I had the great fortune of meeting Paul Newman on a number of occasions in the early 70's. I attended an SCCA sponsored Driver's School in Thompson, Connecticut where he too was learning the sport, and if I'm not mistaken he had rented a Datsun 510 from Bob Sharp. Unfortuantely that day, with speed desires higher than learned skills, he badly crashed the car when he went sideways into a bridge abutment.
There were many occations where he, like many of us, would go to Lime Rock for open track on Tuesdays to sharpen our skills as well as the preparation of our cars. I remember a time when his car made a big mess on the pit lane and he borrowed a broom and some speedy dry from me to clean it up. He didn't call for help he took care of it himself. He was, and is one of us, a true car lover. I am very saddend by the news of his having cancer, but I am privaliged to have met him, and know that most of us would be better individuals if we we a bit more like him.
JCE-GT (Tungsten Gray - 0187)