News and updates

	Legendary actor, entrepreneur philanthropist and racer Paul Newman died Friday night (September 26, 2008) at his home in Westport, CT after a long battle with cancer. He was 83. Mostly known for his roles in such American film classics as "Cool Hand Luke," "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, "The Sting" and "The Color of Money," for which he received the Academy Award for "Best Actor," Newman was also a major figure in the racing community. Newman first took interest in motor racing while filming 1968's "Winning," in which he played the role of an Indy car driver. His racing career began in 1972 at Thompson, CT in a Lotus Elan. He earned his first Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) national title in 1976 in the D-production category, and followed up with a C-production class championship in 1979. Newman was a GT-1 champion in 1985 and '86. Newman's first professional victory came in a SCCA Trans-Am series event at Brainerd, MN in 1982. His second career Trans-Am victory came in 1986 at his "home track" in Lime Rock, CT. His last victory took place in the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona in 1995 when he and his co-drivers won the GTS-class. He was 70 years old at the time. Newman drove in the 1979 24 Hours of Le Mans, finishing second in that race. Newman competed in the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona for the final time in 2006. Before joining forces with Carl Haas for a Champ car team in 1983, Newman fielded cars for drivers Danny Sullivan, Bobby Rahal, Al Unser, Teo Fabi, Keke Rosberg and Elliott Forbes-Robinson in the Can-Am series for five years. As co-owner of Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing, Newman became involved in the IndyCar Series when the two-car team joined the circuit after the unification of IndyCar and Champ car earlier this year. In 2006, Newman served as the voice of "Doc Hudson," a Hudson Hornet, in the Disney-Pixar blockbuster "Cars." Newman was also the founder of the Hole in the Wall Camps, a place where children facing serious illnesses and life-threatening conditions come to experience the simple joys of childhood without jeopardizing their medical needs. There are currently 10 camps operating in six countries. Since founding Newman's Own, an all-natural line of food products, in 1982, Newman has given away 100% of after tax profits to thousands of charitable and educational causes, totaling over $240 million.
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	Word has just reached us that America's first World Champion, Phil Hill, passed away this morning (August 27, 2008) due to complications from Parkinson's disease. All of us at Highland Design Studio wish to extend our deepest sympathy to Phil's wife Alma, his son Derek and daughters Vanessa and Jennifer. We have fond memories of the meeting Mr. Hill many times at racing events over the years. He was a true gentleman and a great Champion. He will be missed.

Click to Enlarge	Watkins Glen, New York Its founding father, Cameron Argetsinger, died, Tuesday, April 22, 2008 “A giant of motorsports has passed, and I mean a big giant,” said International Motor Racing Research Center historian Bill Green. “He was a man that made a lot of good decisions, looked to the future and brought Watkins to the forefront.” Argetsinger’s vision to bring a world-class road race to the streets of downtown Watkins Glen, spawned by his family’s cottage on Seneca Lake and his father’s love of sports cars, was realized in 1948 with the running of the Seneca Cup. It was the first road race held in America after World War II. After four years, the races were moved to two different permanent race tracks, including the one known today as Watkins Glen International. Since the construction of the original 2.3-mile course, practically every big-name race car driver and series has visited Schuyler County. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the Argetsingers at this time,” said Eiron Smith, director of communications for WGI. In 1961, the globe-trotting Formula One series staged a race at The Glen, kicking off a two-decade run of United States Grands Prix – during which time Watkins Glen became world famous. In 1986, NASCAR brought its Winston Cup Series to The Glen to begin the track’s most lucrative and successful stretch despite the absence of open-wheel racing. The Indy Racing League sanctioned an IndyCar Series race at The Glen in 2005 and track president Craig Rust named the winner’s hardware the Cameron Argetsinger Trophy to honor the area’s open-wheel heritage. However, Argetsinger’s influence in auto racing reached beyond the borders of Schuyler County. In 1965 his board of governors, the Watkins Glen Grand Prix Corporation, earned the Grand Prix Drivers Association award for the best-operated race and Argetsinger went on to serve as director of the Sports Car Club of America – a job which helped get him inducted in the Hall of Fame’s inaugural class. He also worked for Jim Hall’s Chaparral Cars racing team; served on committees for the FIA and ACCUS; was commissioner of International Motor Sports Association (where he was succeeded by his son J.C. Argetsinger); and most recently was president for the International Motor Racing Research Center. A lawyer by trade, and Cornell University graduate, the native of Youngstown, Ohio also liked to race. Argetsinger raced everything from MGs to Jaguars in Watkins Glen and Sebring, Fla. The husband and father of eight remained an influential figure in modern-day racing through the research center, which his wife Jean helped launch in 1998.