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Happy Thursday everyone.
Countdown to Daytona
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Quote of the Year
"I love what I do; I love this business."
-- Bobby Hamilton Sr, March 2006 as he announced he had cancer
Quote of the Day
"I love what I do; I love this business."
-- Bobby Hamilton Sr, March 2006 as he announced he had cancer
Quote of the Day
"Even though we are already mourning the loss of Benny Parsons, Benny Parsons will be very upset with us if we don't celebrate the life that he lived."
-- FOX Sports Larry McReynolds
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News gathered from multiple sources, including but not limited to: Jayski.com, Cup Scene Daily, Thatsracin.com, catchfence.com, nascar.com, yahoo!, espn.com and others.
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Comments from the Peanut Gallery
from IBJack
Momma, I find it particularly difficult to accept the passing of Benny Parsons. One of my best memories of him actually occurred several times during a bad situation on the track when he would say: "Man, that's worse than losing your best dog!" With all due respect and intent, this, to me, could be considered one of those times.
Smilin' Jack
from Jo
Back in the late 70's, we went to Talladega. After the race we stopped at a small restaurant. Outside was Benny's car on a trailer. Our daughter went over to gently touch a fender, and a piece of the paint came off. As far as I know, she still has that little piece of BP's car.
Jo, Florida
from Bob S
I probably miss Benny Parsons more than I would many of the drivers who are more famous but less approachable. Every time I saw Benny he greeted me like an old friend. Not that I'm kidding myself that he remembered me, but it was his genuine friendliness. We should remember that he paid attention to local racers he saw and championed Greg Biffle and Matt Kenseth among others to NASCAR teams. He was one of the K&K Insurance drivers, which included chargers Bobby Issac and Buddy Baker. Once one of the few NASCAR sponsors, in time K&K was bypassed to become a second tier team, but one always ready to leap up and grab a win. What gripes me is that I just saw a third broadcaster mention his Buffet Benny character, one thrust on him by networks trying in a cheap ploy to grab non-traditional viewers. He adopted the character with grace and humor, but to me it's as bad as the folks who try to make us remember Jim Bakkus as the voice of Mr. Magoo or Peter Boyle from his Young Frankenstein "Putting On the Ritz" spoof. They all deserve better. Note that all the racers who knew him only spoke of his dogged competitiveness and his friendliness. Let's not diminish his memory with those silly references.
from Dave B
Momma,
We have to find a suitable Quote of the Year from Benny to accompany the one from Bobby. He deserves the honor at least as much as Bobby. We'll miss them both!
Dave
Momma, I find it particularly difficult to accept the passing of Benny Parsons. One of my best memories of him actually occurred several times during a bad situation on the track when he would say: "Man, that's worse than losing your best dog!" With all due respect and intent, this, to me, could be considered one of those times.
Smilin' Jack
from Jo
Back in the late 70's, we went to Talladega. After the race we stopped at a small restaurant. Outside was Benny's car on a trailer. Our daughter went over to gently touch a fender, and a piece of the paint came off. As far as I know, she still has that little piece of BP's car.
Jo, Florida
from Bob S
I probably miss Benny Parsons more than I would many of the drivers who are more famous but less approachable. Every time I saw Benny he greeted me like an old friend. Not that I'm kidding myself that he remembered me, but it was his genuine friendliness. We should remember that he paid attention to local racers he saw and championed Greg Biffle and Matt Kenseth among others to NASCAR teams. He was one of the K&K Insurance drivers, which included chargers Bobby Issac and Buddy Baker. Once one of the few NASCAR sponsors, in time K&K was bypassed to become a second tier team, but one always ready to leap up and grab a win. What gripes me is that I just saw a third broadcaster mention his Buffet Benny character, one thrust on him by networks trying in a cheap ploy to grab non-traditional viewers. He adopted the character with grace and humor, but to me it's as bad as the folks who try to make us remember Jim Bakkus as the voice of Mr. Magoo or Peter Boyle from his Young Frankenstein "Putting On the Ritz" spoof. They all deserve better. Note that all the racers who knew him only spoke of his dogged competitiveness and his friendliness. Let's not diminish his memory with those silly references.
from Dave B
Momma,
We have to find a suitable Quote of the Year from Benny to accompany the one from Bobby. He deserves the honor at least as much as Bobby. We'll miss them both!
Dave
I agree Dave....so you guys out there send me some suggestions!
from Gary
re: Lou E
What is it with the sponsor duel? I always thought the idea behind free enterprise was competition, but apparently not in NASCAR because Nextel is afraid of it. Nextel is the major sponsor of NASCAR, and I apreciate that, but to say that Cingular, who was a sponsor in NASCAR long before Nextel, can't change it's name to AT&T and remain a sponsor is, in my opinion, nothing short of a monopoly and I thought monopolies were illegal in the business world, or at least they're supposed to be. What's the matter Nextel, afraid of a little competition?
It's called a 'contract' Lou, the one they negotiated with Nascar for somewhere around $700 million for 10 years. It's a prudent business practice to place favorable terms in a contract. The existing contracts with other phone companies obviously had to be grandfathered in. And for that kind of dough, you betcha they're entitled!
Gary
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Bits and Pieces
Benny Parsons Services: A memorial to celebrate the life of Benny Parsons will be held Friday, January 19th at Grace Covenant Church, 17301 Statesville Road, Cornelius, NC. Family, close friends and beloved members of the racing community who knew and loved Benny will be received in the 2pm service. Following the memorial, from 4pm - 5:30pm, race fans are welcome to pay their respects at the church.
In lieu of flowers, Parsons asked that donations be made in his name to the Connie E. Parsons Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 443, Ellerbee, NC 28338; to the Blumenthal Cancer Center, 1025 Morehead Medical Drive, #600, Charlotte, NC 28204 or to The Victory Junction Gang Camp at victoryjunction.org. E-Mail Condolences to the Parsons Family at bp@....(PRN site).
Benny Parsons Services: A memorial to celebrate the life of Benny Parsons will be held Friday, January 19th at Grace Covenant Church, 17301 Statesville Road, Cornelius, NC. Family, close friends and beloved members of the racing community who knew and loved Benny will be received in the 2pm service. Following the memorial, from 4pm - 5:30pm, race fans are welcome to pay their respects at the church.
In lieu of flowers, Parsons asked that donations be made in his name to the Connie E. Parsons Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 443, Ellerbee, NC 28338; to the Blumenthal Cancer Center, 1025 Morehead Medical Drive, #600, Charlotte, NC 28204 or to The Victory Junction Gang Camp at victoryjunction.org. E-Mail Condolences to the Parsons Family at bp@....(PRN site).
