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Paul Newman says good-bye to Lime Rock

http://www.trackpedia.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4485

From the link in thread:

"LimeRock was closed down today Wednesday [Aug 21] 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."

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Jason Berkeley
#57 T1 Corvette
BMG Management / Central Auto Body / Pabst

jasonberkeley:

Paul Newman says good-bye to Lime Rock

http://www.trackpedia.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4485

From the link in thread:

"LimeRock was closed down today Wednesday [Aug 21] or 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."

How very sad. What a great guy, a true gentlemen. I always wanted to meet him; had several opportunities at Lime Rock and Watkins Glen, but never garnered the nerve to introduce myself to him. Now I am kicking myself for not doing so. He is one of those guys you hope you can grow up to be like.

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2008 NASA ST2 National Champion

#40 T1 Dodge SRT-10 Viper Kryderacing/Phoenix Performance/Hoosier Tires/WRP Investments

Hard work & good times go together; but hard work comes first.

I met him a couple of times at the Road Atlanta Nationals.  His car number was always his age...and I distinctly remember him showing up in car #82!!!!  We should all be so lucky!

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Chris W. Ingle
www.tracktapes.com
2008 White Z51 LS3 #7
2003, 2005-08 SEDIV T1 National Champion
Instructor: Chin/TracQuest, Car Guys, etc.
Sponsors: Hoosier, Phoenix, GM Perf, Carbotech, Hardbar, Coolshirt, BK Racing

I'm happy that he's getting some time do quietly say good bye on his own terms...that's more than a lot of cancer patients ever get.  A true role model and gentlemen racer if there ever was one.  He has touched many lives, in motorsports and beyond.

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Greg M.
148 DP Miata
Supported by:
AtTrack Graphics/Skull Motorsports/Karol and the kids!

This is sad news.  I have been on the race track with him several times and had the pleasure of meeting and speaking with him a few seasons ago at Road Atlanta.  He is a great guy, true to his character, and a racer at heart.

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Stan Wilson #92 - Kumho Tires - NetEvidence - Pinnacle Steel - Lux Performance - Dodge Motorsports - Roe Racing
Wilson Racing, Inc.
855 York Road
Mt. Juliet TN 37122
www.wilsonracing.com
stan@wilsonracing.com

That is really sad. My second regional race ever was at LRP with him on track. He made one of the most amazing passes ever on me, I was floored by his talent and ability. After the race he forgot to set his e-brake and his car hit mine, so I got to meet him, which was really cool. All I could say is how much I loved his Salad Dressing, yeah I know, I know. I was starstruck.

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Charles K.
#13 T2 Mitsubishi Evo - NER/NeDiv

I heard the rumors months ago and hoped that they wern't true.  I first met Paul at Road Atlanta when he was driving a Bob Sharp prepared car and had Bud for his sponsor.  Judy Stropus, who used to do the gormet lunches for the RRDC, sent me up to the Sharp trailer to pick up several cases of Bud for the hospitality motorhome.  First person I ran into was Paul who helped me get the cases together but was a little dubious about where the beer was going so he went with me with Sharps golf cart.  I ran into Paul many times at the runoffs and at Summit Point Nationals when he was driving the 510 Datsun sedan, a Triumph TR-6, and the 280Z GT-1 car.  At one of the RRDC lunches he volunteered to pour wine along with me at the buffet table and we drank a few as well.  One of the nice things that Paul did was when hissalad dressing came on the market be brought several cases to Road Atlanta and signed them giving them out to several of the workers who helped Judy with the luncheon.   

 At a Summit Point National one year Paul was racing the 510 Datsun and had a misfire and went into the pits to have the crew fix it.  Turned out it was a plug wire and when the crew finished working on it hewent storming out of the pits only to have the hood fly up onto the windshield.   I was working as a starter for that qualifying session and handed the flag duties over to someone else while I went down the hill from the starters stand, lowered the hood back down, put the pins in and waved Paul on his way.   At the end of the day I went over to laugh about it with him and we enjoyed a bottle of St Pauli Girl beer, his all time favorite beer.

 Paul is a true class guy who demonstrated his gigantic talent, both on the screen and stage, as well as on the track where many of us were fortunate to see him race.  I'm sure when God greets this generous man his old teammate Jim Fitzgerald will be right there with two of something to race and they will enjoy the competiton as well as a lot of stories and jokes.

 Bob Hines

He always seemed like a very down to earth guy.  I wish I had meet him.  I am glad he can say goodbye on his terms.  I hope I can race into my later years. 

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"Flat out until you see God, then lift."

It has seemed rather sad at the Lime Rock test days this year without PLN.  He was always very cordial when talking about racing and driving.  I'm sure it was strange for him to be at LRP just after the new paving and not to be able to race on it.  He will be missed.

LD71 

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LD71

This news makes me very, very sad. PLN is one of my all time heros, not only for his great talent on the screen, or his massive driving skills, but also for the quiet way he lived out his life. He never seemed to look for the spotlight when he was off screen, never used his name or fame to push his point of view on the public. So many of todays "talent" could learn from that.

I was blessed to have meet him on two occasions at Road Atlanta, and he was always very nice and even remembered my name. This man is a class act. 

 

Godspeed PLN..................................JM

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Joe McClughan
McClughan Racing Enterprises

To echo what so many others have said, PLN is a big hero of mine as well. My grandmother who passed away several years ago has a cool picture with PLN and Her at Moroso from the 80s.  I unfortunately didn't get to meet him last year at the Road Atlanta National, but my Mom got to hang out with his cool wife and actor Joanne Woodward during his race, and She said She is every bit a class act as PLN.  It's awesome how long he has been racing, I hope I get the same opportunity.

 

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Mark McCaughey

Sorry to hear this. Nice of LR to do that. My dad passed away last Nov. of cancer. My prayers are with you PLN.

This news kills me.   I love everything about this man.......movies, racing history, salad dressing etc.   Everyone knows he doesn't do autographs but in 2004 he did for me.   I sat in his totorhome and visited with him for a half hour at road Atlanta and still cherish the entry list with his name and mine on it.   He is the real deal.He has helped so many people who really needed i, never kept a dime of his charity moneyt and has been married to the same woman longer than any of us have been alive.   As I lay here dealing with my own pain........if I could take a little more of it and carry the load for him to live a little longer, I would in a heartbeat.   The world is a better place since he had been in it!   It will surely be worse with him gone!  Your my hero PLN!

 

 

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"Racing is LIFE..everything before and after is simply waiting" Steve McQueen

Chris Brannon

AS GTO 02


Hall & Ashe (speed wear), Jeg's, Kumho Tires, Carbotech, and Pedders.