An interview with Newman, blessed by the 'Racing Gods'

It’s been 32 years since, as a cub reporter with The Litchfield County Times, I was assigned to write an article about Lime Rock Park, then in its heyday, drawing celebrities and crowds.

The historic racing venue had become a favorite racing spot for the actor Paul Newman and received publicity during that era courtesy of the Tom Cruise film, “Days of Thunder,” for which Cruise trained at the track.

I knew zilch about auto racing and had never set foot or car on a track. But I was over-the-moon about meeting and interview the silver screen icon.

So our people called Newman’s people, and an interview was set for the morning of Saturday, June 29, 1991. I was told to show up at the park, flash my press pass, and “just ask anyone there” to point me to Newman, who was racing that day.

I arrived early and the park was already a sea of fans dotting the grassy hillsides and clogged with activity. I inched my way to the paddock, where a blur of fast cars, drivers, pit crews, and trailers made it impossible to pull over and ask for directions.

Sweat dripped from my brow, either from nerves, the soaring temperature, or both. After about 10 minutes and several laps around the paddock at about 2 mph in my little red Geo Prizm, I spotted an oasis: a patch of ground in front of a red, white and blue race car, and pulled in.

My feet barely hit the ground when two sour-faced fellows in white overalls rushed over, waving frantically.

“Hey, lady, you can’t park there!” one guy shouted.

“Excuse me, but I’m from the local newspaper and have an interview scheduled with Mr. Newman in 10 minutes,” I sheepishly explained. “Can you please tell me where I can find him?”

With that, they both stopped dead in their tracks.

“See that race car you just parked behind?, asked one of the men, pointing to the flashy, No. 75, GT-1 Chevrolet Camaro inches from my bumper.  “Well, that’s Mr. Newman’s car, and if he comes out here and sees that you’ve blocked him in, he won’t be very happy.”

He suggested I instead pull over into a nearby spot and went to summon his boss.

Minutes later, out walks the lean, 5-foot, 11-inch Newman in full racing gear, sunglasses shielding his famous, cerulean eyes. He had just finished a 10-minute practice run on the track’s deceivingly simple, but notoriously difficult, winding circuit.

After exchanging pleasantries, I took out my pen and pad and asked a few questions.

He gave me a few short answers.

He said he liked that the track was conveniently located close to his Westport home. That he had been racing at Lime Rock since 1972 and had been coming back ever since. And that the stiff competition found at the Nationals rivals some of the most prestigious races in the country.

Try as I might for a comment of substance, I knew it was futile. The last thing he wanted to do that morning was talk to a reporter. He was polite, but his mind was where it should have been — on his upcoming race.

Then it dawned on me.  This was not Newman the Hollywood actor standing in front of me. This was Newman the legendary race car driver. I had infringed on his private time, far away from the spotlight and the cameras and the crazed fans. Consumed with guilt, I cut the interview short.

Newman seemed to appreciate the gesture. He smiled, removed his trademark aviator shades, blue eyes twinkling. I had read that once the sunglasses come off, his guard comes down.

We shook hands as I thanked him for his time and wished him a safe and successful race.

He smiled, thanked me for coming, said good luck with the article, and wished me a safe drive home.

Newman captured first place in the GT-1 race later that day, crossing the finish line just ahead of David Windle of Lexington, Mass.

To this day, I am convinced the Racing Gods had smiled down on both of us.

Reporter’s Update: As I was wrapping up this column, my brother Chuck stopped by. I told him I was writing about my long-ago interview with Paul Newman. His eyes opened wide in disbelief. Just 30 minutes earlier, Chuck said he had been on the phone with a car buff who purchased a rare motor from him that is being rebuilt. It came from a vintage Camaro owned by Newman the same year as my visit to Lime Rock Park. The Racing Gods are still working their magic.