The always chatty Parsons began his broadcasting career in the 1980s as a pit reporter for ESPN and TBS, while still racing a partial schedule.

After retiring from the cockpit following the 1988 season, he moved into the booth for good, first for ESPN and later for NBC and TNT, winning a Cable ACE Award for best sports analyst along the way.

Besides our friendship and love of racing, another thing Benny and I shared was our taste in books. He was a voracious reader of paperbacks and particularly loved mystery and intrigue.

In the spring of 1985, Benny and I got into a discussion about an author he had just discovered, one that I had not yet read. We were at North Carolina Motor Speedway in Rockingham, just 10 miles or so from his home in Ellerbe.

“Hey, follow me home after we get done tonight and I’ll buy you dinner and give you a couple of his books,” Benny said.

“Sure,” I said.

We met as arranged, with me set to follow in my rental car. Race driver Benny took off down a back road near the track and left me, literally, in his dust. No cell phones in those days and I finally found my way to Ellerbe about an hour later. But I had no idea where to find Benny.

I stopped into a gas station and asked if anybody knew where Benny Parsons lived. Of course, they did.

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When I pulled up in front of the house, there was Benny on the front stoop, waiting with a handful of paperback books and a huge smile.

Benny was always ready to help out a friend or pitch in for a charitable cause. He was known to be a pretty easy mark for old racers or old friends with hard-luck stories.

But, most of all, Benny was known for being a good guy, somebody you just loved being around.

So long, BP. We’re all going to miss you.

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