1 Paul Newman

While 1969 racing movie Winning wasn’t a classic of its genre, it did introduce Newman to motorsport. Three years later he made his competition debut at Bridgehampton as simply ‘PL Newman’ and the die was cast. Initially a Triumph man, he went on to enjoy great success driving Nissans for Bob Sharp’s squad. He accrued four national titles and finished second in the 1979 24 Hours of Le Mans in a Porsche 935 shared with Rolf Stommelen and the car’s owner, Dick Barbour. Newman famously hated the experience due to the constant media attention and vowed never to return. He kept his word. Newman did, however, contest the Daytona 24 Hours several times, and in 1995 finished third and claimed class honours in a Roush Racing Mustang. He had turned 70 the week before. Anorak fact Newman joined the NART Ferrari squad for record attempts at Bonneville in 1974. He drove alongside Luigi Chinetti Jnr, Graham Hill and Milt Minter