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Mr. Benny
Everyone that knew Benny Parsons personally has a warm story about this wonderful man, the 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion and auto racing hall-of-famer who died Tuesday after a battle with cancer.
Here's mine:
Perhaps nowhere was Benny more admired and loved than in the little Sandhills town of Ellerbe, N.C., where he lived in the early 1970s while driving for the locally-based L.G. DeWitt Racing Team.
This is understandable.
Benny did things for Ellerbe like no one before or since.
For me, one example always has stood out.
Not long after Benny, his wife and two sons moved to Ellerbe, he was elected president of the Parent-Teachers Association at the elementary school his boys attended.
One wintry day, the boys came home very glum.
They had become upset after learning that some of their classmates were not going to receive presents or anything special to eat for Christmas.
Benny checked with teachers and discovered that the situation was even worse than he imagined because of the high rate of poverty in the rural area.
Benny, well-known for a tender heart and good-guy nature, immediately began calling in favors from his many friends in motorsports. Winter jackets, shoes, food, toys and Christmas candy began flowing in.
A big party was scheduled at the school the night before the holiday recess was to begin.
Some of stock car racing's biggest names showed up to take part.
Why, the legendary Wood Brothers, Glen and Leonard, even arranged to bus a church choir down from their hometown of Stuart, Va., to sing the carols.
Youngsters who never had experienced much of a Christmas shrieked when Santa started calling their names to receive gifts.
One little fellow, probably seven or eight years old, made his way over to where Benny and I were standing and in conversation. He had a bright toy truck under one arm and a new pair of sneakers under the other.
The lad tugged at the leg of Benny's trousers. "Mr. Benny," he said, "what am I supposed to do with these?"
Benny gulped.
"Take them home, son," Benny replied. "They're yours."
The little fellow's eyes widened. "To keep?" he asked incredulously.
The eyes of Parsons moistened and he leaned down and gave the boy a hug.
Then, with a small shake of the head and a lump in his throat, "Mr. Benny" excused himself and walked away to be alone for just a bit.
January 17, 2007 in Racing | Permalink
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Comments
Thanks for sharing some memories of BP. I only remember Benny as a TV announcer. He always had such a positive attitude and I always got the feeling that he was having so much fun. BP will be missed!
Posted by: Michelle | Jan 17, 2007 10:22:27 AM
Thank you for this wonderful story.
Posted by: Chris Robinson | Jan 17, 2007 11:22:24 AM
Races just were not the same without Benny at the microphone
Posted by: Laura | Jan 17, 2007 12:03:37 PM
Never was a huge fan of BP behind the mic but still liked the man for what he accomplished and now he and Bobby and Dale and Neil are all tellin stories and lies together
Posted by: Joe | Jan 17, 2007 6:37:16 PM
Thanks Tom for a heart warming, typical "BP" story. Here's mine, hope you enjoy it.
It was in the early seventies and Mr. Parsons-BP was doing a special appearance at Cuyauga Speedway in Nells Corners, Ont. Canada. We (my girlfriend-Brenda) and I drove the 3 hrs. from western NY to see Benny race.
He brought a Chevelle late model #72 and qualified, if I remember correctly, in the top ten with never seeing the track before. During some of the preliminary races it was announced that Benny would be signing autographs behind the main grandstands. We immediately went down from our seats to meet Benny and get his autograph, finding him sitting by himself, eating 2 Big Macs. We shyly went forward, not wanting to bother his "supper". He gave a big smile and invited us to join him. He said he didn't like to eat alone. So there we sat, Benny, Brenda, and I. Sitting and talking like we were neighbors that hadn't seen each other in awhile. He made us feel totally comfortable, that our "friendship" was important to him. Chatting racing and questions about our lives he finished his sandwiches and said time to get down to business. We thought he meant it was time to leave and head back to the pits. What he actually meant was it was time for that autograph and take some pictures with him. He was so friendly towards both of us. With the autograph and pictures out of the way, he actually thanked us for our time and keeping him company while he ate. Even offered us one of his Big Mac's saying he didn't like to eat alone...:)))
How did he do in the 100 lapper?? Blew a right front tire with 10 to go, went into the pits under caution, started at the back of the field and still finished second. What a thrill watching him come thru the pack!!!!
