Two Newman stories around IndyCar. I was a Mechanic for a team. In the hotel lobby, I'm talking to guy I know at Newman-Haas. Guy next to him says, "what are you guys doing tonight?" I say, we are going to the street fest. He says, "we are going for dinner and coming back to the bar". I realize it's Paul Newman, favorite actor. So, I come back later to the small bar in the hotel and spend the night watching a Busch race and listening to him tell racing stories and watching staff make a deal about him being there. Great time. We're in Toronto and he points out that "Slapshot" did more box office than "Jaws" in Canada in '75. Story 2. Dad and Stepmom at a race. They know a guy at Newman-Haas hospitality. They're hanging out. Paul shows up about the time they run out of beer. Paul says it's ok Bobby Rahal has his trailer next door and he always has beer, "follow me". Paul just walks right in and and invades Rahal's fridge. No one in the trailer. Just then Rahal shows up and catches them red handed. Bobby laughs about as he catches Paul and my Dad robbing his fridge. Newman says something like my friends and I were out of beer but we knew you'd have some (Miller Lite sponsorship). When Paul Newman was around the track he was just a regular guy. I know a few more stories from folks that make that case. Hell of an actor but a down to earth guy.
I met Paul Newman once. It was in the restroom of a restaurant on 5th avenue in Manhattan. I walked in to the restroom and there was Paul Newman, standing in front of a urinal. I went up to him and asked him for his autograph. He said "Sure, can you hold this a second?"
Dave gushes like a fanboy whenever he talks about Paul. It always made me like Dave more that he was so fond of him. I figured if he can see how awesome Paul Newman is he must be a pretty good judge of character and we have that in common. Seriously though Paul is the best if you don't understand that there is probably something wrong with you imo.
It not wrong. He was with Regina then. They began daitng in 1986, He once made a comment in said in a interview from the mid 1990s about him and Regina seeing Paul Newman. On Johnny Carson he said he was with a Young Women at the indy500 and he saw Paul Newman so he decided to try to impress her by making her think he was friends with Paul. They hadn't been together very long.
