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Post by Super Machine on Sept 27, 2008 21:47:41 GMT -5
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Post by Jeremy on Sept 27, 2008 22:03:36 GMT -5
Being a huge fan of film and a hopeful director someday this is really sad news. He had a great career but even more importantly gave a lot back not just to the business but the world as well. This is a sad day as he was a great teacher for young actors everywhere looking to get in the business from what I've read. RIP Paul Newman
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Post by drsmooth on Sept 27, 2008 23:13:50 GMT -5
I was a fan of his auto racing, I don't think I have ever seen one of his movies. The first race I ever went to was the Trans-Am series in 1986 at Mosport (in Bowmanville). He did two laps in the first practice session of the weekend pulled into the pits and parked his car for the rest of the weekend. He said he didn't have a death wish.
The track was very dangerous at the time, in particular turn two. although he said it was a very challenging turn he didn't want to die (Toronto Star interview).
At the time as an eleven year old kid, I thought he was a wuss.
I gained great respect for his comments 11 years later when I began racing at Mosport (in a much slower car than his). Corner two at the track had it's runoff area (area between the track and the wall) redesigned and improved. It was much larger and about ten times the distance from the track to the wall compared to 1986. I did one slow lap out of the pits. My second lap was at speed! That was one of the most intimidating corners I have ever driven through at any track. The corner wants to pull you off the track. Even though there is no banking at corner2 , imagine a Nascar track with the banking reversed, High banking on the inside of the corner and low banking on the outside. That's what it feels like.
When Paul Newman was there in '86 The wall was 10 feet off the track. When I started racing there it was 100 feet off the track and it was still intimidating.
After that experience I have total respect for him and have been a fan of his racing since.
He continued racing until 2007.
RIP
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