In today’s extremely competitive NASCAR environment, teams often eavesdrop on rival radio chatter to strategize their next move. But in Benny Parsons’ era, the sport saw a rare moment of unity, where even the rival teams came to help him. That was most likely because of Parsons’ down-to-earth demeanor and warmth, both on the track and behind the microphone, which earned him a lot of affection and respect.
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Parsons entered the NASCAR scene under the radar. Like many of his peers, he came from modest roots. Raised by his grandmother in Wilkes County, North Carolina, he later relocated to Detroit and worked in his family’s taxicab business. Though many dubbed him ‘The taxi driver from Detroit.’
Parsons clarified, “Actually, I worked on taxis rather than drive them.”
Despite that, Parsons won the NASCAR Cup Championship — then known as the Winston Cup — in 1973. Though he won only one race that season, at Bristol, his consistency maintained him at the top of the driver standings table. The title run, however, wasn’t without its share of drama.
Driving the #72 Chevrolet, Parsons started the season at Riverside International Raceway and quietly pieced together a title campaign that showcased reliability over flash.
Parsons bagged six top-10 finishes and brought home fourteen top-5s across the 31-race schedule. Heading into the season finale at Rockingham, just a stone’s throw from his hometown, all he needed was to complete a little over 300 laps to clinch the title. However, the dream nearly slipped through his fingers when he was caught in an early-race wreck that left his car battered.
But then, in a surprising turn of events, rival teams banded together, setting egos aside and pulling parts from another car to help Parsons return to the track.
Although Parsons only ran full-time in 10 of his 21 years at NASCAR’s top level, he still managed to win 21 races. After hanging up his helmet for good, he transitioned from the driver’s seat to the broadcast booth.
Benny Parsons succumbed to cancer
Parsons passed away in January 2007 at 65, following a battle with lung cancer. He had first been diagnosed in July 2006 after experiencing persistent breathing difficulties. Though he had given up smoking in 1978, the disease had taken root in his left lung, prompting a course of chemotherapy and radiation.
By October, he had been declared “cancer-free.” However, the toll of the treatment was steep. It left him without the use of his left lung.
On December 26, he was admitted to the hospital after doctors discovered a blood clot in his right lung. He was placed in intensive care and kept in a medically induced coma. Despite efforts to stabilize him, complications arose, and he passed away in the ICU.