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A special tribute to Benny Parsons to air during the NBA Tip-off Show on TNT Thursday: TNT NBA Thursday continues this Thurs., January 18 at 7pm/et with the NBA Tip-off Show presented by AutoTrader.com, where Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley will tip-off the evening's doubleheader coverage. During the pre-game show, the network will air a special tribute to TNT NASCAR colleague Benny Parsons who passed away this week after battling lung cancer. The tribute was written and will be voiced by TNT NASCAR announcer Bill Weber, a long-time friend and colleague of Parsons. NBA doubleheader coverage will begin at 7pm/et with the Indiana Pacers facing Miami Heat. TNT NBA announcers Kevin Harlan, Doug Collins and Craig Sager will be courtside announcing the action.(TNT PR)
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Wood to make Cup debut at Las Vegas: Jon Wood, third-generation driver for one of NASCAR's most respected teams, will make his Nextel Cup debut for Team Ford Racing in March. He'll get 10 starts in the famous #21 Ford Fusion of Wood Brothers Racing and drive the team's #47 Ford in another. He'll drive for team veteran Ken Schrader in 10 races and be Schrader's teammate in the other, at Las Vegas. Wood will debut at Las Vegas Motor Speedway the second Sunday in March, then race at Texas Motor Speedway a month later. He'll run the Coca-Cola 600 near Charlotte in May, the Pepsi 400 at Daytona Beach in July, the second race (in July) at Pocono International Raceway and the Saturday night race at Bristol Motor Speedway in August. The fall portion of his schedule includes dates at Richmond and Dover in September, back to Charlotte in October, then to Texas and Phoenix in November. Except for the spring race in Texas, (where he'll carry #47), he'll be in the team's familiar #21. He didn't come to Daytona Beach for Cup testing, choosing, instead, to fly in Thursday for the three-day Busch Series test in his #47 Ford Fusion. (He'll continue to run the full Busch schedule in cars fielded by JTG/Wood Brothers Racing). (Ford Racing)
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Toyota Over Spending? ....One fear is that Toyota will spend its way to domination in the sport [NASCAR], raising costs for everybody and perhaps eventually running off an ailing domestic manufacturer. Officials at Ford, which has struggled financially while sales of Toyota's have gained greater share in the United States, have been most vocal in their criticism. Dan Davis, director of Ford Racing Technology, said his manufacturer's NASCAR operation is financially sound. But he said Toyota's spending spree in acquiring crew chiefs, drivers, engineers, tire changers and other support personnel has affected his teams. That includes Robert Yates Racing, which lost Jarrett and his UPS sponsorship [#44 Toyota]. "I think they have been predators, and people would say that might be extremely negative," Davis said. "I would say that in the business world, people are predators. That's how you get things done. When anything new comes in with a lot of resources, then those entities are going to try to acquire the best people, the best equipment, the best that they can get. That's a bit predatory to me. And if you pay people more money than they were getting and you entice them other ways, in a way that's more than normal, then it's a bit predatory." Team Red Bull has been accused of paying 200 to 300% more to hire John Probst, a top Ford engineer. Davis said he heard that Michael Waltrip Racing came up with more than $20 million to lure Jarrett, the 1999 Cup points champion and a favorite among longtime Southern race fans, away from the Yates team. Salaries are a closely held secret throughout NASCAR, and Michael Waltrip Racing officials have denied those figures. Davis said he voiced his concerns privately with NASCAR. So far, NASCAR officials say they see this as business as usual in a sport in which teams openly raid competitors. Earlier this month, for instance, Roush Racing [#26 Ford] hired the crew chief Larry Carter away from Michael Waltrip Racing [#00 Toyota].(New York Times)
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RoadLoans.com to be an associate sponsor on #29: Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) announced a partnership with RoadLoans for the 2007 season. The internet direct-to-consumer auto lender will sponsor the #33 Chevy for 14 Busch Series races. RoadLoans.com will also be an associate sponsor on the Richard Childress Racing (RCR) #29 Shell Chevy driven by Kevin Harvick in the Nextel Cup Series.(KHI PR)
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DEI Using Hoosier at Lakeland UPDATE: A top DEI official stated Monday afternoon that the company would be using Hoosier tires on at least one car they will test at Lakeland Speedway later this week. One of the burning questions since Goodyear started leasing, instead of selling, tires to race teams was where would the teams to get tires to test with away from the seven official NASCAR test sessions. While it was widely speculated teams would turn to Hoosier for the tires needed to test, most teams had a sufficient stockpile to get them through the 2006 season. A DEI executive confirmed Monday that organization's stockpile was almost gone. In fact, it was low enough that at least one of the their teams testing at Lakeland Speedway later this week would do so on Hoosier tires. "It's working," said the executive of NASCAR's desire to reduce the amount of testing teams could do away from the official tests. "The lack of tires has forced us to rethink how we test and what we test. At Lakeland we won't be able to compare one car against another. We'll look more to establish a baseline and then gauge our improvement based on the incremental speeds after each change. How that will relate to a race set-up we just don't know yet."(Circletrackplus.com)(1-15-2007) UPDATE: hearing that #25-Casey Mears, an Hendrick Motorsports unmarked Chevy COT, the #20 Home Depot team [no idea on driver] and an unmarked Joe Gibbs Racing Chevy COT tested at USA Speedway/Lakeland on Wednesday and were running Hoosier Tires.
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Toyota Racing to build plant near Charlotte: Toyota Racing Development (TRD) said Wednesday it would build a plant in Rowan County. The company announced the decision a day after Rowan commissioners voted to put up $519,000 over five years to lure the plant. The company has an option to buy 89 acres near Salisbury to build a racing production plant. Toyota Racing has said the $22 million plant would hire at least 40 employees. If state officials approve incentives worth $100,000, the plant could open by the fall. The company chose the Rowan location as its preferred site over locations in Cabarrus, Mecklenburg and Iredell counties and three other states, Rowan economic development officials said.(Charlotte Observer)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Braun Racing partners with Biagi, ppc Racing Alliance will allow team to field three Toyotas for '07 Busch season
Team Release
MOORESVILLE, N.C. -- Braun Racing has announced an alliance with two long-standing Busch Series teams, Biagi Bros. Racing and ppc Racing.
As a result of the partnership, Braun Racing will field three Toyota Camrys for the 2007 Busch season.
Jason Leffler (No. 38) and Dave Blaney (No. 32) will be joined by John Andretti, who will drive the No. 10. The No. 10 will once again carry sponsorship from Camping World and its vendors.
"I'm very excited about this opportunity for Braun Racing to align itself with two very strong Busch Series teams," Braun Racing owner Todd Braun said. "With the knowledge of these two previous owners, Braun Racing will be even stronger in the 2007 season.
"In 2006 Braun Racing merged with Akins Motorsports and that partnership proved beneficial for both teams so we have high expectations for this alliance. We have created one team with the combined experience of four seasoned owners allowing us to compete on a level playing field in a series dominated by Nextel Cup team owners."
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Where is ... Junie Donlavey
By Ryan Smithson, NASCAR.COM
By Ryan Smithson, NASCAR.COM
The sport eventually outgrew him, but the friends he made along the way never did.
Junie Donlavey is 83 now, and he still can be found at the Richmond-area shop that he used to field cars for 45 years in the Cup Series. Eventually, his single-car operation was priced out of the sport after decades of memories and countless chassis, but Donlavey feels like he won the battle.
For many of his seasons on the circuit, Donlavey raced for the friendships, not flair, and those relationships are what keep him busy today.
Other than a heart ailment in 1998, his health has been sound. "Life has really been fast, I can tell you, but it has been pleasant," Donlavey said.
"I didn't regret one minute of it even though we ran against heavy-backed teams. We still had fun."
Donlavey might be the easiest person in the world to find. Except for a hitch in the Navy during World War II, he has lived in Richmond all of his life. When a sponsor asked him to move his race team from Richmond to Charlotte in 1998, he refused.
Easily reachable by his shop phone, Donlavey spends a lot of time talking to a roster of friends, men who served as the backbone of the sport in the 1960s: Bud Moore, Charlie Glotzbach, Cotton Owens, A.J. Foyt.
Donlavey went out of his way to find Foyt last summer when the Indy Racing League came to Richmond.
"Anytime I can get to A.J., I will do it; he was a real friend," Donlavey said. "We discussed some of the things that happened when he ran Cup cars. He is one fine gentleman. You would think he is really tough, but he is a nice, nice man."
