down today Wednesday for an hour and a half so Paul Newman could take a few last laps there in his GT1 Corvette and say goodbye. He was diagnosed with cancer 18 months ago and is not expected to make it past September.
Hearing this has left a sick feeling in my stomach. Newman was and will always be one of my racing hero's. Bob Sharp Racing being our local "big race team" and the fact that my Dad raced with Bob Sharp back when he was racing Sprites in G Production in the 60's was my "connection" When Bob got the Datsun deal and showed up at LimeRock with those Red White and Blue 510's, it really but the bug in me for racing. I was a bit too young to remember the Datsun Roadsters but for some reason the 510's made a big impression on me. When I was 7 years old in 1972 my Dad and I walked into the old timing tower at the Glen and met up with Bob and Paul who were standing there eating peanuts. My dad said to say hello to Mr. Sharp and Mr. Newman They drive the Red White and Blue cars you like so much. All I could do is stand there and stare. Newman said hi, took my hand and filled it up with peanuts and said "have some, there good for ya". From that moment on all I could think about is driving race cars and someday having my own Red White and Blue 510. It was one of those defining moments in your life that you will never forget. 32 years later at the 2004 LimeRock National I drove my first GT race in a 77 Datsun 200SX. Newman was the first GT1 car to lap me. As he went past I gave him the thumbs up and he did the same to me. Surreal!"

he will be missed

[breakaway500]

Makes damn good salad dressings too One of my top three favorite actors. There is a man who has lived.

[morrism]

Wow, now I am really sad. I always admired Newman.

[Shawn624]

[img]There is a man who has lived.

A long and full life that I'm sure went by to fast. I was also 7 years old back then hanging around Watkins Glen, Limerock, and Mid Ohio. I remember the red white and blue Datsuns looked slow, but seemed to be passing everyone. I also remember the buzz from the women about how one of the drivers was an actor with blue eyes.

It must have been tough getting out of that car at Limerock.

[grovefromnh]

One year at LimeRock, Paul had won his race in his Nissan and was walking back to his motorhome from Impound. He was surrounded by camera clicking fans as he walked in his bright red firesuit. The mob stopped and waited as he entered the motorhome. About 15 min. later a guy with an old t-shirt, ratty looking cutoffs over SKINNY legs and sunglasses emerged. The crowd got excited, but quickly lost interest as they looked this guy over. NO movie star there! 'Chickenlegs' Newman just walked through the crowd with no hassle and wondered about unreconized for the rest of the day.

[brucesallen]

After chatting with Paul at the driver's meeting at last September's SCCA NARRC runoff he went on to quality his Vette at 54 seconds and won his GT1 race. Must have been doing 170 down the front straight.

[StephanAlfa]

from http://www.apexspeed.com/forums/show...65&postcount=1

" He was diagnosed with cancer 18 months ago and is not expected to make it past September.

He "ain't" GONE yet guys ... say a prayer, he may live a little longer...
Has any of you given up on improving time at a track? Well, same goes for LIFE!

[962porsche]

fyi about P.L. he went to L.R.P. for 3 reasons 1st. to show peaple hes not dead yet. the press is getting him all pist off about his health hes doing ok but cancer at any age takes its toll on a person and at 82 and now 83 years it makes it harder . he went thru it 20 years or so ago . the race shop is closed up now , kind of . he cant race this year becouse at his age the yearly physician exam the scca tells him he has to get he cant pass with cancer. 2nd reason he went to the track is we installed a new body on his car (the 2008 vett body) insted of the older 2004 body which was like a brick the new body has much lower drag .and he just wanted to drive the car . 3rd. marky and don from risi compeyizione alms ferrari team last years champ and this years well not so good . is building him a volvet that would be a volvo wagon with a 2008 ls7 vett motor . and P.L. wanted to take it out on the track . it was ok when he went out on the track there was only about 10 miles on the car .it has the ride hight of a 4 by 4 and was not ready for what was in store for it . but what P.L. wants P.L. gets . and he did when paul drove it it was ok then when mike drove it it was ok thay new it was a new biuld . then P.L. let some dick weed bush north driver drive it with paul and mike in the car . well thay told him to take it real ez and he didnt it thru the balance shaft pully across the track ,drive belt got balled up then he keep going around the track in to the pits by that time the motor was nice and hot which as you know is real good for a new motor . and thats a day at the track with newman.

[ctkag]

^^ Tough read, but nice story.

[962porsche]

yes its a tough reading what i right . thats why i work on car and i dont write books . sorry !

[StephanAlfa]

yes its a tough reading what i right . thats why i work on car and i dont write books . sorry !

I can even detect a certain accent by the way you write...
I just don't know which...

[ctkag]

yes its a tough reading what i right . thats why i work on car and i dont write books . sorry !

Oh, no need to apologize. I appreciated your story. Thanks.

[Shawn624]

After chatting with Paul at the driver's meeting at last September's SCCA NARRC runoff he went on to quality his Vette at 54 seconds and won his GT1 race. Must have been doing 170 down the front straight.

That must have been in the "brick" that 962Porsche was referring to.

[962porsche]

shawn624 please dont get up set . im not talking about the body style of your vett. thay do have a good body and very little drag with good down force as well . all and all a very good package ! but i am talking about P.L.' s gt1 car and not a street car .thay may look the same but are not even close side by side . but the truth is the new body we installed is a much better body. the nose is lower with less body lines and flatter with smoother head lamp openings . the ass end of the car is better becouse of the less over hang and less of a high presher erea under the clam shell . derhog did a better job on the new 2008 still body for aerodynamics then the old body for the GT1 cars . its to be more competitive with the jaguars body that hade a much lower drag . and as for Pauls lap times we had him in the high 53 not 54s . and as a racer would you like to do high 53s or low 53s ?also line rock is not a high speed track it a momentum track . the gearing we installed for that track the car cant do 170 at best 150 . mikes camaro is basically the same car under the skin as puals car and yet on a long straght mikes would go just a little faster . why aerodynamics . so the bottom line is yes pauls old body is like a brick comparing it to the new gt1 body . so please dont be offended about the brick comment i was not talking about all the vetts with that body just pauls car .

[Shawn624]

Not upset, impressed.