Paul Newman Interview

[TedN]

Here

Ted

[jjspierx]

Excellent interview! If only Penske Ganassi, and Rahal had the class, dignity and loyalty of Mr, Newman.

[racinthestreets]

Thanks Ted, great article.

I am happy to hear that he will be staying with a team next year. It is obvious by Haas' "no commenting" that he is a goner. I have said earlier that I think Haas is not interested in the globe trotting that will be required with the internationalization of CCWS. I am curious to see how Newman's team takes shape, I am guessing that he will have partners, sponsors and good teams and drivers. He is about class and I expect nothing less. Cheers to Paul Newman

[f1manoz]

What a guy!

Certainly didn't mince words about certain issues as well.

[Fogelhund]

It will be interesting to see who Paul partner's up next year, or if he will go it alone. An interesting article, and thanks for the link.

[Kicking-back]

Time will tell.

Lets hope it doesn't have to come to this.

[Snrub]

Absolutely brutal news:
'Haas, 77, has refused to discuss his plans, but Newman says matter-of-factly when asked that "Carl's going to run two cars in IRL." (After the interview is over, a worried Newman/Hass representative insists Newman spoke out of turn and that nothing has been finalized).'

jjspierx: You need to rephrase your comment to say "If only Penske Ganassi, Hass and Rahal had the class, dignity and loyalty of Mr, Newman."

So are Junky and Bourdais under contract after this year? If so is it to Newman or to Hass?

I almost wonder if Newman did that to pressure Hass into staying in CART?

[Fogelhund]

You need to rephrase your comment to say "If only Penske Ganassi, Hass and Rahal had the class, dignity and loyalty of Mr, Newman."

I have to admit that statements such as this really irk me. To call into question people's integrity, because they don't agree with your thoughts is disappointing. Mr. Newman's loyalty to Champcars is very commendable, while business people do what's best for their business and families. Tis' a fact of life we need to live with, and get over.

[jjspierx]

Penske and Rahal and Ganassi make plenty of money all racing aside, so I'm really not convinced that they are doing whats best for their families. Its not like there families are going to starve because they chose to stick with the wrong series.

[jhansen]

I'm with Fogelhund on this. And I'll go one further and say putting business matters aside, this is America and they can race in the series of their choice. Just because they have raced in CART/OWRS for an extended amount of time does not mean that they have to stay there till death do us part.

Great read though. Mr. Newman has always been a tremendous sportsman.

[macdaddy]

Great read, Ted. Thanks alot for sharing the link.

Paul Newman, on himself:
"I supported this series since 1983 and I will continue to support it so long as I have a breath and so long as they've got some cars running."

On the IRL:
- Editted due to bashing!

On reunification:
"There may be some insistence on the part of sponsors and companies."

On his relationship with Haas:
"Well, Carl has got several crushed toes and I've got a couple of broken ribs, but we're still talking. I have a better left hook than he does, though."

On next season:
"I don't know whether I'll have partners. It's just too early to talk about it and I hate speculation."

[indycool]

I'm with Fogelhund, too. Who talks about loyalty in a divorce?

[mueber]

Originally posted by indycool
I'm with Fogelhund, too. Who talks about loyalty in a divorce?

Or duty, stewardship, responsibility, decency, etc., but that doesn't mean the world, and motor racing, wouldn't be better if we exhibited, and demanded, more of these qualities. Hats off to Mr. Newman.

[JohnSSC]

Fogelhund is spot on. The biggest impediment to discussion here is the emotional tone - the "personalization" of what Team A or Team B has done.

However one feels about owners like Ganassi (I knew him years ago when he was still a "student racer") these folks make what they believe to be the best decision for their team that they can.

Fernandez was villified here for his decision as was Rahal. Both made it clear, particularly Fernandez that it was coming down to closing the doors and throwing people out of work or moving and surviving. I find it pretty astonishing that CC "fans" who "love the sport" are willing to have others pay for their desire to have various owners remain "true to the cause" even when it is financially impossible to do so. I have had to tell 30 or so people "It's over." It is the hardest thing I have ever had to do, telling folks that you now have no job, no income, no support. I never want to do that again ever and I know that the owners would prefer not to either.