Donlavey may have found Foyt, but the fans usually find Donlavey. Many of them still stop by his shop to see his collection of cars. Donlavey joked that he and his handful of employees don't eat breakfast in the shop, because "none of them cook."
"We seem to stay busy even though we are not really busy," Donlavey said. "We are always fooling with this car and that car and then we have a show car that we take to a lot of church functions.
"We have a lot of fans that come by. They will have their picture taken with the car. Time always seems to roll on and you always have something to do."
Donlavey perhaps is best-known as the owner who would give young drivers a shot, as well as employ veterans nearing the finish line of their careers. He employed 22-year-old Ricky Rudd in 1978 ... and 57-year-old Dick Trickle in 1997.
Trickle nearly won the Bristol night race in 1997, finishing third after a dramatic charge in the final laps.
"He was coming up to [the field] and I can tell you, that was very good," Donlavey said. "That is what I got out of it. I gave a lot of young drivers a chance and I gave a lot of the ones who were on their way out a chance. Everything worked good out of it."
A lack of major funding was always a problem for Donlavey's team. In 1990, he had to release promising Ernie Irvan because Donlavey lacked a sponsor, but he says there are no regrets.
"I didn't let it get me down and didn't let it get my love of racing down," Donlavey said.
Benny Parsons, who died Jan. 16 of lung cancer, took a turn driving Donlavey's No. 90 Ford, running 27 races in 1988.
"He was a terrific driver, and he did a beautiful job for us," Donlavey said.
Donlavey smiles when he thinks of Ken Schrader, who drove for him from 1985-87. Donlavey Racing didn't enjoy a lot of success -- one victory in 863 starts -- but Schrader won a Daytona 500 qualifying race with the team in 1987.
Donlavey still goes to work every day in his shop, where he keeps a half dozen Fords around.
"We piddle around with them, and I am restoring one that Ken Schrader drove in 1987," Donlavey said. "We have got that one about ready to paint. It'll bring back a lot of memories for the three years that Schrader drove for us."
When Donlavey gets home from the shop on a weekday, he immediately turns on the television, specifically SPEED.
"TV is so good now it takes you wherever you want to go," Donlavey said. "I watch the SPEED channel in the summer months and watch those programs. Schrader is on one of them and I enjoy listening to him. I find out what the teams are doing."
In recent years, Donlavey has spent a lot of time building a vacation home outside Richmond, where he and wife Phyllis spend a lot of weekends. The two will celebrate their 65th anniversary this summer.
Phyllis also accompanies Donlavey to a handful of races each year, usually the Pocono, Dover and Richmond weekends. Donlavey also tries to attend the Daytona 500 every year, but he says it is almost impossible to catch up with old friends in the garage, especially while they are working.
"I really enjoy coming and seeing the guys, but today most of them are so busy that they have to stay in the ball," Donlavey said. "You don't want to take up any of their time."
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I just can't stop thinking about Benny Darrell Waltrip / AllWaltrip.com
I'm just really sad. My heart hurts. It's been a tough couple of weeks.
I thought Bobby Hamilton was going to be OK. Suddenly, he passed away. I thought Benny Parsons was going to be OK. Suddenly, he passed away. Mike Helton lost his mother last week. Hank Parker lost his mother, and Hank Jr. lost his grandmother. Kenny Wallace's wife lost her dad.
Sometimes, it's just overwhelming and hard to understand why these things happen the way they do. It really makes you stop and think about some of the losses that we've all shared and suffered through over the last few years with Dale Earnhardt, Kenny Irwin, Adam Petty, Davey Allison, Alan Kulwicki, Neil Bonnett and Blaise Alexander. I hate to go on. I have to stop right there. Sometimes, it kind of gets you down because when something happens to one of us, it affects all of us.
Drivers are members of a fraternity. The difference between our fraternity and a college fraternity is we're not just together for a short period of time in school and then at reunions after graduation. We're pretty much bound together for life. We spend years competing against each other. I competed against Benny from 1971 until the day he retired in 1988. We were friends, and he had us over for cookouts at North Wilkesboro. He was just such a kind, caring and giving person. It hurts to think that he suffered the way he did the last couple of weeks.
We become part of each other's families. We know each other's kids, moms and dads. We know each other's strengths and weaknesses. Sure, we get mad at each other and get a little mouthy sometimes, but we always forgive each other. When something happens, we always rally around each other and put our arms around each other. We pray together like a family. We celebrate together. We respect each other. We want each other to be the very best we can be because, in the end, the better you are, the better I'll be. We don't want anything bad to happen to anybody because it always reminds us that it could happen to us.
Everyone who drives race cars knows they will hurt you, but we know that going in and accept it. What's hard to accept is when somebody like Bobby Hamilton, Benny Parsons, my dad or my father-in-law die from cancer. Surely, there's got to be a better way than chemotherapy and radiation. Those words just turn my stomach.
Poor old Benny asked for so little, but he gave us all so much. The thing that I always admired about Benny was he lived by example. What you saw was what you got. There weren't two Benny Parsons. There was one Benny, and he was as humble and appreciative as anybody that ever put on a race uniform. The man was grateful for the success, friends and career he had. It was always a pleasure to be around Benny because he made you feel better. Benny was the kind of guy you just wanted to walk up to and give a hug. You wanted to hug him because he was just that way — a humble man who had a gentle spirit.
Benny's mom, Hazel, has got to be proud of Benny. She must have taught him if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all. That was Benny Parsons. It didn't matter what happened to or around him or someone else. Very seldom did you hear Benny Parsons have a word that was anything other than encouraging. When I think about Benny, I think about all that he accomplished, and he accomplished a lot: a championship, Daytona 500 win, International Motorsports Hall of Fame.
As I look back at his life, I believe his greatest accomplishment was the love, respect and admiration for and from his family, friends and fans. That's the way I'll always remember Gentle Ben.
Let me tell you, I understand how Darrell feels. In the last 30 days, I have lost someone close to me. Along with Bobby and Benny, I just feel so overwhelmed by it all. No matter where I go on the internet, all I find are stories about Benny and how he was loved by everyone who ever came in contact with him. I never met Bobby or Benny, but being a part of the Nascar Nation, you develop "relationships" with every one involved in the sport. Whether you like or dislike, cheer or boo, or are just neutral about a driver or anyone involved, you still take a hard hit when things like this happen. These things on top of losing one of my best freinds - who by the way I never got to meet - has my heart aching. I read all the news out there about Benny and find myself with tears running down my face. I know David, Benny and Bobby wouldn't want to see that, but it is so hard not to. To know we will no longer hear their voices, or their laughter is hard to face. It's hard to comprehend. I want to say, what next, but know that the second I do, something else will happen, so I don't dare say or think it. All we can do is go on, and remember all the things that made each individual so unique and special. To David, whom I never met, I miss your presents, your laughter, and all the talks we had. RIP, David, Benny and Bobby. Know that you left this world a better place for being who you were.
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Historically Speaking: Benny Parsons
By Dan Beaver, dba Media
In less than two weeks, NASCAR lost two of the classiest drivers to ever compete. Both died because of complications surrounding cancer, with Bobby Hamilton succumbing to throat and neck cancer and Benny Parsons losing his left lung to the disease.
Hamilton continued to compete until the disease took hold of him, and although Parsons turned in his helmet in 1988, he was even better known among the fans for the insight he provided in the broadcast booth. He continued to work until the final event of 2006. The race day experience is not going to be the same without him.
Parsons' personality made him a fan favorite, but his level-headed temperament made him equally popular with his fellow drivers.
