A new book on the late Paul Newman tells the story of how one of the world's greatest actors escaped the pressures of Hollywood by sitting behind the wheel of a race car.

As with most things he attempted in life Newman excelled at it. Winning: The Racing Life of Paul Newman is an illustrated history of Newman's racing career both as a driver and team owner. His interest in racing began while preparing for his role in the movie, Winning, in 1968 and blossomed into several championships competing in the Sports Car Club of America.

The actor also competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, finishing second in 1979, and in 1995 at the age of 70 he became the oldest driver to be part of a winning team in a major sanctioned race, winning in his class at the 24 Hours of Daytona, capping his long association with the Rolex model of that name.

The book features a foreword by Mario Andretti and many first person remembrances from those who raced against him and admired him, along with many previously unpublished photographs documenting his career at the track. Newman's personal car collection including Porsches and Ferraris is also featured.

The 100-ft. ICAP Leopard racing yacht is officially the fastest sailboat on the water having just set a just new transatlantic speed record. The Leopard sailed at an average speed of 15.5 knots, and a top speed of 37.4 knots, to make the 2,925 nautical mile crossing from New York to Cornwall, UK, in seven days, 19 hours and 21 minutes. The record broken by the Leopard, for a monohull sailing craft - i.e. a proper yacht, not a catamaran - with power-assisted winches, was previously held by the 246-ft. superyacht Phocea, which sailed the course in eight days, three hours and 29 minutes. One of the most stylish and technologically advanced yachts ever to be launched, Farr Yacht Design provided the Leopard's basic naval architecture and construction engineering, with styling and interiors by Ken Freivokh. The yacht is available for charter for up to 20 guests at a base rate of £10,000 or about $17,000 per day, including champagne.

[via Duncan Quinn]

This past weekend in the Hamptons Social Life magazine celebrated with an exclusive fête in honor of their August Men's Issue featuring top racecar driver Tim George Jr. on the cover. The event, which took place at the Social Life Estate in the Hamptons, featured an exclusive guest-list of celebrities, socialites, jet-setters and taste-makers. So how did a racecar driver end up on the cover of a fancy Hamptons magazine? Turns out he's a Southamptonite by birth; his impressive motorsports career began while attending the University of Miami, where he participated in the Skip Barber Race Series and practiced with professional karts.

After graduating college, Tim drove in the Grand-American Koni Challenge Series and had a podium experience in his first season of professional motorsports. He quickly moved up to compete in one of the most elite races in the world, the Grand-Am Rolex Series with The Racer's Group, and earned the title of 2008 MESCO "Building for the Future" Rolex Rookie of the Year, finishing with an impressive fourth place in the Rolex GT Championship. This year, Tim is taking his first steps toward the top level of NASCAR by working hard in a number of stock car development venues; he currently drives for Eddie Sharp Racing.

NASCAR is getting an injection of style this season courtesy of luxury menswear line CAVI. The brand, known for its distinctive designs as worn by the likes of Jay-Z, Ne-Yo and 50 Cent, has partnered with up-and-coming NASCAR star Chase Austin, outfitting Austin and his pit crew with stylish custom uniforms and adorning his Xxxtreme Motorsport No. 7 racecar with the fashion line's logo (above). Austin and the car debuted the new look the other day at Macy's in Indianapolis. From its signature crest to bold colors and prints, tailored fit and innovative design, CAVI has "re-conceptualized the standard for contemporary sportswear, developing a lifestyle fashion brand that embraces both luxury lifestyle and reflects class."

An ultra-rare Mercedes-Benz McLaren SLR 722 GT racecar, one of only 21 that will be built for customers worldwide, is being offered for sale in Germany via global online luxury marketplace JamesList for about $2 million. Developed by British motor racing specialists RML Group (Ray Mallock Ltd) the "puristic super-sportscar" is not street legal, but was designed for the SLR. CLUB Trophy, a competition series forming part of the SLR. CLUB racetrack programme in Europe. The "722" refers to the victory by Stirling Moss in a Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR with the starting number 722 at the Mille Miglia in 1955.

The car has been stripped down bare essentials controlled from a carbon fiber binnacle. New carbon fiber door panels and full roll cage complete the transformation and result in a lower weight allowing the 671 hp AMG engine to go from 0-62 mph in only 3.3 seconds. New body components such as a front apron with front splitter, wide wings, prominent side skirts, large rear diffuser and fixed rear spoiler improve aerodynamics and enhance racetrack performance. Check out a video of Jeremy Clarkson testing out this amazing supercar after the jump.

