 |
 Thirty
years ago, Benny Parsons was named the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA)
Rookie of the Year, and he hasn't slowed down yet. Parsons went on to win the
ARCA Championship two years in a row (1968-1969).
Parsons is a native of Ellerbe, N.C., who battled Detroit's heavy traffic behind the wheel of a cab before choosing life in the speedway fast lane. After driving his own car for years, Parsons teamed with car owner L.G. DeWitt, and joined NASCAR in 1970. That year he competed in 43 races. Parsons went on to enjoy his first Winston Cup victory in 1971. Twenty more Winston Cup wins were to follow, including the Winston Cup Championship in 1973. Benny entered the final race at Rockingham as
the point's leader. Since the points system was different in those days …
awarding 100 points to the winner and one-half point for each lap completed, it
was nearly impossible to determine where Parsons must finish to claim the title.
He led Richard Petty by 194.35 points going into the race, but anything was
possible! Parsons had claimed one victory at Bristol He was the first stock car driver to break the 200-mph barrier in qualifying. In a Pontiac LeMans, Parsons ran 200.176 to win the pole for the 1982 Winston 500 at Talladega. He captured 21 victories (12 Superspeedway) in his career. He competed in 526 races, had 199 top-five finishes, 20 pole positions, and won $3,926,639. The 1988 season was Parsons' last on the track, but he is still an integral part of the racing world today. He has been with ESPN as a race analyst since 1989. Years of experience make Benny Parsons a natural choice as a racing commentator. He hosts NASCAR's Video Magazine, as well as a Monday night racing update on NBC in Charlotte, N.C., and a nationally syndicated radio show on Performance Racing Network called "Fast Talk with Benny Parsons." In his "spare time" Parsons has authored a cookbook, "Buffet Benny's Family Recipes." Benny Parsons, the fans' "Inactive Category" selection into the Talladega - Texaco Walk of Fame.
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earlier that year, and he
qualified an impressive 5th for the final race. It seemed his hopes for winning
were shattered on the 12th lap when he collided with another car in turn one,
virtually destroying his own. But his team didn't quit. Parsons' crew chief,
Travis Carter, worked miracles, getting the nearly destroyed car back into
running order. And run he did. With a shaky, vibrating car, Parsons completed
308 laps to claim the title.
