NASCAR Legend Benny Parsons Dies

NASCAR has lost another legendary driver, champion and broadcaster with the passing of Benny Parsons:

Benny Parsons, a former taxi driver turned NASCAR champion, died Tuesday from complications stemming from his short battle with lung cancer, his son Keith said. He was 65.


Parsons, the 1973 NASCAR champion, died in Charlotte, N.C., where he had been hospitalized since Dec. 26.

A member of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers, Parsons retired from racing in 1988 and moved 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.

"Benny was a beloved and widely respected member of the NASCAR community, and of the NBC Sports family," said Dick Ebersol, chairman of NBC Sports.

"He was a great driver and a terrific broadcaster, but above anything else he was a kind and generous human being. His character and spirit will define how he is remembered by all of us. Benny will be sorely missed."

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.

Parsons, affectionately known throughout NASCAR as "BP," also continued to host a weekly radio program and kept fans updated on his condition in a blog on his web site.

Just yesterday I saw this photo of Michael Waltrip's Toyota Camry that was taken during preseason testing at Daytona (h/t Jayski):

Parsons had been part of the NBC broadcast team since that network became one of two NASCAR broadcast partners in 2001. Last season was NBC's final year with NASCAR, and Benny missed a number of races during the year due to his cancer treatments. He did not have a broadcast position for 2007, but likely would have continued his radio show.

He was a loveable character in the garage area and will be missed there and on the race broadcasts.