With NASCAR returning to Rockingham, the late Benny Parsons' son, Keith recalls for us one of the most heartwarming days in American motorsports. The story also says a lot about the integrity of the late L.G. DeWitt.
Published in the Richmond County Daily Journal , home paper of the Rockingham track:
Parsons: A special time for the Parsons family
by Keith Parsons
Benny Parsons and his DeWitt Chevrolet
One of my favorite stories from perhaps the greatest day of my dads NASCAR career is the one about how it almost didnt happen.
Let me start at the beginning.
My dad, Benny Parsons, came to the final race of the 1973 season leading the chase for the Winston Cup championship, as it was called in those days. Thanks to a convoluted point system that rewarded laps completed as well as finishing position, no one knew exactly where he had to finish to beat his closest pursuers Cale Yarborough and Richard Petty.
The fact that BP and his race team even had a chance was seen as somewhat of a miracle onto itself. They raced out of a shop at DeWitt Junction, a sprawling complex located between Ellerbe and Norman and named for the array of businesses owned by L.G. DeWitt, one of which included the race team. Rockingham car dealer Russell Bennett was one of the sponsors, but even with his help, this group of locals led by crew chief Travis Carter got by on a much smaller budget than its competitors.
Still, through the first 27 races, BP had accumulated more points than anyone. The season finale that year was a home game of sorts for the team, coming at what now is Rockingham Speedway, which DeWitt owned at the time.
The strategy was simple: stay out of trouble, complete as many laps as possible and focus on themselves, not Cale and the King. BP was in perfect position to do so after qualifying fifth, and in the early laps, he found a spot all by his lonesome among the 43 cars that started and began thinking about what the championship would mean.
It wouldnt be that simple. On lap 13, a couple of cars got together in Turn 2, a treacherous spot on the track still to this day, and BP couldnt avoid the Mercury driven by Johnny Barnes. The entire right side of the L.G. DeWitt Racing Chevrolet literally was torn away, including the steel bars of the protective roll cage, and any opportunity to bring that title to Richmond County appeared lost.
But Travis led a spirited reconstruction of the car, and members of other teams jumped in to help. Somehow, a car that had failed to qualify for the race still was parked in the garage, and word quickly came to the crewmen that they could take what was needed from it. After about 90 minutes, the work was completed, including the installation of the new roll bars, and BP prepared to get back in the car to make some more laps.
Before he could do so, DeWitt pulled him aside. He had watched the work being done and despite the expertise of those doing it, DeWitt had concerns.
Benny, are you sure this car is safe? DeWitt asked. The championship isnt worth you getting hurt.
Can you imagine? Here was the owner of not only the race team, but the track where it was competing, more worried about keeping his employee, his friend, out of danger that winning an improbable championship. It says so much about DeWitt that he did this, and probably says a lot about my dad that he ignored the warnings and drove the car back on the track.
History was made that day and a title was won, and from what I hear, DeWitt held quite the party up at DeWitt Junction.
Now, nearly 40 years later, thanks to Andy Hillenburg and his staff at Rockingham Speedway, more history is upon us. NASCAR, for the first time in its history, is coming back to a track, and a community, it once left behind.
It is very difficult to explain what the track has meant to my family over the years. Despite the amazing comeback that day in 1973, or perhaps because he used up all his good fortune that day, Rockingham Speedway wasnt very kind to BP over the remaining years of his career.
There was the accident with Darrell Waltrip in 1975 that led to a nights stay in the hospital for both of them, and another one in 1982 that left my dad with searing pain in his right shoulder for the rest of his life.
And finally there was the heartbreaking fall race in 1979, where perhaps his best chance to win at the track so close to home came up eight laps short. A late caution helped Richard Petty come from behind to beat BP by just a couple of car lengths.
Still, I know he would be as happy as anyone that NASCAR is coming back with the Camping World Truck Series, a series BP loved from the start. His brother, my uncle Phil, is coming back to work the TV broadcast of the race for Speed, and he knows the importance of this weekend.
This track has meant so much to our family, Phil told me earlier this week. It is a great tribute to what Mr. DeWitt started, and it says a lot about what people in the sport still think of the track. I dont know anyone who ever dreaded coming to Rockingham, and even the drivers in the Cup series who cant be there this weekend are really excited about it.
Its a testament to how much the track means to everybody.
BP also would be glad that Andy is the one responsible for the resurgence of the track. He always called Andy one of his favorite people in the sport, and he admired the passion for racing and the perseverance Andy showed to become such a valued part of it.
Hopefully, race fans from all over will show their appreciation this weekend. One who will is Cullen Griffin, a longtime fan from Rockingham who attended that fateful race in 1973, along with hundreds of others over the years. He plans to be in the same seat Sunday for the truck race that he sat in for the most recent NASCAR race in 2004.
I couldnt be happier, Cullen told me. I hope, and hope, and hope that the people from Richmond County and the surrounding areas come out to support Andy and what he has done.
I will be there, as will my brother, Kevin, attending a race at the track where both of us have so many memories. I cant wait to create some more.
Read more: Richmond County Daily Journal - Parsons A special time for the Parsons family
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updated by @dave-fulton: 08/24/18 11:14:14AM