The 25 Greatest Daytona 500 Drivers Of All-Time by Ron Thornton
The countdown continues as we near the 49th edition of the Great American Race. With the anticipation building, combined with my (moparornocar) love for history, statistics, and possibly for causing trouble, I thought I would take a crack at coming up with a list to honor the 25 greatest Daytona 500 drivers of all-time.
How successful was I in coming up with a method of making such a determination that most, though understandably not all, might agree with? Well, the 25 best I came up with represent 38 Daytona 500 victories and include 20 of the 50 best drivers as decided during NASCAR's 50th anniversary celebrations nine years ago. As for the five not on that 1998 chart, they managed to combine for six wins and 38 Top Ten finishes when it came to competing in the February spectacle.
David Pearson
10. DAVID PEARSON - 110 Points 1 Win (1976) 3 Top Threes (1966, 70, 76) 6 Top Fives (1966, 68, 70-71, 75-76) 10 Top Tens (1962, 66, 68-71, 75-76, 83-84)
9. JEFF GORDON - 113 Points 3 Wins (1997, 99, 2005) 5 Top Fives (1993-94, 97, 99, 2005) 7 Top Tens (1993-94, 97, 99, 2002, 04-05)
8. TERRY LABONTE - 118 Points 4 Top Threes (1986, 90, 94, 97) 6 Top Fives (1982, 86, 88, 90, 94, 97) 12 Top Tens (1980, 82-83, 86, 88-90, 92, 94-95, 97, 2000)
7. BENNY PARSONS - 130 Points 1 Win (1975) 5 Top Threes (1975-78, 87) 8 Top Fives (1972, 75-78, 80, 86-87) 9 Top Tens (1969, 72, 75-78, 80, 86-87)
Benny Parsons remains hospitalized in the intensive care unit of Carolinas Medical Center, but his condition has not changed since the weekend, his family said on Tuesday.
Former Nextel Cup Champion Benny Parsons, 65, is listed as critical, but his condition has stabilized. He continues to fight complications brought on by treatments for lung cancer. Parsons revealed in July that he has lung cancer. Treatments caused him to miss several races in his job as an analyst for NBC/TNT. In October, Parsons announced that his cancer was in full remission. Even so, his health began to decline as the year came to an end. He was unable to attend the Nextel Cup Awards Ceremony in early December, and he was re-admitted to the hospital on Dec. 26.
Parsons, the 1973 Cup champion, has long been one of NASCAR's most visible and popular personalities. Parsons also hosted a talk show every Monday evening on PRN. Parsons is not allowed visitors at this time, but fans and associates can continue to send him messages at bp@goprn.com.
Benny Parsons Hospitalized at Carolinas Medical Center TruckSeries.com Report 1973 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup champion Benny Parsons and brother to our own NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series SPEED Channel broadcast analyst Phil Parsons, is currently hospitalized in the Intensive Care Unit of the Carolinas Medial Center in Charlotte.
Parsons, who became a popular television and radio personality after retiring from driving in 1988, entered the hospital Dec. 26 as the result of complications stemming from his battle with lung cancer.
The cancer was diagnosed earlier this year and was recently reported to be in full remission.
Parsons' family has been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from fans and the NASCAR community and they encourage everyone to keep Benny in their thoughts and prayers.
Parsons is not allowed visitors at this time, but fans and associates can continue to send him messages at bp@goprn.com.
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David Pearson
Bill Elliott
1973 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup champion Benny Parsons and brother to our own NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series SPEED Channel broadcast analyst Phil Parsons, is currently hospitalized in the Intensive Care Unit of the Carolinas Medial Center in Charlotte.
