Bull Butter
01-17-2007, 06:31 PM
I'll certainly miss BP's race analysis. He was the only thing that made NBC's coverage of NASCAR enjoyable........
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sports/16475246.htm
NASCAR legend Benny Parsons dies
Benny Parsons, a popular NASCAR figure best known for his affable personality, died of lung cancer complications.
BY SARAH ROTHSCHILD
DAYTONA BEACH - Benny Parsons, a NASCAR legend because of his personality and rise from taxi-cab driver to Cup champion, died Tuesday.
Parsons, 65, had complications stemming from his battle with lung cancer and had been in the intensive-care unit of Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, N.C., for three weeks.
In 526 Cup starts, Parsons won 21 races, including the 1975 Daytona 500, 1980 Coca-Cola 600 and had 283 top-10 finishes. He was named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers, moved to the broadcast booth in 1989 as an analyst for ESPN and later joined NBC and TNT, for which he commentated through the 2006 season.
Former competitors, current Cup drivers and friends mourned the loss of Parsons, remembering the beloved ''BP'' -- as he was commonly called -- for his competitiveness, wit, humility and affable personality.
''Everyone loved him in NASCAR,'' veteran driver Mark Martin said during a break in preseason testing at Daytona International Speedway on Tuesday. ``He was loved by all and hated by none. He was that kind of guy, that kind of personality. He was a great driver, a great ambassador for our sport and a very good friend to me for 30 years.''
Martin hardly was alone in his characterization of the Wilkes County, N.C., native.
''Benny Parsons was the kindest, sweetest, most considerate person I have ever known,'' three-time Cup champion driver and Fox analyst Darrell Waltrip said in a statement. ``He was almost too nice to be a race car driver, and I say that as a compliment.
``In my 30-odd years of racing Benny Parsons, I never knew of anyone being mad at Benny.''
Penske Racing president Don Miller, a close friend of Parsons, recalled a story he said illustrated how much others respected Parsons in the Cup garage.
In the season finale at North Carolina Motor Speedway in 1973, an early wreck caused extensive damage to Parsons' car but crew members from many opposing Cup teams rebuilt it. He returned to the track and captured the championship.
Over the years, Parsons endeared himself to his competitors and aspiring drivers. He became a fixture in the garage -- taking interest in everyone from the elite to lesser-known drivers.
''He was just an absolute gentleman,'' Miller said.
Owner Robert Yates said one of Parsons' most distinguishing attributes was his optimism.
Even as Parsons experienced trouble breathing several weeks ago after he lost use of his left lung, he said it was a small price to pay after his doctor told him he was cancer free. Parsons, a former smoker, was diagnosed with cancer July 13, and underwent aggressive chemotherapy and radiation treatments.
In one of the most recent blog postings on his personal website, Parsons wrote Dec. 18: ``If given a choice between cancer or losing a lung I would say that I got the right end of the deal.''
But after Parsons fought for his life and lost that battle, many in the NASCAR garage were somber -- but then several thought of how Parsons would react to their grief.
''It's going to be hard, we're going to mourn this loss,'' said Larry McReynolds, a two-time Cup champion crew chief who now is a Fox analyst. 'This is a tragic loss for our sport, but he would want us to say, `Let's celebrate Benny Parsons' life.' ''
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sports/16475246.htm
NASCAR legend Benny Parsons dies
Benny Parsons, a popular NASCAR figure best known for his affable personality, died of lung cancer complications.
BY SARAH ROTHSCHILD
DAYTONA BEACH - Benny Parsons, a NASCAR legend because of his personality and rise from taxi-cab driver to Cup champion, died Tuesday.
Parsons, 65, had complications stemming from his battle with lung cancer and had been in the intensive-care unit of Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, N.C., for three weeks.
In 526 Cup starts, Parsons won 21 races, including the 1975 Daytona 500, 1980 Coca-Cola 600 and had 283 top-10 finishes. He was named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers, moved to the broadcast booth in 1989 as an analyst for ESPN and later joined NBC and TNT, for which he commentated through the 2006 season.
Former competitors, current Cup drivers and friends mourned the loss of Parsons, remembering the beloved ''BP'' -- as he was commonly called -- for his competitiveness, wit, humility and affable personality.
''Everyone loved him in NASCAR,'' veteran driver Mark Martin said during a break in preseason testing at Daytona International Speedway on Tuesday. ``He was loved by all and hated by none. He was that kind of guy, that kind of personality. He was a great driver, a great ambassador for our sport and a very good friend to me for 30 years.''
Martin hardly was alone in his characterization of the Wilkes County, N.C., native.
''Benny Parsons was the kindest, sweetest, most considerate person I have ever known,'' three-time Cup champion driver and Fox analyst Darrell Waltrip said in a statement. ``He was almost too nice to be a race car driver, and I say that as a compliment.
``In my 30-odd years of racing Benny Parsons, I never knew of anyone being mad at Benny.''
Penske Racing president Don Miller, a close friend of Parsons, recalled a story he said illustrated how much others respected Parsons in the Cup garage.
In the season finale at North Carolina Motor Speedway in 1973, an early wreck caused extensive damage to Parsons' car but crew members from many opposing Cup teams rebuilt it. He returned to the track and captured the championship.
Over the years, Parsons endeared himself to his competitors and aspiring drivers. He became a fixture in the garage -- taking interest in everyone from the elite to lesser-known drivers.
''He was just an absolute gentleman,'' Miller said.
Owner Robert Yates said one of Parsons' most distinguishing attributes was his optimism.
Even as Parsons experienced trouble breathing several weeks ago after he lost use of his left lung, he said it was a small price to pay after his doctor told him he was cancer free. Parsons, a former smoker, was diagnosed with cancer July 13, and underwent aggressive chemotherapy and radiation treatments.
In one of the most recent blog postings on his personal website, Parsons wrote Dec. 18: ``If given a choice between cancer or losing a lung I would say that I got the right end of the deal.''
But after Parsons fought for his life and lost that battle, many in the NASCAR garage were somber -- but then several thought of how Parsons would react to their grief.
''It's going to be hard, we're going to mourn this loss,'' said Larry McReynolds, a two-time Cup champion crew chief who now is a Fox analyst. 'This is a tragic loss for our sport, but he would want us to say, `Let's celebrate Benny Parsons' life.' ''