Lincolnshire racing team mourns Newman

Hanging around his Lincolnshire-based car-racing team, Paul Newman was just like any of the guys.

"Paul was a very humble man, a real regular guy and proud to be a regular guy. ... It was just like talking to you, a regular conversation," said Michael Lanigan, co-owner of Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing in Lincolnshire, in a telephone interview Saturday, a day after Newman died of cancer at age 83.

Newman/Haas/Lanigan is a racing team Newman helped create in 1983 with friend and fellow racer Carl Haas of Lake Forest.

Lanigan, who joined the company in 2006, said Saturday that both he and Haas, as well as everyone on the team, will miss Newman a lot.

"We're both deeply saddened. The team is saddened because, you know, Paul was a leader, as Carl is the leader," Lanigan said. "As late as 10 days ago, he wanted to know how the guys were doing, how are we going to improve."

Newman was very close with the members of his team and cared deeply about them, Lanigan said. "He loved his guys, and that's the real message you should send."

Newman "caught the bug in 1969 when he did the movie 'Winning,' " Lanigan said of the actor's love for car racing.

"So at 51, he started racing. It was a little late, but he won a bunch of races," he said, including one in Daytona when he was 75 years old.

"He had a passion for racing and had a passion for winning," Lanigan said.

Newman met Haas when they had teams competing against each other. They became friends and decided to form their own team in 1983, with famed racer Mario Andretti as the team's driver.

Calling Newman a "great human being," Haas offered condolences Saturday through a statement on the team's Web site.

"Paul and I have been partners for 26 years and I have come to know his passion, humor and above all, his generosity. Not just economic generosity, but generosity of spirit. His support of the team's drivers, crew and the racing industry is legendary. His pure joy at winning a pole position or winning a race exemplified the spirit he brought to his life and to all those that knew him. We will truly miss him."

Despite having cancer, Newman never seemed to let the illness get the best of him, Lanigan said.

"He competed against his illness and wouldn't sit down to it," he said. "In the end, it won."

While Lanigan and Haas haven't had a chance to discuss anything at length, Lanigan said he knows the team will look at victory with Newman in mind.

"I know, in talking (to members of the team) ... we're dedicated to winning the series next year and winning it in his honor, because that's what he would have wanted."

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