Ex-champ, announcer Parsons dies at 65

Benny Parsons, a taxi driver who became a NASCAR champion in 1973, died Tuesday from lung-cancer complications, his son Keith said. He was 65.

Parsons died in Charlotte, N.C., where he had been hospitalized since Dec. 26.

A member of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers and a lovable fixture at the track, Parsons won 21 races, including the 1975 Daytona 500, and 20 poles. He was the first Cup competitor to qualify for a race faster than 200 mph, going 200.176 mph at the 1982 Winston 500 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.

He retired from racing in 1988 and entered broadcasting. He spent the past six years as an NBC and TNT commentator and continued to call races from the booth during his treatment.

"Benny Parsons was a true champion -- both on the race track and in life," NASCAR chairman Brian France said. "Benny loved our sport and the people that make it up and those people loved him. He will be remembered as being a great ambassador for the sport."

Parsons was diagnosed with cancer in his left lung in July. Parsons, who quit smoking in 1978, underwent chemotherapy and radiation treatments and was declared cancer-free in October. But the treatment cost Parsons the use of his left lung, and he was hospitalized last month when doctors found a blood clot in his right lung. He was placed in an induced-coma.

He remained popular with fans and the driving community.

"Benny Parsons was the kindest, sweetest, most considerate person I have ever known," said Darrell Waltrip, a three-time NASCAR champion. "He was almost too nice to be a race car driver, and I say that as a compliment. In my 30 odd years of racing Benny Parsons, I never knew of anyone being mad at Benny."