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Benny Parsons is dead

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Former NASCAR Champ Benny Parsons Dies


Benny Parsons



CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - Former race car driver Benny Parsons is dead. His son, Keith, says the former taxi driver turned NASCAR champion passed away Tuesday at the age of 65 after a losing battle against lung cancer.

Parsons was diagnosed with the disease in July after complaining that he was having difficulty breathing. He 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 the day after Christmas 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.

Parsons name is among the elite group of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers. He won the whole shooting match in 1973 and retired from racing in 1988 to move into the broadcasting booth. He spent the
past six years as a commentator on NBC and TNT, and continued to call races from the booth during his treatment.
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Comments

11 comments

Date Votes
  • dlrjj
    That's too bad. We seem to have lost a bunch of the more able public figures recently. Some of them good folks, some not, but still able people.
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  • fastcarsgofast
    Another old school racer gone. Pretty soon I'll just stop watching unless they get some more real racers and rid off all the half talented pretty boys. I'll miss Benny. He got a lot stuff wrong on the TV but he admitted it when he did and was entertaining.
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  • godalejr
    god bless his family and friends heard he was not doing well,well that is the last of the old school driver in the booth now i must tolerate wallys world. where is buddy baker these days?
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  • select-fire
    Well the changing of the guard is coming. Toyota junk will be on the racetrack. Indy messed up with the cart series, and nascar will soon have so many rules racing will be no more than iroc..
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  • Queen of Swords
    He as a good guy, just a sweet, fun guy. We met him in '92 (I think) during a rain delay at Watkins Glen. He was doing the cruise of the infield in a golf cart, doing working the crowd, broadcasting all along, just meeting and greeting the fans, and scamming the occasional beer, or snack off the interviewee's bar-b-que.
    Nice guy, keep the dirty side down, Benny....
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  • theboogeyman
    God bless, Benny....We'll miss you [:(]
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  • Captplaid
    quote:Originally posted by fastcarsgofast
    Another old school racer gone. Pretty soon I'll just stop watching unless they get some more real racers and rid off all the half talented pretty boys. I'll miss Benny. He got a lot stuff wrong on the TV but he admitted it when he did and was entertaining.


    Amen. Nothing like him. NASCAR went downhill without him.
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  • Horse Plains Drifter
    quote:fastcarsgofast Posted

    Another old school racer gone. Pretty soon I'll just stop watching unless they get some more real racers and rid off all the half talented pretty boys. I'll miss Benny. He got a lot stuff wrong on the TV but he admitted it when he did and was entertaining.
    Amen to that! So long Benny.





    quote:select-fire Posted
    Well the changing of the guard is coming. Toyota junk will be on the racetrack. Yep, I'll never watch another NASCAR race.
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  • Rocklobster
    I'll miss Benny too. Remember "Buffet Benny" and "Benny's hat of the day"? [:)]
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  • zipperzap
    My father-in-law, ex-mother-in-law were smokers - went that way - it
    was a very tough way to die. Too bad.
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  • mateomasfeo
    Bye Benny!
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