Needless to say, I've been a "B.P." fan ever since.
God Speed Mr. Parsons-B.P. and thanks for making a young racing fan feel important!!!
We will miss you dearly, but will meet again one day!!!
Posted by: Mark S. | Jan 17, 2007 7:26:50 PM
i didn t ever meet benny, but i did get to see him race. the early 70 s at darlington. pearson,my favorite driver at the time, was running away from the field. he made a pit stop and benny took the lead, but david caught him and got a little anxious and went to pass benny and they both wound up in the wall. i felt so sorry for benny, but he never said anything negative about david taking him out. he was a great guy. see you later benny!
Posted by: mac m | Jan 17, 2007 8:54:04 PM
THANKS TOM
R.I.P. BP
Posted by: Trucker | Jan 17, 2007 10:00:02 PM
Thanks for your touching story Tom. I would like to share my favorite Benny moment too.
I attended Alan Kulwicki's funeral here in the Milwaukee area back in April of 1993. I knew that there had been a visitation the night before that many drivers turned out for but then they returned home. There would also be a memorial service in Charlotte a day or two after the service that I was attending.
I had gotten to the church early because I wasn't sure how big of a crowd there would be. I took a seat near the back and while I was looking around, I noticed a man standing in the back of the section to my left. I thought that he looked a lot like Benny Parsons. If it was really Benny, I wondered why he would be there when he could've attended the memorial service closer to home just a day or two later. As I continued to watch him every now and again, I realized that it was Benny and that he was acting as an usher, helping to seat people and make room for others. Even though the church had plenty of it's own ushers, here was a former NASCAR champion and then current ESPN broadcasting personality performing duties that might be considered "beneath oneself" by others in the NASCAR community.
After watching Benny perform his ushering duties, I wanted to thank him for making the trip to Milwaukee. I decided to approach him after the service. When I saw him outside the church I walked in his direction, but before I could get to him, Bob Brooks (founder of Hooters) appeared in between us. Benny went to Mr. Brooks and offered his condolences for all the losses he had suffered as a sponsor, father and employer and then hugged him. As I watched, I remembered that Benny had lost his first wife Connie, only a year or so before that. It amazed me that someone who had suffered his own recent loss could be such a pillar of strength to others.
After watching everything unfold, I decided that my intentions weren't of the utmost importance at that time and I walked away with a lasting memory & impression of BP.
Posted by: Tim | Jan 18, 2007 7:19:47 PM
My family and I were lucky to meet Benny as a person, not a star. My parents met Benny several times at a local business when the gallery hosted a reception each fall. Mother 'catered' the reception, which meant, even then, (Benny was still an active racer, this must have been about 1982 or so...) he knew where to find the food. Benny gravitated to the back room, sat down and proceeded to make a fan out of Mother. They treated each other like old neighbors, the same way he treated everyone each time I saw him.
She could not have picked a better example as her first racer. She's still a race fan and has been lucky to attend test sessions at Rockingham, where she was shown through transporters, saw the inside of the sport and learned more about the people. Watching her defend racing and racers to some of her church friends is a real treat.
All of these little stories, but especially Higgins' note about the Christmas in Ellerbe, show the example BP set for us all. We just need to follow his lead instead of acting the way we usually do in day-to-day life.
Benny, you made Mother a fan for life, of yourself and the sport. We'll truly miss you, even if you did never remember my name correctly for all those years in Media Centers and Press Boxes. Thanks, pal.
Posted by: John | Jan 20, 2007 5:32:16 PM
He will be missed.
Posted by: Diane Sadler | Jan 21, 2007 3:19:54 AM
I never met B.P. and your story and the comments it brought out let me understand and appriciate a man after my own heart.
I only hope people think half as good of me after I'm gone.
Thanks for a great story.
Heavens fixin to have one Heck of a race!
Posted by: R.J. Anderson | Feb 6, 2007 1:19:43 PM
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