In only his second full season on the circuit, Parsons scored his first victory driving for L.G. DeWitt – the former owner of the North Carolina Motor Speedway at Rockingham. That inaugural win came on the tight confines of Virginia's South Boston Speedway in a 100-mile shoot out. Parsons lapped the field and won $1,500 for the day's work.
Two years later, his second career victory came in the Volunteer 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway, and it was much more rewarding. It brought with it the points Parsons needed to score his first and only championship. The win came in the 18th race of the 1973 season during a scorching afternoon that saw 12 of the 30 competitors rely on relief drivers. In fact, only five drivers who were running at the end of the race made the entire distance without some sort of relief. Parsons won the race with a 170-lap assist from John Utsman during the middle stages, but as it became apparent that the car was destined for victory lane, Parsons found his second wind and climbed back behind the wheel. The tandem finished seven laps ahead of second-place L.D. Ottinger.
The victory at Bristol was his only win during that championship season, but he came to North Carolina Motor Speedway for the season finale with 15 top-fives and 21 top-10s and needed only a solid, uneventful race to claim the Cup. As with the blistering hot victory in July, his path to success was not going to be that easy. On lap 13, he nearly lost the title when he skirmished with Johnny Barnes and ripped the entire right side off of his Chevrolet.
The regard for which his competitors held Parsons probably is best typified by what happened next that afternoon. Mechanics from several opposing teams ran to his aid, pulling spare parts from a car that had failed to qualify, and pieced together a makeshift body. It wasn't pretty, but the group effort got Parsons back on track to run another 295 laps and climb to 28th in the final standings. He earned enough points to edge Cale Yarborough for the championship.
During the next seven years, Parsons continued to be a fixture at the front of the pack, finishing in the top five in points every season – though he never finished higher than third in the standings. He also never won more than four races in a season, but by the end of his 21 years of competition he amassed 21 trophies and was named one of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers.
Parsons' personality was about refusing to give up. The first half of his career was spent with DeWitt. After moving to the M.C. Anderson shops in 1979 he continued to finish in the top five in points, but his longevity with a single team was gone. He raced for Anderson for two years, finishing fifth in the standings in 1979 and third in 1980.
In 1981, he moved to Bud Moore's shop for a full season of racing and finished 10th in what was to become his last full-time season for a while. In 1982, he went to work for Harry Ranier, but the job only lasted until the 14th race of the season when he was replaced by veteran Buddy Baker. He finished the season subbing for Hoss Ellington, Henley Gray and Johnny Hayes and decided that the life of a part-time driver wasn't all that bad. From 1983 through 1986 he ran only about 15 races each season, but still managed to find victory lane one final time in 1984 competing for Hayes at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Racing gets in one's blood, however, and Parsons returned for two final seasons of full-time racing with Rick Hendrick in 1987 and Junie Donlavey in 1988 and earned two more handfuls of top-10s. He could have left the sport quietly, but he didn't want to give up, and he took that attitude with him till the end.
At Texas Motor Speedway last year, he was worn down by his chemotherapy treatments, but was still doing everything in his power to stay in the sport. During a quiet moment in the media center that Saturday afternoon, he reported that he had just recently undergone one extra treatment that should have improved his odds by about 15 percent, and that the weakness and pain he felt was worth that extra little fight. His cancer went into remission, but during the battle he lost one lung – kind of like the side of his car in the 1973 season finale – and the strain on the other was too much to overcome.
Just like that October afternoon in 1973, friends lent support with prayers and well wishes, but this time the battle was lost.
By Dan Beaver, dba Media
In less than two weeks, NASCAR lost two of the classiest drivers to ever compete. Both died because of complications surrounding cancer, with Bobby Hamilton succumbing to throat and neck cancer and Benny Parsons losing his left lung to the disease.
Hamilton continued to compete until the disease took hold of him, and although Parsons turned in his helmet in 1988, he was even better known among the fans for the insight he provided in the broadcast booth. He continued to work until the final event of 2006. The race day experience is not going to be the same without him.
Parsons' personality made him a fan favorite, but his level-headed temperament made him equally popular with his fellow drivers.
In only his second full season on the circuit, Parsons scored his first victory driving for L.G. DeWitt – the former owner of the North Carolina Motor Speedway at Rockingham. That inaugural win came on the tight confines of Virginia's South Boston Speedway in a 100-mile shoot out. Parsons lapped the field and won $1,500 for the day's work.
Two years later, his second career victory came in the Volunteer 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway, and it was much more rewarding. It brought with it the points Parsons needed to score his first and only championship. The win came in the 18th race of the 1973 season during a scorching afternoon that saw 12 of the 30 competitors rely on relief drivers. In fact, only five drivers who were running at the end of the race made the entire distance without some sort of relief. Parsons won the race with a 170-lap assist from John Utsman during the middle stages, but as it became apparent that the car was destined for victory lane, Parsons found his second wind and climbed back behind the wheel. The tandem finished seven laps ahead of second-place L.D. Ottinger.
The victory at Bristol was his only win during that championship season, but he came to North Carolina Motor Speedway for the season finale with 15 top-fives and 21 top-10s and needed only a solid, uneventful race to claim the Cup. As with the blistering hot victory in July, his path to success was not going to be that easy. On lap 13, he nearly lost the title when he skirmished with Johnny Barnes and ripped the entire right side off of his Chevrolet.
The regard for which his competitors held Parsons probably is best typified by what happened next that afternoon. Mechanics from several opposing teams ran to his aid, pulling spare parts from a car that had failed to qualify, and pieced together a makeshift body. It wasn't pretty, but the group effort got Parsons back on track to run another 295 laps and climb to 28th in the final standings. He earned enough points to edge Cale Yarborough for the championship.
During the next seven years, Parsons continued to be a fixture at the front of the pack, finishing in the top five in points every season – though he never finished higher than third in the standings. He also never won more than four races in a season, but by the end of his 21 years of competition he amassed 21 trophies and was named one of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers.
Parsons' personality was about refusing to give up. The first half of his career was spent with DeWitt. After moving to the M.C. Anderson shops in 1979 he continued to finish in the top five in points, but his longevity with a single team was gone. He raced for Anderson for two years, finishing fifth in the standings in 1979 and third in 1980.
In 1981, he moved to Bud Moore's shop for a full season of racing and finished 10th in what was to become his last full-time season for a while. In 1982, he went to work for Harry Ranier, but the job only lasted until the 14th race of the season when he was replaced by veteran Buddy Baker. He finished the season subbing for Hoss Ellington, Henley Gray and Johnny Hayes and decided that the life of a part-time driver wasn't all that bad. From 1983 through 1986 he ran only about 15 races each season, but still managed to find victory lane one final time in 1984 competing for Hayes at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Racing gets in one's blood, however, and Parsons returned for two final seasons of full-time racing with Rick Hendrick in 1987 and Junie Donlavey in 1988 and earned two more handfuls of top-10s. He could have left the sport quietly, but he didn't want to give up, and he took that attitude with him till the end.
At Texas Motor Speedway last year, he was worn down by his chemotherapy treatments, but was still doing everything in his power to stay in the sport. During a quiet moment in the media center that Saturday afternoon, he reported that he had just recently undergone one extra treatment that should have improved his odds by about 15 percent, and that the weakness and pain he felt was worth that extra little fight. His cancer went into remission, but during the battle he lost one lung – kind of like the side of his car in the 1973 season finale – and the strain on the other was too much to overcome.
Just like that October afternoon in 1973, friends lent support with prayers and well wishes, but this time the battle was lost.
