Paul Newman says goodbye to Lime Rock

I have to say, I'm conflicted about this post. I received an email from our friend Max about it yesterday and my first reaction was to not add it. It's morbid, not confirmed, it's more or less anonymous and there are no pictures.

Like many of you probably, I love Paul Newman as an actor and of course a racer. (The old man is fast, ever check his lap times about Lime Rock? wow). We all know he is getting on in years so in the end I thought that a story which confirms his lifelong passion for the sport we love is something you might enjoy knowing about.

All the best to Paul Newman from the Axis!

Wednesday August 13th 2008

Lime Rock was closed down for an hour and a half to honor Paul Newman. He was attended by his family, close friends, Skip Barber, mechanicson his race team, and those who happened to be at the track. PLN toured the track in his Corvette race car with his Buick V8 powered Volvo station wagon following. He had come to say goodbye....

Pictures by RSO34 from Pound Ridge NY and 2Seat on Trackpedia.com

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Lime Rock Park was closed down for an hour and half today to honor Paul Newman. He was attended by his family, close friends, Skip Barber, mechanicson his race team, and those who happened to be at the track. PLN toured the track in his Corvette race car with his Buick V8 powered Volvo station wagon following. He had come to say goodbye. Diagnosed with terminal cancer he is not expected to live beyond September. Race driver, actor, humanitarian, family man and friend, they did not come any better."


Stonebridge20 on Apexspeed.com wrote:

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 !