I'm admittedly not much of a NASCAR guy, but I'm also not so naive to ignore its impact on the South and especially North Carolina. So when something as big as the loss of a NASCAR icon and personality happens, it behooves me to mention it.
Benny Parson ("BP") passed away on Tuesday from complications of lung cancer. He was 65 and leaves a legacy of one of the most colorful people in the sport. You can't doubt the impact he had on it; the sport's popularity is worldwide now, and he can be thanked for contributing to that.
"... Parsons was known around the industry as BP or The Professor," says the Hickory Daily Record. "He signed his blog on www.bennyparsons.com as BP. Parsons also was known during his racing years as the taxicab driver. Before his racing career began, Parsons moved to Detroit to live with his family. His father owned a taxi company, and Parsons sometimes drove one of the cabs. It was through this work that Parsons was introduced into the racing business. He moved back to North Carolina to pursue his dream.
" 'It will really seem strange not to have Benny around because you heard him day-in and day-out,' [Morgan] Shepherd said. 'We’ve lost one of our great competitors and broadcasters.'"
Rest in peace, BP.
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