Memory Lane: Elliott Sadler takes the walk with Benny Parsons

PARSONS

The NASCAR world has lost its gentle giant. Benny Parsons, a championship-winning race driver and popular, folksy TV commentator, died last week at age 65 from complications resulting from a six-month battle with cancer.

His death leaves a giant void in the sport already trying to recover from the loss the week before of popular driver Bobby Hamilton to cancer. Elliott Sadler provided one of his fondest memories to Cox News Service writer Rick Minter at Daytona last week:

Sadler said he was only 12 when he first experienced Parsons' hospitality. At that time, Sadler's brother, Hermie, was a suitemate at the University of North Carolina with Keith Parsons, Benny's son.

"At the time, we were race fans and all and we knew of Keith, but we really didn't put two and two together until he invited us all over to meet his dad," Sadler said. "They invited us to Thanksgiving dinner at Benny's house, and that was a treat for me being 12 years old getting to go to his house. … Spending the day with him and seeing his trophies and seeing his accomplishments in racing at his house was amazing to a 12- year-old kid.

"We even played Pictionary," Sadler said. "That's one day I'll always remember as a kid, going to his house and eating dinner and playing Pictionary. … He was the same then as he was the last time I saw him at the race track."

Elliott Sadler (below) fondly recalls time spent with Benny Parsons.

Sadler talked about how Parsons spent time with everyone at the track, from the top stars to the tire changers, from media members to the top NASCAR executives and enjoyed his interaction with them all.

"He really didn't put a value on what you did in the sport but what kind of person you were," Sadler said. "He was a good leader for a lot of us."