The thing that I appreciated most about the interview was Mr. Newman's ability to state his opinion without demonizing the owners who have left or apparently in Mr. Haas' case, about to leave.

Maybe if more folks approached things with anything close to his grace and good humor, this split would have been reconciled years ago.

[BootsOntheSide]

Haas switching to the IRL would be little surprise - a lot of people thought he'd go for this year. He clearly wants to racing among the elite of team owners he raced against in the past, and the promise of occasional road racing must appeal.

[mueber]

JohnSSC:

I don't buy a word of your argument. They are doing business with TG, who has done irreparable damage to the sport. They get no sympathy from me for doing so.

They simply took the easiest money they could get. There is nothing admirable about that.

[JJ Jet Plane]

Mueber – isn't taking 'the easiest money they could get' the whole philosophy of the United States? )

[Kicking-back]

If you run a business, you take the best opportunities to strengthen it, or at very least ensure its survival.

Teams who moved from Champ Car to Indy Car for money should not be criticised for that.

[indycool]

Mueber, add an "IMO" to your comment about TG doing irreparable damage to the sport. THEN disagree. SOme believe otherwise. Some believe the Indianapolis 500 is important. And those owners aren't asking for your sympathy. They made their decisions without it.

[paul-collins]

Return on Investment. Business is about maximizing ROI. If there's no return, why invest? If it's marginal in one place and strong in another, why choose the former? When it comes to racing, Paul Newman is a sportsman like John Edgar more than a businessman like Roger Penske. He spends money because he likes it, not because it's a business venture where he's trying to maximize monetary ROI. But a professional series can't survive on sportsmen's dreams.

I too would prefer to see Champcar succeed, but I'm not a charity case deserving of these team owners' munificence.

As for TG and his irreparable damage to the sport, eventually we have to get over it. The damage is done, and if you boycott simply out of spite then you're poorer for it. I would say the damage you inflict upon yourself is immeasurably greater than that you inflict upon your perceived enemy.

Mind you, if you truly aren't interested in the product they offer, that's valid. Let's face it, oval racing bores me - as does "roval" racing. So I won't go out of my way to support those races.

[JohnSSC]

Well, I was going to reply to meuber's post, but jj Jet Plane, paul-collins, indycool & kicking-back stated things quite clearly!

I agree - it is, after all a business these days like or not.

Thanks for the posts!

[Uesque]

If he's looking for a partner, why not open it up to the fans to invest? That way everyone could own a little piece of the team. I'd put in $100 to move the series forward. If it was enough people at a small enough amount, no one would be hounding anyone for a return.

[mueber]

"Martha, let me see that map. Somehow we took a wrong turn and ended up at TrackForum."

[Snrub]

The situation for Fernandez and Rahal was completely different from Ganassi's. While I'm not thrilled with Fernandez, he did what he thought he had to do. Rahal is somewhat the same, but in some ways not. OWRS guys are probably more to blame for Fernandez, half for Rahal.

Since we're all of the sudden worried about racing employees, Ganassi's actions ended up putting people out of work who weren't on his team because he precipitated the near colapse of CART. I hold less against Penske because he didn't leave the series because an engine manufacturer unloaded a dump truck of cash on his door step. I'm not "pleased" with Penske, but I think he did less wrong. I put Andretti in the same camp to Ganassi.

Racing is a pretty crappy business venture. While some money can be made by teams, ultimately those who do it have an element of enjoyment that drives them.

[Tim Northcutt]

Originally posted by jjspierx
Penske and Rahal and Ganassi make plenty of money all racing aside, so I'm really not convinced that they are doing whats best for their families. Its not like there families are going to starve because they chose to stick with the wrong series.

They did it for business reasons....and Rahal seems to have made a good move...he felt that they could not focus their efforts by racing in both series...so he chose the one that he flet would be best for his operation....

Time will tell whether or not it was a good "Long Term" decision, but halfway through the IRL season, his cars have been fast and competitive...and they have won both races and poles....

That tells me that from a competition standpoint, he definitely made the right choice...