Tom Higgins' Scuffs
Mr. BennyEveryone 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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Benny Parsons - 1941-2007
01-16-2007 | Charlotte, NC
by John Close
Crafting fond remembrances about friends is getting to be an all too frequent occurrence around here and today's news is easily the most difficult this writer has had to report in a long time – the passing of Benny Parsons this morning.
Parsons' list of accomplishments is many – both professionally and personally. The 1973 NASCAR Cup Series champion, Parsons was a driver's driver in an era when men were measured only by their skill behind the wheel, not by who could sell the most products.
His impact on the sport was even greater outside the racecar as a television announcer where he influenced multiple generations to embrace NASCAR racing. His warm, friendly, accessible and knowledgeable style made Parson a favorite in living rooms everywhere. Meanwhile, his tireless efforts as one the sports greatest ambassadors of good made him a friend to every fan he met.
The following story – never told in print before today – is my personal favorite Benny Parsons story. Everyone has a favorite `Benny Story.' This one is mine. After reading it, I'm sure you will see why I, and so many others like me, thought so highly of him.
I met Benny Parsons in mid January 1994. He had agreed to be the Honorary Chairperson for the Wisconsin Motorsports Charities, Inc. Recognition Dinner in Milwaukee that year. Benny was always granting charity requests and this was a dandy – 500 people in a ballroom in the middle of freakin' freezing January - all having a great time celebrating auto racing with the proceeds going to charity.
As a member of the charity's board, my responsibility was to take care of Benny during his one-day, overnight stay. Benny turned out to be the perfect guest – completely unassuming and wanting of nothing – other than to sit down and talk racing with you.
During one conversation, I shared my dreams of one-day coming to Charlotte and working in NASCAR fulltime. In fact, I had just been there the first week of January and interviewed at a couple of places. Benny listened, we swapped other stories, completed the banquet successfully and said our goodbyes the next day.
About two weeks later, I got a call from Mel Poole at Cotter Communications offering me the public relations gig for Bobby Labonte and the No. 22 Maxwell House Pontiac NASCAR Winston Cup team. I was told I would have to be in Charlotte and on the job in 10 days.
Of course, I took it. It was an opportunity to do what I wanted to do, something I could only dream about since I started covering racing nearly 10 years before in 1985. I could have been there the next day if they wanted me to.
I reported to work for my new employer, Cotter Communications, on Monday morning, February 10, and three days later was in Daytona to start Speedweeks. One of the first people I ran into at Thursday's pole drawing for the then Busch Clash was Benny. He was elated to hear about my good fortune.
While he always denied any part in my hiring, I later found out Benny was good buddies with my new boss, Tom Cotter. Despite his denials that he ever helped me always saying I got the job on my own merits, I will go to my grave believing Benny greased the wheels with Tom for me after he came back from the banquet in Milwaukee.
Anyway, I was finally on the inside – in Cup racing no less - and life was great. If the story stopped there, that would be good enough. Getting the door opened to your dreams by Benny Parsons only makes the dream better.
But there's more.
The dream quickly became a succession of hotels and suitcases. Cotter had arranged for me to live in a hotel just a few miles from the office and Lowes Motor Speedway during my relocation process. That was 'home.' The rest of the time was going to be spent on the road in other hotels until my family and I could sell our house in Wisconsin, buy another in Charlotte, and then move. Conceivably, I could be spending the next six to eight months living in hotel rooms.
Dumbstruck by my good career fortune, I could have cared less about this minor lodging inconvenience. Benny, however, thought otherwise. During the week between Daytona 500 and the next race in Rockingham, NC, Benny called to see how I was doing. He also inquired as to where I was going to be living in Charlotte.
When I told him about the relocation process, he insisted he was having none of that and invited me to live at his house. I was totally floored with his generous offer. My first thought was to decline because Benny was married. I could just see him coming home and telling his wife, Terri, how he had invited basically a total stranger to live with them for the next couple of six months. I don't know about most guys, but I know my wife Gail would be plenty put out me if I moved someone in for that long a time without consulting her first.
So I stalled on giving Parsons an answer - told him I needed to get through the Rock and then see where I'm at.
Darn, if Benny didn't make the offer again when I saw him in the garage area at Rockingham. This time, I expressed my concerns about invading his home for months on end. He assured me it was no problem and restated his wife was fine with the idea.
Still a little uncomfortable with the offer, I again delayed giving Benny an answer only to have he and Terri come busting into my office at Cotter the Tuesday after Rockingham. The first words after she said, "Hi, I'm Terri Parsons," were "I thought you were coming to live with us? "At that point, I knew it was okay to move in and a couple days later, I took up residence at the Parsons' house in suburban Charlotte.
My relocation wound up taking six weeks – much shorter than we hoped. Over those six weeks, Benny and Terri fed me, did my laundry, and took care of me. We sat around and watched TV or movies, told stories. I remember we laughed a lot.
For six weeks, I was a part of Benny and Terri's family. It was surreal. Hardly a month earlier, I was a sports editor at a daily Wisconsin newspaper and the next thing I know, I'm sitting next to a great champion of our business - a real championship person - sharing a bag of popcorn watching movies.
When we finally did sell our house back in Wisconsin, my wife Gail and son, Sam, joined me at Benny's for a week while we waited for our house to close and our furniture to catch up with us.
All that - for someone they didn't know but for a day's afternoon of conversation at a charity banquet.
To say I, along with Gail and Sam, hold Benny and Terri in the highest regard for this kindness – the scope of which is rarely seen in today's world - is an understatement. Forget racing – these are very, very good people. There are spots in Heaven reserved for people with hearts as big as these.
Is it any wonder -because of acts like these - that Benny was so highly regarded by all? Not to us.
Benny took his spot in Heaven today.
He will be sorely missed and lovingly remembered in our household - and many others - today and everyday.
Thanks, Benny, thanks for everything.
01-16-2007 | Charlotte, NC
by John Close
Crafting fond remembrances about friends is getting to be an all too frequent occurrence around here and today's news is easily the most difficult this writer has had to report in a long time – the passing of Benny Parsons this morning.
Parsons' list of accomplishments is many – both professionally and personally. The 1973 NASCAR Cup Series champion, Parsons was a driver's driver in an era when men were measured only by their skill behind the wheel, not by who could sell the most products.
His impact on the sport was even greater outside the racecar as a television announcer where he influenced multiple generations to embrace NASCAR racing. His warm, friendly, accessible and knowledgeable style made Parson a favorite in living rooms everywhere. Meanwhile, his tireless efforts as one the sports greatest ambassadors of good made him a friend to every fan he met.
The following story – never told in print before today – is my personal favorite Benny Parsons story. Everyone has a favorite `Benny Story.' This one is mine. After reading it, I'm sure you will see why I, and so many others like me, thought so highly of him.
I met Benny Parsons in mid January 1994. He had agreed to be the Honorary Chairperson for the Wisconsin Motorsports Charities, Inc. Recognition Dinner in Milwaukee that year. Benny was always granting charity requests and this was a dandy – 500 people in a ballroom in the middle of freakin' freezing January - all having a great time celebrating auto racing with the proceeds going to charity.
As a member of the charity's board, my responsibility was to take care of Benny during his one-day, overnight stay. Benny turned out to be the perfect guest – completely unassuming and wanting of nothing – other than to sit down and talk racing with you.
During one conversation, I shared my dreams of one-day coming to Charlotte and working in NASCAR fulltime. In fact, I had just been there the first week of January and interviewed at a couple of places. Benny listened, we swapped other stories, completed the banquet successfully and said our goodbyes the next day.
About two weeks later, I got a call from Mel Poole at Cotter Communications offering me the public relations gig for Bobby Labonte and the No. 22 Maxwell House Pontiac NASCAR Winston Cup team. I was told I would have to be in Charlotte and on the job in 10 days.
