One of a kind

For the second time this year, NASCAR dives into mourning.

Benny Parsons died Tuesday in Charlotte. He’d been in the hospital since the day after Christmas with complications from treatment of his lung cancer. Although declared cancer free in October, he lost use of the diseased lung, and developed a blood clot in the other.

BP, who as a racer listed his occupation as taxi driver, won two ARCA titles (1968 and 1969), won 21 races and 20 poles in the Cup series and was the first to break 200 mph in qualifying for the 1982 Winston at Talladage. He’s in the International Motorsports Hall of Fame and the National Motorsports Press Association’s Stock Car Racing Hall of Fame.

It was always fun to listen to his weekly radio show, Fast Talk. And he was honored with a Cable ACE Award for his sports analysis.

Darrell Waltrip summed it up like this, “there will never be another Benny.”