Former NASCAR Champ Benny Parsons Dies

[iceturkee]

the associate press is reporting that parsons, 65, has died from complications due to lung cancer. he had been in intensive care with a blood clot in his good lung (right one).

sad way to start the season with the passing of both parsons and bobby hamilton! BP will be missed.

 

[Tony1097]

oh wow.. he was a good commentator also! may he Rest in Peace

 

[DWS44]

sad news indeed. BP was a good guy, and excellent broadcaster.

 

[Ramy]

He will be sorely missed. I remember when he drove, albeit late in his career Really nice guy, great driver and broadcaster.

 

[lakebum431]

Very sad. I actually talked to him at the Chicago race this year in the elevator up to the suites and he was looking pretty good. He will be missed.

 

[jlhugh]

RIP BP. You will be missed

 

[iceturkee]

i actually met him once many years ago. they use to have a driver fan fest downtown right before the pepsi 400. anyhow, our paths crossed so i said ``hi'' and got him to sign a poster for me.

the thing i always liked about benny was he when he did all those restaurant reviews. i think ESPN was still doing NASCAR. he obviously knew all the good places to eat on the circuit!!

 

[vurbano]

Rest in Peace BP.

 

[rstettne]

You will be missed, no one will be able to fill your shoes in the booth BP.

 

[shugo77]

Very sad news, IMO, he was the best announcer for NASCAR on TNT\NBC and maybe even the best one of all the networks.

"Is it time?... It's time to...Que the Duck!"

RIP Benny Parsons (BP)

 

[rickaren]

NASCAR champion Parsons dies of cancer

Jan 16, 2007 12:41 PM EST

From the Article here in Indianapolis this was totally un-expected. Good Article, click on LINK below:

"Parsons was diagnosed with cancer in his left lung in July after complaining of difficulty breathing. A former smoker who quit the habit in 1978, Parsons underwent intensive chemotherapy and radiation treatments and was declared "cancer-free" in October.

But the aggressive treatment cost Parsons the use of his left lung, and he was hospitalized Dec. 26 when doctors found a blood clot in his right lung. He was transferred to intensive care shortly after his admission, and he remained there in an induced-coma."

LINK: http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?S=5945295

 

[johninbricknj]

Rest in peace BP. A true CHAMPION!

 

[voomvoom]

RIP Benny!

Al

 

[iceturkee]

just read a great column by ed hinton in todays orlando sentinel. in the final race of the 1973 season, BP crashed early and it appeared his hopes of winning the championship were dashed.

then members from every other NASCAR teams crew, pitched in and pieced benny's car back together. that allowed him to race enough laps to maintain the points lead. just shows the kind of repect that buffet benny had!!

 

[Ramy]

just read a great column by ed hinton in todays orlando sentinel. in the final race of the 1973 season, BP crashed early and it appeared his hopes of winning the championship were dashed.

then members from every other NASCAR teams crew, pitched in and pieced benny's car back together. that allowed him to race enough laps to maintain the points lead. just shows the kind of repect that buffet benny had!!

This went on alot back in the day. It seems that ever since......I think it was Robby Gordon who didn't slow down for the yellow flag and let people who were a lap down pass him, that NASCAR has changed. Most crews and owners will still help out others but you have a group now that want to win at all costs and not help out the less fortunate when they need it. I know it's about a large amount of money now but they need to remember the roots of the sport too. One reason I like watching is that they still have prayer before every race. What other sport does this on a national scale? Answer: none!!

 

[Carroll A]

I had the chance to meet BP when I was 14 years old... BP and Harry Gant were invited to come to where I went to school and gave a motivation speech... Afterwords we all got to talk to them for as long as we wanted... Where I went to school it was for Deaf and Blind students and for the NASCAR lover in me it was a dream come true... A lot of the other kids had no interest in NASCAR so instead of getting to just say hi I got to talk to those guys at least for 30 minutes about NASCAR... BP was not only a great racer but was also great gentlemen as well... I bet Benny, Dale, Neal, Alan, Davey, and the rest are having the heavenly 500 as we speak... RIP BP... CC

 

[iceturkee]

you know, ramy, that someone like alan kulwicki will never win another championship. of course, kulwicki left us way too early. but another independent driver will have outrageous obstacles to overcome, even to make the chase.

as much as i don't like robby gordon, he's striving to do what kulwicki did (and with the same car number). gotta have some respect for that!

 

[dodge]

Bp

Very sad. I actually talked to him at the Chicago race this year in the elevator up to the suites and he was looking pretty good. He will be missed.

Lakebum, what did you think of our track up here in Chicago???

Bp we will surely miss you on Sunday.....

 

[Ramy]

you know, ramy, that someone like alan kulwicki will never win another championship. of course, kulwicki left us way too early. but another independent driver will have outrageous obstacles to overcome, even to make the chase.

as much as i don't like robby gordon, he's striving to do what kulwicki did (and with the same car number). gotta have some respect for that!

True, it's tough for an independent to do it these days.

 

[jhamps10]

RIP BP, hopefully they replace you with someone just as good, even though we know it's impossible.