Of course, I took it. It was an opportunity to do what I wanted to do, something I could only dream about since I started covering racing nearly 10 years before in 1985. I could have been there the next day if they wanted me to.
I reported to work for my new employer, Cotter Communications, on Monday morning, February 10, and three days later was in Daytona to start Speedweeks. One of the first people I ran into at Thursday's pole drawing for the then Busch Clash was Benny. He was elated to hear about my good fortune.
While he always denied any part in my hiring, I later found out Benny was good buddies with my new boss, Tom Cotter. Despite his denials that he ever helped me always saying I got the job on my own merits, I will go to my grave believing Benny greased the wheels with Tom for me after he came back from the banquet in Milwaukee.
Anyway, I was finally on the inside – in Cup racing no less - and life was great. If the story stopped there, that would be good enough. Getting the door opened to your dreams by Benny Parsons only makes the dream better.
But there's more.
The dream quickly became a succession of hotels and suitcases. Cotter had arranged for me to live in a hotel just a few miles from the office and Lowes Motor Speedway during my relocation process. That was 'home.' The rest of the time was going to be spent on the road in other hotels until my family and I could sell our house in Wisconsin, buy another in Charlotte, and then move. Conceivably, I could be spending the next six to eight months living in hotel rooms.
Dumbstruck by my good career fortune, I could have cared less about this minor lodging inconvenience. Benny, however, thought otherwise. During the week between Daytona 500 and the next race in Rockingham, NC, Benny called to see how I was doing. He also inquired as to where I was going to be living in Charlotte.
When I told him about the relocation process, he insisted he was having none of that and invited me to live at his house. I was totally floored with his generous offer. My first thought was to decline because Benny was married. I could just see him coming home and telling his wife, Terri, how he had invited basically a total stranger to live with them for the next couple of six months. I don't know about most guys, but I know my wife Gail would be plenty put out me if I moved someone in for that long a time without consulting her first.
So I stalled on giving Parsons an answer - told him I needed to get through the Rock and then see where I'm at.
Darn, if Benny didn't make the offer again when I saw him in the garage area at Rockingham. This time, I expressed my concerns about invading his home for months on end. He assured me it was no problem and restated his wife was fine with the idea.
Still a little uncomfortable with the offer, I again delayed giving Benny an answer only to have he and Terri come busting into my office at Cotter the Tuesday after Rockingham. The first words after she said, "Hi, I'm Terri Parsons," were "I thought you were coming to live with us? "At that point, I knew it was okay to move in and a couple days later, I took up residence at the Parsons' house in suburban Charlotte.
My relocation wound up taking six weeks – much shorter than we hoped. Over those six weeks, Benny and Terri fed me, did my laundry, and took care of me. We sat around and watched TV or movies, told stories. I remember we laughed a lot.
For six weeks, I was a part of Benny and Terri's family. It was surreal. Hardly a month earlier, I was a sports editor at a daily Wisconsin newspaper and the next thing I know, I'm sitting next to a great champion of our business - a real championship person - sharing a bag of popcorn watching movies.
When we finally did sell our house back in Wisconsin, my wife Gail and son, Sam, joined me at Benny's for a week while we waited for our house to close and our furniture to catch up with us.
All that - for someone they didn't know but for a day's afternoon of conversation at a charity banquet.
To say I, along with Gail and Sam, hold Benny and Terri in the highest regard for this kindness – the scope of which is rarely seen in today's world - is an understatement. Forget racing – these are very, very good people. There are spots in Heaven reserved for people with hearts as big as these.
Is it any wonder -because of acts like these - that Benny was so highly regarded by all? Not to us.
Benny took his spot in Heaven today.
He will be sorely missed and lovingly remembered in our household - and many others - today and everyday.
Thanks, Benny, thanks for everything.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is not just a test
Car of Tomorrow adds urgency to January practice
By Don Coble| Morris News Service
2007 DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The decal on Jimmie Johnson's helmet said it all. Scrolled across the bottom were the words: "Crash Test Dummy."
January is anything but an off-month in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. In many ways, it is the busiest month of the entire racing season.
Every team expected to qualify for a spot in the Feb. 18 Daytona 500 has tested for three days each at Daytona. NASCAR has another official test at Las Vegas Motor Speedway later this month. The unofficial tests, however, will keep a lot of little racetracks - perhaps one near you - busy for the next month.
Not only are teams in a frenzy to get cars ready for the start of this year, but they're working on the new Car of Tomorrow, which will be phased into the sport in April. The cars are so dramatically different, it literally means everyone has to build two different fleets of racers.
"Everybody is anxious to get a leg up on the Car of Tomorrow," said Steve Hmiel, technical director at Dale Earnhardt Inc. "It's so important to come out of the box fast. It's unusual to be able to get a jump on some of the teams with more experience. Eventually, everyone will get caught up. But this is our chance to get a jump on everyone in the first three or four (Car of Tomorrow) races."
Dale Earnhardt Inc. already has tested at USA International Speedway in Lakeland, Fla. It also has plans to test at South Georgia Motorsports Park; Winchester (Ind.) Speedway; Iowa Speedway; Greenville-Pickens (S.C.) Speedway; and Kentucky Speedway in the next four weeks.
By the time Kurt Busch arrived to Daytona this week to test, his Penske Racing South team had already tested at four other speedways.
He said the test schedule will continue at full speed until the season opens.
"We're working on two cars at the same time," he said. "We've got our COT (Car of Tomorrow) and our CORN (car of right now). That's a lot of work. We've basically got a car at a track every day between me and (Ryan) Newman.
"We're trying to learn as much about these cars as we can before the season starts. We don't want to fall behind like we did last year."
NASCAR limits tests at tracks that play host to Nextel Cup Series races. This year, teams may only test at Daytona, Bristol Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, Richmond International Raceway, Dover International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway. The sanctioning body, however, has no control to stop testing at non-Nextel Cup Series tracks.
USA International has become a favorite place to test. The three-quarter-mile oval with 14-degree banking helps teams work on their downforce packages during good weather. Testing at other tracks, especially Kentucky, Nashville and Memphis, can be problematic during the winter.
Teams have been busy at USA for weeks, said speedway operations manager Barry Williams. He said there are another 10 days of sessions scheduled.
Car owner Bill Davis said the ambitious testing schedule is necessary for his teams because this year marks the first time the Toyota Camry has been on the track.
"We're starting two cars - the Car of Tomorrow and the old car - from a sheet of paper," he said. "This is crazy. It's all brand new to us. We're in growing process. We've had to hire a lot of people to make all this work. We needed a lot of people to get this team up and going. That was by design. We've needed more people because we're building two different cars."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Car of Tomorrow adds urgency to January practice
By Don Coble| Morris News Service
2007 DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The decal on Jimmie Johnson's helmet said it all. Scrolled across the bottom were the words: "Crash Test Dummy."
January is anything but an off-month in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. In many ways, it is the busiest month of the entire racing season.
Every team expected to qualify for a spot in the Feb. 18 Daytona 500 has tested for three days each at Daytona. NASCAR has another official test at Las Vegas Motor Speedway later this month. The unofficial tests, however, will keep a lot of little racetracks - perhaps one near you - busy for the next month.
Not only are teams in a frenzy to get cars ready for the start of this year, but they're working on the new Car of Tomorrow, which will be phased into the sport in April. The cars are so dramatically different, it literally means everyone has to build two different fleets of racers.
