Paul Newman Still The Racer At 79

[kat2220]

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) - Academy Award-winning actor Paul Newman escaped injury Saturday when the race car he was testing caught fire following a spin at Daytona International Speedway.

Newman was driving a Daytona Prototype sports car for next month's Rolex 24 when he spun on the road course, said Adam Saal, Grand American Series spokesman. The car didn't hit anything, but when Newman tried to restart the engine it caught fire.

The fire was contained to the engine compartment, and Newman escaped without harm. He was taken to the track's infield medical center and released after a brief exam.

"I don't know what happened," said Newman, who returned to the track to watch one of his drivers, Sebastian Bourdais, test another car. "I'm fine. It just caught on fire somehow."

"Knowing Paul, I doubt if this changes his plans to race in the Rolex 24 at Daytona," Saal said.

The 79-year-old Newman won the GTS class in the 1995 Rolex 24 and owns four championships in Sports Car Club of America competition. He first took an interest in auto racing while filming "Winning" in 1968.

Copyright 2004 The Associated Press.

 

[muggle not]

Paul is one of the truly good persons on this earth, besides he can still drive a car very well in competition.
He is simply amazing.

 

[Mrs.Nascar20]

I just heard about it on CNN, and couldn't believe he's 79 and still racing, good for him

 

[muggle not]

Actually he will turn 80 before the Rolex race starts. Paul finished in 5th position at a Trans Am race in 2003 at Lime Rock and he was racing against Scott Pruett, Johnny Miller, etc. He is a good driver for any age.

 

[TexasRaceLady]

I was watching a film clip of him on pit road --- he was stretching out by bending over and touching his toes!

Did anyone notice the number of the car? --- 79.

 

[Betsy]

79 and touching his toes? OMG! Somebody would have to help me up. and then he got into the race car? Amazing what he can do at that age.
Betsy

 

[TexasRaceLady]

I'll never forget seeing his face when Richard Childress let him test drive the 31 car a few years back. He was turning great laps -- came back in and wanted to trim the car out so he could go faster!

 

[muggle not]

I was watching a film clip of him on pit road --- he was stretching out by bending over and touching his toes!

Did anyone notice the number of the car? --- 79.

Only beacuse he could not get a car with number 80 on it See my previous post...he will be age 80 at race time.