Happy Birthday to sports car racer, Champ-Car team owner and sometime actor Paul Newman (born 1/26/25)

(and that number 80 on the side of the car – that was his age – and he won the race!)

During this weekend’s A1GP event in New Zealand plans were announced for a movie on the life of New Zealand born Grand Prix racer, team founder and car constructer, Bruce McLaren. (seen below at the wheel of one of his monsterous CanAm machines)

According to the announcment hhe film will be produced by the same man who produced the Lord of the Rings films. The script is currently being completed and casting has yet to be decided. The film premiere is being pencilled in for early 2009. New Zealand studios are set to be used for production and special effects and filming is expected to commence by the end of the year.