"Everybody is anxious to get a leg up on the Car of Tomorrow," said Steve Hmiel, technical director at Dale Earnhardt Inc. "It's so important to come out of the box fast. It's unusual to be able to get a jump on some of the teams with more experience. Eventually, everyone will get caught up. But this is our chance to get a jump on everyone in the first three or four (Car of Tomorrow) races."
Dale Earnhardt Inc. already has tested at USA International Speedway in Lakeland, Fla. It also has plans to test at South Georgia Motorsports Park; Winchester (Ind.) Speedway; Iowa Speedway; Greenville-Pickens (S.C.) Speedway; and Kentucky Speedway in the next four weeks.
By the time Kurt Busch arrived to Daytona this week to test, his Penske Racing South team had already tested at four other speedways.
He said the test schedule will continue at full speed until the season opens.
"We're working on two cars at the same time," he said. "We've got our COT (Car of Tomorrow) and our CORN (car of right now). That's a lot of work. We've basically got a car at a track every day between me and (Ryan) Newman.
"We're trying to learn as much about these cars as we can before the season starts. We don't want to fall behind like we did last year."
NASCAR limits tests at tracks that play host to Nextel Cup Series races. This year, teams may only test at Daytona, Bristol Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, Richmond International Raceway, Dover International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway. The sanctioning body, however, has no control to stop testing at non-Nextel Cup Series tracks.
USA International has become a favorite place to test. The three-quarter-mile oval with 14-degree banking helps teams work on their downforce packages during good weather. Testing at other tracks, especially Kentucky, Nashville and Memphis, can be problematic during the winter.
Teams have been busy at USA for weeks, said speedway operations manager Barry Williams. He said there are another 10 days of sessions scheduled.
Car owner Bill Davis said the ambitious testing schedule is necessary for his teams because this year marks the first time the Toyota Camry has been on the track.
"We're starting two cars - the Car of Tomorrow and the old car - from a sheet of paper," he said. "This is crazy. It's all brand new to us. We're in growing process. We've had to hire a lot of people to make all this work. We needed a lot of people to get this team up and going. That was by design. We've needed more people because we're building two different cars."
Montoya Enjoying Smooth NASCAR Ride
By JENNA FRYER
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- Juan Pablo Montoya wasn't fazed by the fiery crash that ended his Nextel Cup debut. And if Ryan Newman wrecked him on purpose, Montoya doesn't care.
The brash Colombian is taking a "no worries" approach to his first season in NASCAR, which is shaping up to be one crazy ride already. His switch from the country club Formula One lifestyle to the campfire NASCAR culture has so far been smooth, despite an overwhelming interest in his every move that is quickly overshadowing many of his new rivals.
"From what I understand he's bigger than a rock star in his country," said Newman, a rival Dodge driver. "Just seeing him, he's got a great character, a great attitude. I think he's got a learning curve ahead of him; obviously every rookie does. But I think he's capable of it.
"If I had to pick a winner of rookie of the year off the top of my head right now, I'd say it would be him."
Newman and Montoya have already had one on-track run-in, in November's season finale Cup race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Montoya was having a decent first race until contact with Newman sent him hard into the wall and caused his car to burst into flames.
Although observers feared that Montoya, a veteran of open-wheel cockpits, could not quickly extract himself from the car, he deftly maneuvered through the safety equipment and climbed to safety. Two months later, he scoffs at those who wonder if that harrowing initial experience has made him question his move to NASCAR.
"There was a lot of fire ... but if you look at it from where I am sitting, it was nothing," he said during testing this week at Daytona International Speedway.
"I looked in the mirror and there were flames everywhere and I was `OK, you know what you've got to do.' You can't rush it. If you tried to rush, you are going to get out slow. Make sure you unplug the radio ... make sure you shake your head enough to pull the (Hans) out, steering off, nets down - that's a new one for me - and get out."
Although many thought Newman's contact with Montoya was intentional, Montoya said he never gave the incident a second thought and never expected any sort of apology.
"There is nothing to apologize for," he said. "We are racing there and racing hard and things like that will happen."
But as the two came face-to-face this week at a Dodge function, Newman still felt the need to explain himself.
"I think the world of you and would never do that," Newman said. "And if I did, I'd come talk to you about it after."
"I just do it. I don't talk about it," Montoya replied with a grin.
Montoya indeed has been that way in the past, when his aggressive nature caused many incidents through his days in CART and Formula One. But he's trying hard to rein in that ultra-competitive streak and approach each new day in NASCAR as a learning experience.
He wants to be patient, and convince his rivals that he can be that way. He's also intent on showing respect, not forcing anything and paying his dues. Just don't mistake that approach as a built-in excuse to fail, or as an acceptance of mediocrity.
"Do we want to win races? Yes. Is the Chase in sight? Yes. Are we going to make it? I don't know," he said. "I'm not used to the top 10 being good. You know, in Formula One, you finish fourth and you suck. You're always going to have that open-wheel mentality.
"I need to get to the point where I realize that if we finish in the top 10, that's a good day. But we need to set higher goals, too."
That's been evident during the three days of testing at Daytona, where Montoya has been consistently quick and near the top of the speed charts. He even paced the field in Tuesday's session of single-lap runs. The success of his No. 42 car has trickled to teammate David Stremme, who has also been fast this week and trailed only Montoya as the Chip Ganassi Racing team went 1-2 on Tuesday morning.
But there's a flipside to Montoya's arrival and the enormous spotlight he brought with him. There doesn't seem to be much interest leftover for teammates Stremme and Reed Sorenson, and sometimes even the more established NASCAR stars can be overlooked in his presence.
Mark Martin, himself considered one of NASCAR's greatest drivers, said it's all par for the course with Montoya.
"He's a world class champion. World. Class. Champion," Martin said. "I know that he can do this and he will do this and he will be a great asset to NASCAR and he will have a very wonderful career. He's going to win big in this sport, just like he has in everything else that he's done."
The one thing Montoya would like to do this season is widen his fan base. He's already got a loyal U.S. following from his CART days, and has a fanatical Latin American base. Before he's finished, he'd like to add NASCAR fans to his club.
"I'm a guy that likes driving the wheels off the race car," he said. "I'll race hard. I'll have a little respect for the guys I'm racing against, and I think the fans will like that. I think we're going to see a lot of `Oh yeah, he's nice.' You're going to see some fans that think it's a great thing and some other good ol' boys that say, 'We don't want you.' "
By JENNA FRYER
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- Juan Pablo Montoya wasn't fazed by the fiery crash that ended his Nextel Cup debut. And if Ryan Newman wrecked him on purpose, Montoya doesn't care.
The brash Colombian is taking a "no worries" approach to his first season in NASCAR, which is shaping up to be one crazy ride already. His switch from the country club Formula One lifestyle to the campfire NASCAR culture has so far been smooth, despite an overwhelming interest in his every move that is quickly overshadowing many of his new rivals.
"From what I understand he's bigger than a rock star in his country," said Newman, a rival Dodge driver. "Just seeing him, he's got a great character, a great attitude. I think he's got a learning curve ahead of him; obviously every rookie does. But I think he's capable of it.
"If I had to pick a winner of rookie of the year off the top of my head right now, I'd say it would be him."
Newman and Montoya have already had one on-track run-in, in November's season finale Cup race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Montoya was having a decent first race until contact with Newman sent him hard into the wall and caused his car to burst into flames.
Although observers feared that Montoya, a veteran of open-wheel cockpits, could not quickly extract himself from the car, he deftly maneuvered through the safety equipment and climbed to safety. Two months later, he scoffs at those who wonder if that harrowing initial experience has made him question his move to NASCAR.
