10/29/2026
🏁 THROWBACK THURSDAY: WHEN PAUL NEWMAN WALKED INTO VALLEY CYCLE CENTER! 🏍️🎬
Did you know that Hollywood legend Paul Newman once stopped by Valley Cycle Center and struck up an unexpected friendship with our founder, Jim Myers?!
This week's Throwback Thursday takes us back to a pretty unforgettable moment in Valley Cycle Center's history, and we even have an original newspaper article to tell the story! 📰
It all started when Jim received a phone call from a man asking if he would accept an out-of-state check for several motorcycles. Back then, accepting an out-of-state check from a stranger wasn't exactly something you did!
Jim thought it was probably a prank call, but he listened anyway.
Later that day, a man walked into the dealership, wrote out a check for $1,600, and told Jim he'd be back to pick up the motorcycles. When he returned, one of the men asked Jim, "Do you think Paul might want one?"
Jim thought the whole thing was a joke and started playing along. But just a few minutes later, Paul Newman himself walked through the doors of Valley Cycle Center!
Well, it turned out they were talking about THE Paul Newman! 🎬
Sure enough, Paul Newman walked through the doors of Valley Cycle Center wearing a T-shirt, white pants, tennis shoes, and sunglasses!
According to the newspaper article, Jim recognized him right away and described him as a "natural cool guy."
Paul was in the Wi******er area competing at Summit Point Raceway and wanted a motorcycle to ride around while he was in town.
After looking at a few bikes, Paul decided on one with an automatic transmission, which Valley Cycle Center later delivered to his hotel in Wi******er!
But the story doesn't end there!
Jim and Paul ended up talking for quite a while, and their conversation eventually turned to racing. At the time, Jim was involved in racing at Wi******er Speeedway, and Paul was competing at Summit Point.
When Jim mentioned his racing experience, Paul even offered to let him run his Late Model Stock Car at Wi******er Speedway!
Paul also invited Jim to come watch him compete at Summit Point that weekend, and Jim took him up on the invitation! 🏎️
According to the article, Paul acknowledged Jim's presence during the race, and Jim even got to spend some time around the action afterward.
And here's another detail we love!
After the race, Paul invited Jim to hang out for hamburgers and b**r! 🍔🍻
Jim ended up declining the invitation, but what an experience that would have been!
One of our favorite parts of the article is how Jim described Paul. Despite being one of Hollywood's biggest stars, Jim remembered him as down-to-earth, friendly, and someone who didn't expect special treatment just because he was famous.
What started as a suspicious phone call and an unexpected motorcycle purchase turned into a memory Jim would carry with him for years!
It's stories like these that remind us just how much history lives within the walls of Valley Cycle Center. From motorcycles and racing to unexpected encounters with Hollywood legends, Jim certainly had some incredible experiences throughout his years in the powersports industry!
📸 Check out the original newspaper article documenting Jim's encounter with Paul Newman!
Does anyone else remember seeing Paul Newman around Wi******er or at Summit Point back in the day? We'd LOVE to hear your stories! 👀
📍 Valley Cycle Center
100 Myersons Drive, Wi******er, VA 22602
📞 540-723-7293
