2002 Chevrolet Corvette Riley & Scott Coupe

Paul Newman and Steve McQueen were rebellious icons in the movie industry during the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. They were also single-minded racers, whose endeavors won the admiration of their competitors as well as their fans. McQueens accomplishments included a second place finish (with co-driver Peter Revson) in 1970 at the 12 Hours of Sebring, driving a Porsche 908/02. In 1979, Newmaan, Rolf Stommelen and Dick Barbour placed second in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in Barbour's Porsche 935.

At the age of 70 years and 8 days, Paul Newman was the oldest driver to be part of a team in a major sanctioned race, winning his class at the 1995 24 Hours of Daytona. He also ran the Baja 1000 in 2004 and the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2005. Paul Newman won his last SCCA race at Lime Rock almost exactly a year before he passed away on September 28, 2008.

Along with being a race driver, Paul Newman owned his own Can-Am racing team as well as co-founded a Champ Car team with Carl Haas in 1983. The Champ Car team was very successful, winning 97 races and seven titles. The team was second in Champ Car history with 100 pole positions and the only team in the series to win five titles with five different drivers, in 1984, 1991, 1993, 2002 and 2004-6. Newman Haas finished 1-2 in season standings in 2004 and 2005 and won at least one event on 23 of 24 seasons.

Newman's movie career was equally impressive and extensive, appearing in 65 movies, from the 1954 turkey The Silver Chalice to narrating 2007's Dale, the documentary about legendary NASCAR racer Dale Earnhardt, which was his final performance.

In all, Paul Newman was nominated for more than 55 mainstream acting awards, winning an Academy Award for best actor in 1986's The Color of Money, where he reprised his role of Fast Eddie Felson from his 1961 movie The Hustler. He also won three Golden Globe Awards, a BAFTA award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, a Cannes Film Festival Award and an Emmy. Newman was nominated for awards in 21 of his 65 movies.

Paul Newmans Last Race Car
The car is a Riley & Scott chassis Trans Am Corvette, originally built for Tom Glory in 2002. Butch Leitzinger drove it in 2002, scoring five poles, three wins, eight top-five finishes and nine top-10 finishes, running as yellow #88 with Tommy Bahama sponsorship. Newman and Brockman bought the Corvette in 2003 and immediately painted it red, white and blue.

This car was Newman's last race car, and used between 2003-2007. The car competed five times in 2003, with two first and three seconds. In 2004, it had two firsts and three seconds. The car continued to race, running about five times a year, with impressive finishes on most occasions. The last race was at Lime Rock, a year to the day before he died.

The car has a 346 cubic-inch V8 engine with electronic fuel injection offering 700 horsepower. It weighs only 2,680 pounds and there is a six-speed manual transmission. In 2007, the car was rebuilt and re-bodied. It was given number 83, because Paul always ran his age.

In 2012, the car was offered for sale at the RM Auction in Amelia Island, Florida. The car was estimated to sell for $250,000 - $350,000. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold for $275,000 inclusive of buyer's premium.

By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2012