"There was a lot of fire ... but if you look at it from where I am sitting, it was nothing," he said during testing this week at Daytona International Speedway.
"I looked in the mirror and there were flames everywhere and I was `OK, you know what you've got to do.' You can't rush it. If you tried to rush, you are going to get out slow. Make sure you unplug the radio ... make sure you shake your head enough to pull the (Hans) out, steering off, nets down - that's a new one for me - and get out."
Although many thought Newman's contact with Montoya was intentional, Montoya said he never gave the incident a second thought and never expected any sort of apology.
"There is nothing to apologize for," he said. "We are racing there and racing hard and things like that will happen."
But as the two came face-to-face this week at a Dodge function, Newman still felt the need to explain himself.
"I think the world of you and would never do that," Newman said. "And if I did, I'd come talk to you about it after."
"I just do it. I don't talk about it," Montoya replied with a grin.
Montoya indeed has been that way in the past, when his aggressive nature caused many incidents through his days in CART and Formula One. But he's trying hard to rein in that ultra-competitive streak and approach each new day in NASCAR as a learning experience.
He wants to be patient, and convince his rivals that he can be that way. He's also intent on showing respect, not forcing anything and paying his dues. Just don't mistake that approach as a built-in excuse to fail, or as an acceptance of mediocrity.
"Do we want to win races? Yes. Is the Chase in sight? Yes. Are we going to make it? I don't know," he said. "I'm not used to the top 10 being good. You know, in Formula One, you finish fourth and you suck. You're always going to have that open-wheel mentality.
"I need to get to the point where I realize that if we finish in the top 10, that's a good day. But we need to set higher goals, too."
That's been evident during the three days of testing at Daytona, where Montoya has been consistently quick and near the top of the speed charts. He even paced the field in Tuesday's session of single-lap runs. The success of his No. 42 car has trickled to teammate David Stremme, who has also been fast this week and trailed only Montoya as the Chip Ganassi Racing team went 1-2 on Tuesday morning.
But there's a flipside to Montoya's arrival and the enormous spotlight he brought with him. There doesn't seem to be much interest leftover for teammates Stremme and Reed Sorenson, and sometimes even the more established NASCAR stars can be overlooked in his presence.
Mark Martin, himself considered one of NASCAR's greatest drivers, said it's all par for the course with Montoya.
"He's a world class champion. World. Class. Champion," Martin said. "I know that he can do this and he will do this and he will be a great asset to NASCAR and he will have a very wonderful career. He's going to win big in this sport, just like he has in everything else that he's done."
The one thing Montoya would like to do this season is widen his fan base. He's already got a loyal U.S. following from his CART days, and has a fanatical Latin American base. Before he's finished, he'd like to add NASCAR fans to his club.
"I'm a guy that likes driving the wheels off the race car," he said. "I'll race hard. I'll have a little respect for the guys I'm racing against, and I think the fans will like that. I think we're going to see a lot of `Oh yeah, he's nice.' You're going to see some fans that think it's a great thing and some other good ol' boys that say, 'We don't want you.' "
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Earnhardt Jr. is his own man
by Steve Waid
There are fans who have said they are sick about reading or hearing about Dale Earnhardt Jr. Some have suggested that, as a driver, he's a mere shell of his legendary father.
A trifle harsh, I would think.
I'll admit that Earnhardt Jr. dominates the headlines – and will continue to do so, given, if nothing else, his ongoing contract negotiations with DEI. It would be foolish to disagree that a good portion of his fans are those who were among the legions who revered his father.
But I think Earnhardt Jr. has cultivated his fan base through his own achievements on the track and, more important, by being his own man.
It hasn't been easy. How could it be, living in the shadow of his father?
Competitively, Earnhardt Jr. has done well. Sure, he hasn't won a championship and can't match his father's record – although he has time. But he's won plenty of races and has unquestionably proven that he is among the top echelon of NASCAR drivers.
The foundation of his popularity is, simply, based upon who he is. He's young, "cool," personable, can wear his baseball cap backwards without looking like an idiot and so many other things which have their appeal to a younger generation yet, at the same time, tie him to their parents because of his name.
He's not that much different from his father. When Earnhardt began to hit his stride 25 years ago, he had the same appeal to the young NASCAR fans. He was different. He was a new, refreshing and often rebellious presence in a sport dominated by established veterans – as was Darrell Waltrip just a few years earlier, by the way.
The older fans began to appreciate Earnhardt when he started to kick butt on the track – and he, too, was an Earnhardt, the son of Ralph, a legendary short-track driver.
As I see it, the only major difference is that the father had to work his way into NASCAR. The son, I admit, got a break here and there from his dad but was offered no opportunity until he paid his dues.
That doesn't make any difference. Earnhardt Jr. has established himself as who he is.
And as a result, that's what helps him get the headlines.
by Steve Waid
There are fans who have said they are sick about reading or hearing about Dale Earnhardt Jr. Some have suggested that, as a driver, he's a mere shell of his legendary father.
A trifle harsh, I would think.
I'll admit that Earnhardt Jr. dominates the headlines – and will continue to do so, given, if nothing else, his ongoing contract negotiations with DEI. It would be foolish to disagree that a good portion of his fans are those who were among the legions who revered his father.
But I think Earnhardt Jr. has cultivated his fan base through his own achievements on the track and, more important, by being his own man.
It hasn't been easy. How could it be, living in the shadow of his father?
Competitively, Earnhardt Jr. has done well. Sure, he hasn't won a championship and can't match his father's record – although he has time. But he's won plenty of races and has unquestionably proven that he is among the top echelon of NASCAR drivers.
The foundation of his popularity is, simply, based upon who he is. He's young, "cool," personable, can wear his baseball cap backwards without looking like an idiot and so many other things which have their appeal to a younger generation yet, at the same time, tie him to their parents because of his name.
He's not that much different from his father. When Earnhardt began to hit his stride 25 years ago, he had the same appeal to the young NASCAR fans. He was different. He was a new, refreshing and often rebellious presence in a sport dominated by established veterans – as was Darrell Waltrip just a few years earlier, by the way.
The older fans began to appreciate Earnhardt when he started to kick butt on the track – and he, too, was an Earnhardt, the son of Ralph, a legendary short-track driver.
As I see it, the only major difference is that the father had to work his way into NASCAR. The son, I admit, got a break here and there from his dad but was offered no opportunity until he paid his dues.
That doesn't make any difference. Earnhardt Jr. has established himself as who he is.
And as a result, that's what helps him get the headlines.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Championships have always driven me to win races. That 3 car pulling into the track would cause people to look around and wonder what we were doing, to see how to beat us."
-Dale Earnhardt
-Dale Earnhardt
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well, that's all for today. Until the next time, I remain,
Your![cid:098400819@18012007-1DF0]()
Momma
Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, wine in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"
"Don't come here and grumble about going too fast. Get the hell out of the race car if you've got feathers on your legs or butt. Put a kerosene rag around your ankles so the ants wins't climb up there and eat that candy ass." - Dale Earnhardt – 1998
Your
Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, wine in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"
"Don't come here and grumble about going too fast. Get the hell out of the race car if you've got feathers on your legs or butt. Put a kerosene rag around your ankles so the ants wins't climb up there and eat that candy ass." - Dale Earnhardt – 1998
"It's nothin' personal, it's just racin'
-Dale Earnhardt
This list is authored by:
Sandra Monacelli
221 W. 57th Street 18B
Loveland, CO 80538
970/663-6967
-Dale Earnhardt
This list is authored by:
Sandra Monacelli
221 W. 57th Street 18B
Loveland, CO 80538
970/663-6967
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