(Skeeter McKitterick was raised in Kansas and started racing go-karts at nine. That led to a 22-year racing career that included all classes of formula cars as well as early Can-Am events in the Shelby King Cobra and the final Can-Am series in a Lola T333. He raced at all of the North American racetracks and throughout Europe. In 1979 he was racing at Le Mans with the Dick Barbour Team that saw all four of its cars finish. Paul Newman was teamed with Rolf Stommellen, and they were first in IMSA and 2nd overall. Skeeter was 3rd in IMSA with Bob Garretson. Here, he writes about that experience with Newman.)

My memories of my initially meeting Paul Newman:  I met Paul for the first time at Le Mans in 1979.  We were together in different Dick Barbour Porsche 935s, although I qualified in his car.  The team had four cars that year.  It was one of those rainy years, where it rained about 16 hours out of 24.  After one of my earlier stints while Paul was waiting for his turn at the wheel, he asked how I was driving these things so quickly in the rain.  Well, that became quite a long conversation with a map of the track layout and reviewing it time after time (lap after lap).  Paul -- I came to find out -- was a real student of the art of driving a car fast. He wanted to know the details, and he wanted to feel it while I described it.  He obviously had a tremendous ability to focus on the task at hand. He took this very seriously and wanted to contribute in his efforts.

The team was absolutely engulfed with onlookers so we had to build a temporary fence around our compound to keep the multitudes out.  Our team (including Paul) also stayed together in one of the French chauteaus.  Paul graciously ignored the photographers waiting in the surrounding shrubs as he left the chateau.  We only had the occasion to go out for dinner once and he tried to sneak in the back door and sat with his back to anyone in the restaurant.  I learned from this time with Paul that he only wanted to be a race driver, not a movie star. 

We also were together with Dick Barbour Racing at the Watkins Glen 6-Hour after Le Mans. Paul was very much a team player and did not want nor request any special privileges. We got ready together in the team transporter. He only requested that we, as drivers together, please try to ignore the many fans outside so as not to attract attention. He actually apologized if this was disruptive to us. 

I continued to see Paul at many races throughout the balance of my career, and he was always gracious and complimentary to my efforts -- a true gentleman, a true racer.