Photos by Pawel Litwinski © 2009 Courtesy of Gooding & Company

On August 15 – 16 Gooding & Company is holding its annual auto auction during the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. The centerpiece of the sale is an incomparable piece of Bugatti history: marque founder Ettore Bugatti's personal 1938 Type 57C Coupe (above), which is expected to fetch several million dollars. Bugatti factory employees originally assembled the car as a birthday present for Mr. Bugatti, and the car's one-off coachwork is believed to be one of the last designs penned by his son, Jean Bugatti, before his death. It's a truly unique piece of automotive history.

Deemed one of its most cherished automobiles, the Bugatti factory went to great lengths to protect the precious vehicle during World War II when its premises were in danger. After Ettore Bugatti's death in 1947, the car continued to be maintained and stored at the Bugatti workshop in Molsheim, France, where it received upgrades as over the years. These included tailored interior accessories, a unique engine and transmission combination and other subtle technical improvements that distinguished it from any other Type 57.

Since leaving the Bugatti factory in the late 1950s, the precious vehicle has had only a few protective caretakers and remains one of the most correct and original Bugattis in existence, untainted by later restoration. The car is being sold without reserve, no doubt to encourage bidding. Last year at Gooding's Pebble Beach sale a rare 1937 Type 57SC Atalante Coupe sold for $7.92 million, setting a record for the highest price ever paid for an automobile at auction in the U.S.A. It remains to be seen what effect the recession may have on the chances of this sale topping that feat.

High-end Italian racing accessories company OMP Racing has introduced an amazing new collection of vintage-inspired gear that expresses the essence of classic motorsports and Steve McQueen style. Every product sold by the Genova-based company founded in 1973 is produced in Italy at the company's advanced 80,000 sq. ft. factory with a private racetrack, where every item is tested for quality, durability and safety. The Vintage collection (above), which includes a thermoplastic helmet with dark brown leather piping, fire-resistant cream stretch gloves with suede palms and inserts, and Carrera racing boots in ultra-soft leather with high sensitivity hydrocarbon-resistant soles, pays homage to some of the very first products OMP ever produced.

For $10,000 you can get a one-of-a-kind piece of furniture crafted from the gearbox of Ferrari's F2000 Formula 1 racecar. At the end of the 2000 racing season, the complete 7-speed gearbox was signed by Ferrari's championship-winning driver Michael Schumacher, Scuderia Ferrari Executive Director Jean Todt and Ferrari CEO Luca Cordero Di Montezemolo. It was mounted to a 18"x18" carbon wall plaque with an authentic Ferrari fender shield mounted in the middle. Performance furniture firm RaceChairs is now offering it for $10,000 with the option of having a custom lamp or table (above) completed showcasing the gearbox. RaceChairs notes that due to the espionage problems with rival teams, Scuderia Ferrari is no longer releasing these kinds of pieces to private collectors, so this is your last chance.

[RaceChairs via BornRich]

There's been a show-stopping addition to RM Auctions' annual Leggenda e Passione event at the Ferrari factory in Maranello on May 17. We've already enthused about the rare 1957 250 Testa Rossa and the passel of other multimillion-dollar Ferraris on offer; now RM informs us that an ultra-rare and enormously valuable 1967 podium-finish Ferrari 330 P4 Le Mans (above) has been entered in the sale, and is sure to shatter records. Regarded as one of the greatest sports-racing prototypes ever designed by Ferrari, the fiercely competitive 330 P4 is one of only three P4s ever built.

The example on offer has a distinguished racing pedigree including a win at the 1000-kilometre Trofeo Filippo Caracciolo in Monza and a third overall finish at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1967. The car has been driven by such legendary names as Lorenzo Bandini and Willy Mairesse, while Jackie Stewart and Chris Amon famously took the car to second place in the British BOAC International 500, clinching the World Championship for Ferrari in the process. The May 17 event marks the first time the car has come to market in 38 years.

In June UK-based Evo Design will debut its high-performance electric superbike, the EV-0 RR (above), at the TTXGP zero-emissions grand prix on the Isle of Man. Evo collaborated with motorcycle design house Xenophya on the motorcycle, which features a lightweight carbon fiber monocoque chassis, forkless single-sided front suspension and twin electric battery-powered engines from Green Motorsport that will deliver serious speed. So far Evo is keeping performance specs under wraps and has not revealed production plans, but TTXGP race rules require that competing bikes be offered for sale at its conclusion for no more than $30,000.

This is a big year for both famed British auto marque Aston Martin and one of our favorite brands, classic London-based men's clothing company Hackett, official partner of the GT1 works Aston Martin Racing team. In June Aston Martin aims to win this year's Le Mans race outright, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of racing legend Carroll Shelby's stunning overall victory at Le Mans in an Aston Martin DBR1, with its incredible new LMP1 racecars. Hackett provides official Aston Martin Racing Team clothing and sells a range of licensed apparel and accessories, including the super-stylish Hackett Aston Martin Racing Moto Plan biker style jacket (above) for £300.00, bearing the number 59 for Shelby's 1959 victory.

