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NASCAR Champion Benny Parsons - R.I.P. (merged)


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#1 HDonaldCapps

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Posted 16 January 2007 - 16:08

So long, Benny, ol' pal. I am sure gonna miss 'ya.

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#2 Pikachu Racing

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Posted 16 January 2007 - 16:21

While I didn't catch his racing career I remember him for being one of voices of NASCAR from late 80s through the 90 along Mike Joy and Ned Jarrett. :( :cry:

#3 David M. Kane

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Posted 16 January 2007 - 16:25

He show a lot of good spirit in how he handled his health situation. I thought he showed a lot of class in just marching on and not getting down on the situation.

#4 ensign14

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Posted 16 January 2007 - 16:37

RIP. The story of how he won the title is one of the more uplifting ones in motor racing - how talent and hard work could overcome a far superior budget.

#5 D-Type

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Posted 16 January 2007 - 17:25

Excuse me asking, but who was BP?

#6 Angry Onion

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Posted 16 January 2007 - 17:29

^ Benny Parsons.

First Dan Shaver, then Bobby Hamilton, now Benny Parsons. My prayers for their close ones. Race on in peace.

#7 FLB

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Posted 16 January 2007 - 17:35

Y'know, I felt it was a bit out of place when he was made honorary starter for the Daytona 24 Hours last years. Sure, he'd done it (in a BMW no less), but it wasn't the highlight of his career. It was simply a footnote. Now I'm bloody glad he was honored while he had the chance.

RIP, BP :(

#8 Richard Jenkins

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Posted 16 January 2007 - 18:06

Not a good year for NASCAR is it?

I'm surprised actually as it appeared he might just be winning his fight from recent posts on YRH, but alas not to be.

RIP. :cry: A lovely man.

#9 rdrcr

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Posted 16 January 2007 - 18:55

So sad he's lost that fight - his class and positive attitude was quite evident in his on-screen persona and I am sure that was the case off camera as well.

IIRC, didn't he team up with David Hobbs at a Daytona 24 in a BMW?

His championship winning effort was a case for determination and consistency over who is arguably one of the best ever, David Pearson. Pearson, who won 11 events but only ran a limited number of races and lost to BP who ran them all and while winning only one, he finished with an impressive list of top-5s and 10s.

I think his GN Championship was deemed to be the first of the "Modern Era".

His was a warm, wonderful character and he'll be greatly missed.

RIP BP

#10 HistoricMustang

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Posted 16 January 2007 - 21:06

http://www.motorspor...e.asp?ID=241249

http://racing-refere...er?id=parsobe01

http://www.bennyparsons.com/

Henry

#11 maxpapis

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Posted 16 January 2007 - 22:54

What a shame. He was one of the good guys. :(

#12 Andretti Fan

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Posted 17 January 2007 - 01:13

I was so hoping he'd beat this. I can't recall ever hearing anyone say a bad thing about Benny. R.I.P. champ

#13 Pikachu Racing

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Posted 17 January 2007 - 04:37

He would tell stories on the air about certain things drivers did in past races, before getting to NASCAR, even away from the track. The one I remember was Marlins (Coo Coo and Sterling) cow on fire.

#14 Fiorentina 1

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Posted 17 January 2007 - 05:47

I was so sad when I read the news. Cancer is the worst. It just kills so fast, it's unbelievable....

I liked BP a lot. He was very enjoyable on TV and I actually learned quite a bit from him. He had a way of explaining things like one of those great teachers we had in school. The piece on ESPN back in the 80's; BP's take on the food at the track or something like that was always fun. He was a good man, who entertained a heck of a lot of people and will be dearly missed.

I met him at Atlanta in 2001 and it was good fun talking to him about the past and about road racing. He talked about doing the Daytona 24 hours one year and how much fun he had. It was especially fun seeing all the strange people come up to him with the most random sh*te during our conversation. Some lady knitted him a hat, another one aked if he'd come over for dinner, etc, etc. It shows how hugely popular the guy was. He just smiled and gave everyone there time, which was very respectable. Like someone else said, he was one of the good guys. :up:

R.I.P man, I hope the food is great up there!

#15 Agnis

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Posted 17 January 2007 - 07:12

RIP, Benny! :cry:

#16 Manfred Cubenoggin

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Posted 17 January 2007 - 14:31

"NOoooooo...!"

I softly uttered the above on first opening TNF this morning to see the sad news.

RIP, BP.

We are certainly the poorer for his passing; richer for the time he spent with us.

:(

#17 Tmeranda

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Posted 17 January 2007 - 17:33

I was luck enought to have several long conversations with BP. He would talk for hours and hours about racing to anybody. He was a truly great gentleman. I will miss him a lot as he brought a lot of class to Nascar. RIP BP.

#18 jimmy boo

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Posted 17 January 2007 - 17:52

Hello all...I've just joined the forum after years of being on here and decades of buying the mag.

The reason i'm posting is that i've just learned that Benny Parsons has passed away.His enthusiasm and inside knowledge,having been a succesfull Nascar driver,was a major reason for my enjoyment and insight into the series.

He was obviously ill during the course of last season causing him to miss several races but he came back towards the end and seemed to be doing ok.

I'm just gutted and sad that he's no longer with us.............God bless you and your family BP :cry:

#19 Mat

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Posted 18 January 2007 - 00:03

RIP BP.

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#20 URY914

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Posted 18 January 2007 - 00:50

He paired with David Hobbs for the '75 Daytona 24 hour to finish 10th.

#21 scotchman

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Posted 18 January 2007 - 17:51

He sure was a good guy, a superb driver and a fantastic commentator.

He injected fun, wit and common sense into his race commentaries and he is going to be sorely missed by everyone in NASCAR and by millions of race fans worldwide.

So long Benny, when you were on the mic. things were just awesome!

Rest in Peace.

#22 Dudley

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Posted 19 January 2007 - 11:45

I really don't think this is Nostalgia forum material, I don't know who moved it.

But if say, Martin Brundle died they'd hardly move it here. Benny was a current (and brilliant) broadcaster I and most of the younger generation never saw drive.

#23 HDonaldCapps

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Posted 19 January 2007 - 15:55

[editorial comment] I was a bit put off when the thread I started -- "BP" -- suddenly sprouted a new name and was merged with another thread from somewhere else. I have come to view the recent trend in placing "R.I.P." in the title of a thread dealing with a driver's death or the death of any other person related to racing as a bit, well, tacky and certainly unimaginative. I have to wonder why it was deemed necessary to merge threads from this forum and the RC. I placed my thread here because this is where I thought it belonged since there are those here who appreciated BP for what he was and what he accomplished later. However, I can also see why there could -- and should -- be a similar thread in the RC, a reflection of his following among the current fans of motor sport. That should say something in and of itself about the man. This was not a well-considered action.[/editorial comment]

#24 Watkins Glener

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Posted 22 January 2007 - 00:10

This is a photo I took of Benny Parsons driving a BMW while he was teamed with Hans-Joachim Stuck at the 1977 Six Hours race at Watkins Glen (turn 7...The "heel" of the Boot). As I remember, he drove that car as well as any of the veteran endurance drivers. Most in the crowd didn't know it was Parsons that was Stuck's team mate that weekend. Hell, most of the spectators there didn't even know who Benny Parsons was. One other thing on BP...An excellent story about Parsons driving that weekend at Watkins Glen by Ron Levanduski (writing for the Star-Gazette, Elmira, N.Y):
http://www.stargazet.../701180327/1097

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