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Opposite Lock
05-07-05, 07:41 PM
Short but pretty good little article (except for the part about NO MENTION OF CHAMPCAR) in the Saturday Chicago Tribune about St. Paul at a karting event for McDonalds brass:

Newman's own thrill: Go-kart racing (http://www.chicagotribune.com/classified/jobs/news/chi-0505070059may07,1,603618.story)

Robert Channick
Published May 7, 2005


Paul Newman wasted no time Friday night in jumping in a go-kart and racing wheel-to-wheel at 35 m.p.h. against his friend and longtime stunt double, Stan Barrett, at an indoor track in Buffalo Grove.

The 80-year-old Oscar-winning actor appeared at Chicago Indoor Racing for a private event staged by McDonald's, a major sponsor of the Newman-Haas racing team.

Newman said he caught racing fever after filming "Winning" in 1968, and hasn't looked back since claiming his first national title in 1976.

Racing a go-kart is not that different from racing a car, he said. "The smoother you are, the quicker you go. You can't muscle your way around the track in these cars."

Newman is enamored enough of go-karts that he said racing them should be mandatory for all high school students.

"It's a wonderful way to get some sense of changing direction and braking."

Mike Roberts, McDonald's president and chief operating officer, said the fast-food firm first teamed up with the actor over his salad dressings and then asked what else they might do together. Sponsor our race cars, Newman told Roberts.

"It's been a major investment and it's been a great investment," Roberts said.

Copyright © 2005, Chicago Tribune

In the dead tree version, there was also a picture of Paul and Bruno at the event, sharing a laugh.