In Honor of 2017 NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductee Benny Parsons

In Honor of 2017 NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductee Benny Parsons

Topics: NASCAR, Benny Parsons

In Honor of 2017 NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductee Benny Parsons

Congressman Richard Hudson
Congressional Record: 114th Congress
Extensions of Remarks
15 June 2016

SPEECH OF HON. RICHARD HUDSON OF NORTH CAROLINA IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 2016

Mr. HUDSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and remember my friend, the late racing legend, Benny Parsons upon his induction into the eighth class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

While he was born in Ellerbe, North Carolina, Benny Parsons grew up in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Wilkes County. After high school he moved to Detroit, Michigan to work for his father's taxi company. After being invited to a local race track by a customer, fate intervened when he was asked to be the driver for the race that night. In that moment a racing legend was born.

In 1970, Mr. Parsons joined the NASCAR circuit full time as a driver and it wasn't long until he won his first championship. A humble victor, he was described by many as an ``everyman champion.'' In his career as a driver he amassed 21 victories and managed to finish in the top ten 283 times, roughly 54 percent of his races. Following his driving career, he seamlessly transitioned to television as a very popular announcer until his death in 2007. I got to know Benny while serving on a YMCA board that he chaired in Concord, NC. I will always remember his integrity, humble nature and infectious humor. While he is sorely missed by the racing community, his legacy will now live on as a member of the Hall of Fame.

This year's class was selected by a comprehensive voting panel that included track owners, retired competitors, industry leaders, members of the media, and a nationwide fan vote. In total, a group of five was chosen to join the ranks of other NASCAR legends in the Hall of Fame. Mr. Parsons is extremely deserving of this honor and will now be enshrined forever for his contributions to the sport.

Mr. Speaker, please join me today in honoring Benny Parsons, a 2017 inductee of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.