Newman and Sea Bass on Letterman

Newman and Sea Bass on Letterman

Paul Newman and Sebastian Bourdais appeared Tuesday night on the Late Show with David Letterman. Newman told program host David Letterman that he originally wasn’t going to own a team in Champ Car until he found out that Mario Andretti would be the driver.

The decision was a good one as Paul Newman holds up six fingers when asked how many championships his team has won.

Letterman inquired about the team’s secret to their success. Sea Bass said the team was consistent and that is how they won three titles in a row. Letterman then showed the fisticuffs between Sebastian and Paul Tracy.

“Right now he is asking me to get into the fight because he had practice in the previous race (San Jose),” quipped Bourdais.

Sea Bass elaborated saying the rivalry went back to their days racing in Europe. Letterman then asked about Paul Newman’s exploits in the SCCA.

This was Paul’s reaction to his wife’s opinion on him racing. Newman said she told him that Lime Rock would be his last race when she handed him his helmet prior to the race. Newman then went on to win the SCCA sanctioned event. Following the race he said his wife then came up to him and told him he must never give up racing after he won at Lime Rock last year.

David Letterman then closed the interview by complementing Newman saying, “You are the real deal. You have been continuing to get it done.” Paul Newman is the real deal and is probably Open Wheel’s best friend.

Images appearing in this blog courtesy of CCWS, World Wide Pants and CBS.

Krista Voda Gets Her Due

Krista Voda Gets Her Due

For several years now Krista Voda has been working hard to tell the stories of folks in Motorsports. Today FOX and SPEED recognized her efforts by naming her as pit reporter for their NASCAR Nextel Cup Series races on FOX in 2007 and host of SPEED's pre-race show for all of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races in 2007. SPEED also announced that she has been signed to a multi-year deal. As Voda told me last season, she is a story teller first and foremost.

The Iowa native says she gets her kicks not from appearing on TV but telling people’s stories. While some NASCAR correspondents may have gotten their jobs based on who they were dating, Voda got promoted on her hard work. Yes she is a hottie but her work speaks for itself. Near the end of the 2006 NCTS season, Krista Voda hosted the Truck Series prerace show. The audition obviously went well

"The competitors, their families, and everyone involved with the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series welcomed me with open arms last year and I'm honored to be back," Voda said in a SPEED news release. "I'm also excited that the pre-race show, which was introduced last fall, will be returning for the full 2007 season and beyond. All of us who cover trucks believe the series produces the best racing... and that the racing is done by some of the sport's most interesting and most genuine people."

Krista Voda began her work in NASCAR for SPEED in 2002 as a reporter and host for Totally NASCAR. Over the last several years, Voda has worked on multiple programs for both networks, including SPEED's coverage of the AMA Supercross Series.

SPEED made the right decision to retain a valuable asset in their lineup.

RIP BH and BP
We have lost two great races in the last two weeks. NASCAR driver and my fellow Tennessean Bobby Hamilton passed away last week after battling cancer. Today we learned that Benny Parsons passed away from cancer. I had the opportunity of seeing both of these men in action. They were both giants in their sport and will be greatly missed, My thoughts and prayers are with their families.

All Images Courtesy of SPEED and NASCAR Images.