Paul Newman crashed

camcartfan · 9 Jan 2005, 06:59 (Ref:1196317)

I was just watching the KTLA News (Los Angeles) and they reported that Paul Newman crashed a Grand Am Daytona Prototype car today in Florida. They didn't say which track (I assume Daytona), but did say that he spun out and his car caught on fire. They showed video of the aftermath with Newman walking away from his burning car. Newman was wearing a black and white fire suit with a Texaco logo on the front. I couldn't find a story posted anywhere on the internet.

macdaddy · 9 Jan 2005, 08:04 (Ref:1196332)

I found this on the Grand Am website...

Quote:

NEWMAN UNINJURED IN FIRE DURING TESTING

Academy Award-winning actor and accomplished sports car racer Paul Newman escaped injury today when his No. 79 Silverstone Racing/Newman Racing Ford Crawford caught fire following a spin in Turn 2 at approximately 2:45 p.m. ET. The car did not make contact with any barriers, but as Newman attempted to restart the engine, flames appeared from the engine compartment at the rear of the car.

The fire was isolated to the engine compartment and did not make its way into the cockpit. Newman made his way out of the car, was taken to the track's infield medical center for precautionary measures and was released.

"I don't know what happened," Newman said. "I'm fine. It just caught on fire somehow."

While the cause of the spin and the fire is not immediately known, it is likely that a mechanical failure was the culprit. The 79-year-old Newman won the GTS class in the 1995 Rolex 24 At Daytona, and owns four championships in Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) competition.

**GTRMagic** · 9 Jan 2005, 08:12 (Ref:1196335)

Is there a time limit for drivers to escape the cockpit of their sports prototype cars, as there is in F1??

Kicking-back · 9 Jan 2005, 08:54 (Ref:1196350)

I believe so, although it's not as stringent - but I don't think that was a problem in this case.

**Aysedasi** · 9 Jan 2005, 13:04 (Ref:1196476)

Just wondered why this thread was in Champ Cars?

Russfeld · 9 Jan 2005, 13:29 (Ref:1196492)

He's more known for his time in CART than sportscars

Graham Goodwin · 9 Jan 2005, 14:23 (Ref:1196518)

there's a pic of the incident on dailysportscar - the car was well alight

Kicking-back · 9 Jan 2005, 14:25 (Ref:1196522)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russfeld

He's more known for his time in CART than sportscars

He's more known as an actor

rustyfan · 9 Jan 2005, 14:53 (Ref:1196540)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russfeld

He's more known for his time in CART than sportscars

I'd say that depends on who you ask, considering how long he's been racing sports-cars (including winning a couple of SCCA championships, if I'm not mistaken)...

enemy-ace · 9 Jan 2005, 15:09 (Ref:1196551)

If your asking the general public I would say his racing life is more CART in their eyes.
What does it matter though, it can be in both forums.
Glad to see he's alright, roll on Mr. Newman.

**Aysedasi** · 9 Jan 2005, 18:52 (Ref:1196668)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russfeld

He's more known for his time in CART than sportscars

True (to an extent) but this is about him driving as sportscar.......

macdaddy · 9 Jan 2005, 18:58 (Ref:1196672)

I've got no problem with this ChampCar thread...

Paul Newman is not a full-time driver in any series, but he is an active team owner in CC. If Paul Tracy was involved in a testing accident, or if Carl Russo was involved in a slip-and-fall in his own home, I'd expect a thread to appear here too. Or if the Schumacher brothers took part in a charity karting race, I'd expect to see a thread pop up in the F1 forum as well as on the Karting forum. If there is a similar thread in another forum, as I assume there may be, that's cool. But I see no reason to move this one!

Besides, many if not most of the CC members here aren't big GrandAm fans, and if it were not for this thread would never have heard about the fire. I would have been included on that list.

jjspierx · 9 Jan 2005, 19:23 (Ref:1196687)

Preach it Macdaddy!!!

I agree wholeheartedly.

Kicking-back · 9 Jan 2005, 19:26 (Ref:1196688)

Sensible decision.

rustyfan · 10 Jan 2005, 03:01 (Ref:1196945)

Quote:

Originally Posted by macdaddy

Besides, many if not most of the CC members here aren't big GrandAm fans, and if it were not for this thread would never have heard about the fire. I would have been included on that list.

Not sure how you could've missed it - it's plastered just about everywhere. Heck, even our Swedish newspapers are carrying the story today.

Of course they however file it under the entertainment/celebrity section, and while briefly mentioning he is a team owner (although not mentioning in what championship), they only go into details about him having won the GTS class in the 1995 Rolex 24 Hours and having won four sports-car championships.

2112 · 10 Jan 2005, 04:28 (Ref:1196961)

macdaddy says stuff that makes sense...I hate that. give us OW controversy.

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