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“Mount Rushmore”: “True NASCAR Goat” David Pearson Remembered by Fans on Social Media

Gowtham Ramalingam
Published

David Pearson checks out his car as he prepares for the NASCAR Nashville 400 race at the Fairgrounds Speedway July 27, 1968. Pearson went on to win the rain-shortened race before 15,221 fans. Auto Racing In 1968

Few drivers in the history of NASCAR were consistently good throughout their careers. One of them was the late David Pearson. Also known as ‘Silver Fox,’ he garnered 105 wins in the Cup Series and finished inside the top-5 in over 50% of the races that he drove in. December 22 marked the day that he would’ve been 90 years old.

Fans on social media did their duty and remembered this icon who was one of the pillars on which modern-day stock car racing was built.

One fan wrote on X, “Mount Rushmore NASCAR with Dale Earnhardt Senior, Richard Petty an Cale Yarbrough.” There couldn’t be a better pick of names for the proposed monument.

Another said, “The true NASCAR Goat,” and yet another followed, Goat Period.” Pearson raced in 574 races over 27 years in NASCAR’s premier series.

He won 18.29% of those races. Interestingly, he never ran every single race in any season. In those that he went close to a full schedule, he either won the championship or came extremely close to it.

His first title came in 1966 when he participated in 42 of the scheduled 49 races. He won championships again in 1968 and 1969. The 1974 season serves as a strong memorandum of his greatness behind the wheel despite it not ending with him as the champion.

He raced in only 19 of the 30 scheduled races and still ended up third in the rankings behind Richard Petty and Cale Yarborough.

Remembering Pearson through iconic memories about him

Pearson secured 105 wins and 113 poles over his career. Only Petty surpassed him in both categories. Winning roughly one of every five races that you run in is no ordinary task. That’s precisely what he managed. The 1965 season was yet another memorable year that saw heavy involvement from him.

His car had used the Mopar Hemi engine in years prior and NASCAR decided to ban the model out of the blue. Pearson took offense and decided to boycott the series along with Petty.

As a result, two of NASCAR’s best drivers sat out of the race car for a majority of the season. They would return only when the sanctioning body readjusted the rules to their liking.

Any discussion about the legend cannot end without talk of the infamous “Wringley’s Spearmint.” He always had gum stuck to the dashboard of his cars to chew on during races. He did this because his mouth got severely dry when driving at high speeds. His extraordinary achievements have left a lasting legacy on the sport.

About the author

Gowtham Ramalingam

Gowtham Ramalingam

Gowtham is a NASCAR journalist at The SportsRush. Though his affinity for racing stems from Formula 1, he found himself drawn to NASCAR's unparalleled excitement over the years. As a result he has shared his insights and observations by authoring over 350 articles on the sport. An avid fiction writer, you can find him lost in imaginary worlds when he is not immersed in racing. He hopes to continue savoring the thrill of every lap and race together with his readers for as long as he can.

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