Paul Newman was a VERY legit driver. My dad and I both raced SCCA cars against him. I was late teens, early 20’s. My dad….mid 50’s. My uncle was a Datsun dealer, and was wired into things. We had two 510’s….which is what Newman raced at the time. Of course even when he started, his cars were all set up by Bob Sharp, and perfect. Big highlight was my getting to drive one at Lime Rock with Sharp in the passenger seat.
if I remember, Newman starred in the movie Winning, and had never driven. So he was sent, I think, to Bob Bondurant’s school. Guess he absolutely caught the bug.
He was fast, and good. And as I recall a very, very nice guy. Not the Hollywood star, or what I’d imagine today. He was Paul and my dad was Don. They were cordial.
i know that Newman was, once he figured it out, ALWAYS in the hunt for the yearly championships in whatever class he drove. He has to have won more than five. That’s impressive. I know that he won LeMans at least once, at has the record for the oldest winner. 24 hours at age 70+. Wow.
The film documentary that @Philpug mentions is “Winning: The Racing Life of Paul Newman.” It is a great one!
He was inducted into the SCCA HOF. He had incredible success as a team owner. And was very hands on. As a driver, always entered races as “P.L. Newman.”
Clearly his passion and he was able to pour a fortune into it.
The three or so years when he was climbing up the learning curve in the 510 were fun. I remember his last 280Z, which was a beast. Then if course his Porsche 935’s.
I think of all in Hollywood, and probably very few who were such great people.
Had to weigh in. Back to overrated watches………
if I remember, Newman starred in the movie Winning, and had never driven. So he was sent, I think, to Bob Bondurant’s school. Guess he absolutely caught the bug.
He was fast, and good. And as I recall a very, very nice guy. Not the Hollywood star, or what I’d imagine today. He was Paul and my dad was Don. They were cordial.
i know that Newman was, once he figured it out, ALWAYS in the hunt for the yearly championships in whatever class he drove. He has to have won more than five. That’s impressive. I know that he won LeMans at least once, at has the record for the oldest winner. 24 hours at age 70+. Wow.
The film documentary that @Philpug mentions is “Winning: The Racing Life of Paul Newman.” It is a great one!
He was inducted into the SCCA HOF. He had incredible success as a team owner. And was very hands on. As a driver, always entered races as “P.L. Newman.”
Clearly his passion and he was able to pour a fortune into it.
The three or so years when he was climbing up the learning curve in the 510 were fun. I remember his last 280Z, which was a beast. Then if course his Porsche 935’s.
I think of all in Hollywood, and probably very few who were such great people.
Had to weigh in. Back to overrated watches………
