Product Description A chance meeting with actor Paul Newman at a remote racetrack in West Virginia marked the beginning of a relationship with author A. J. Graziano that lasted twelve years. After a brief explanation of the sport of Automobile Road Racing, Racing with the Stars reveals how Paul Newman became lead driver for the Bob Sharp Racing team, and elaborates on that initial meeting. The gradual progression of Newman's skills as a driver and the addition of actor Tom Cruise and football legend Walter Payton as team drivers further expand the story. This book projects a strong behind-the-scenes feeling, with emphasis on personal relationships that include humorous incidents as well as accounts of triumph and tragedy. The breakup of the racing team ended the author's incredible odyssey, but Paul Newman continued racing well into his later years. An epilogue provides the reader with an up-to-date account of the main characters. Author Biography A. J. Graziano has been an avid builder of scale models and an auto racing fan for most of his life. The combination of these two pursuits led to the circumstances that prompted the writing of this book. He is retired from a large aerospace company and resides in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, with his wife, Doris. This is his first published work.