Hackett, founded in 1979, is a classic British clothing and accessories brand which "caters for the head to toe needs of men of all ages who wish to dress stylishly and to whom quality is more important than the vagaries of fashion." The brand takes its inspiration from the traditions of British dress without being old fashioned and as such its products are "evolutionary rather than revolutionary." As founder Jeremy Hackett says, "our clothes wear in not out". In addition to a total of 29 shops across the UK, Spain and France, Hackett is now represented in 15 European countries, Hong Kong and Dubai.

The Le Mans race "epitomizes the true values of racing; endurance mixed with the thrill of speed and a certain savoir faire," Hackett notes. The two Aston Martin Racing LMP1 cars vying for victory this year will sport the iconic Gulf colors of light blue and orange, colors with a fine tradition at Le Mans as well as being immortalized by Steve McQueen in the famous film Le Mans. In addition to Aston Martin, Hackett also sponsors the London Rowing Club and the British Army Polo Team.

Jeremy Hackett is also known as "Mr. Classic," the title of his regular column for the London Independent on Sunday, which airs his witty, incisive views and observations on fashion and style. In 2007 he published a compilation of his columns accompanied by lavishly photographed style tableaux. Mr. Classic the book is a must-have for any man who takes sartorial matters seriously. As the publishers describe it, Hackett "takes us on a Grand Tour of an appealing world of Bentleys and polo, bicycles and picnics, bow ties and Sussex Spaniels, top hats and bespoke luggage." That's the world The Classicist wants to get lost in, no doubt.

This week, rumors swirled that F1 racer Lewis Hamilton had bought himself a fancy new Sunseeker 90 yacht. They said he was painting the 90-foot yacht black and silver silver to match his McLaren racer.The Sun even has a picture of the sleek black ship.
But if he is buying a yacht he's certainly not admitting it. His website has a statement that says simply "Contrary to unreliable reports, Lewis Hamilton would like to confirm that he has not bought a super yacht. " Hamilton, who dates Nicole Scherzinger, lead singer of The Pussycat Singers, is currently at Formula One training in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain.

No one seems to know whether or not Grey's Anatomy star Patrick Dempsey will be leaving his hit television show but one place he will appear this year is in the 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans race on June 13-14. The actor, beloved by many as "McDreamy" has had racing as a hobby for many years. During the period of time when his acting career was stalled, he attended the Skip Barber and Panoz racing schools. He is the co-owner of IndyCar Series team Vision Racing and has raced in a variety of events. In 2008 he participated in the Grand Am Rolex Sports Car series driving a Mazda RX-8.

Dempsey will race with co-drivers Don Kitch Jr. and 2008 Gran Am Koni Challenge Champion Joe Foster under the team name Team Seattle in the 24 Hours of Le Mans race. Their Ferrari F430 GT race car will be prepared by Advanced Engineering. Team Seattle raises support for Seattle's Children's Hospital. The race is test of skill and endurance in which has bested many of the world's top drivers. An article on Wired questions where Dempsey falls on the spectrum of celebrity race drivers. Is he the accomplished Paul Newman type or a mere dilettante? A good showing at Le Mans could establish Dempsey as a serious racer.

Swiss watchmaker JeanRichard is debuting a new line of timepieces honoring the great Italian motorcycle racing champion Giacomo Agostini, known as Ago. The new collection, For Ago, stems from JeanRichard's partnership with the famous Italian motorbike brand MV Agusta, for which Agostini rode. The multi-time world champion motorcycle racer is the all-time leader in victories in motorcycle Grand Prix history. The first piece in the collection is the Bressel 1665 Chronograph Rattrapante Foudroyante Ago (above). Produced in a limited edition of only 50 pieces, with a silver or black dial, its case is crafted in palladium, a precious metal that is part of the platinum family. The watch, presented on a vintage-look brown strap, is fitted with an automatic winding mechanical movement visible through a transparent case-back displaying Ago's signature. JeanRichard also produces a collection of MV Agusta-branded timepieces.

For the past 10 years, Australian-born speed demon Troy Bayliss raced motorcycles for Ducati, winning three Superbike World Championships including last year's title. To honor their champ, the Italian company is coming out with a special limited edition of its 1098 R superbike, described as "the most advanced and powerful twin-cylinder motorcycle ever built." Only 500 examples of the 188-hp 1098 R Bayliss bikes (above) will be built, at a cost of about $45,000. The superbike features Bayliss' famed number 21 and red, white and blue racing colors, as well as a segment of the Australian flag. Each model comes with a numbered plaque on the top fork clamp accompanied by a commemorative plaque bearing the same number and engraved signatures of Ducati CEO Gabriele Del Torchio and Bayliss himself.