#NASCAR Legend David Pearson Passes Away at Age 83

The “Silver Fox” was a NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductee, Three-Time Champion

December 22, 1934 - November 12, 2018

David Pearson, winner of three NASCAR premier series championships despite never running a complete schedule, has died at the age of 83.

Winner of 105 races in just 574 starts – second most to fellow NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty – the Whitney, S.C.-born Pearson won titles in 1966 and 1968-69.

“David Pearson’s 105 NASCAR premier series victories and his classic rivalry in the 1960s and ’70s with Richard Petty helped set the stage for NASCAR’s transformation into a mainstream sport with national appeal,” said NASCAR Chairman and CEO Jim France. “When he retired, he had three championships – and millions of fans. Petty called him the greatest driver he ever raced against. We were lucky to be able to call him one of our champions.

“The man they called the ‘Silver Fox’ was the gold standard for NASCAR excellence.

“On behalf of the France Family and everyone at NASCAR, I want to offer sincere condolences to the family and friends of David Pearson, a true giant of our sport.”

Pearson was most identified with the legendary Wood Brothers despite never winning a championship in their Ford and Mercury cars. Between 1972 and 1979, Pearson and the Virginia-based Woods – led by NASCAR Hall of Famers Glen and Leonard – won 43 times including the 1976 Daytona 500, a race that saw Pearson limp to the finish after colliding with rival Petty coming down to take the checkered flag.

Pearson was a ferocious qualifier, once fashioning eleven consecutive pole positions at Charlotte Motor Speedway, a NASCAR premier series record that still stands. Yet, he was willing to run long – 500 and 600 mile – races at a pace fast enough to maintain track position while saving speed for the finish.

It earned him the nickname as “The Fox” – as in sly – that later, as his hair began to grey, became “The Silver Fox.”

Perhaps the greatest measure of Pearson’s talents was his mastery of Darlington Raceway in South Carolina, not far from where the driver grew up in Spartanburg – once the hub of NASCAR stock car racing.

Pearson, inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2011, won ten times at the track dubbed “Too Tough To Tame,” a 1.366-mile, egg-shaped track that ushered in NASCAR’s paved, superspeedway era in 1950. He won three Southern 500s, run during the heat and humidity of Labor Day week that ranked as the sport’s greatest test of endurance for both driver and car.

Photo Gallery

David Pearson had an outstanding year in ’66 driving on the NASCAR Cup circuit in Cotton Owens’s Dodges. Pearson won 15 races, had 33 top-10 finishes in 42 starts, and won his first NASCAR Cup championship. (Photo by ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images)

JULY 21, 1968: David Pearson won both Bristol races in ?68. Here Pearson enjoys Victory Lane after taking the Volunteer 500 win over Cale Yarborough. (Photo by ISC Archives via Getty Images)

DARLINGTON, SC - 1970: NASCAR legend David Pearson, winner of 105 NASCAR Cup races and three NASCAR Cup championships. (Photo by ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images)

July 22, 1973: David Pearson is joined my Miss Atlanta International Raceway in victory lane after Pearson came home victorious in the Dixie 500 NASCAR Cup race, giving him a sweep of the two Cup races held at Atlanta during the year. Pearson was virtually unbeatable during the Cup season, winning 11 of the 18 races he and his Wood Brothers team entered. (Photo by ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images)

David Pearson 1974 NASCAR

Driver David Pearson uses a wet towel to cool off after a mid-1970s NASCAR Cup race. (Photo by ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images)

APRIL 11, 1976: David Pearson won the Rebel 500 at Darlington in 1976. It was Pearson's 6th victory in the last eight years in this spring classic. (Photo by ISC Archives via Getty Images)

SEPTEMBER 5, 1976: David Pearson after winning the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, one of his 10 NASCAR Cup wins during the year. (Photo by ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images)

1976: David Pearson started off the NASCAR Cup season at Daytona International Speedway by winning the Daytona 500 in a wild, crashing finish with arch-rival Richard Petty. In July, Pearson finished second to Cale Yarborough in the Firecracker 400. (Photo by ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images)

JULY 4, 1978: David Pearson racked up his 5th win in the Firecracker 400 at Daytona in 1978. He used a lapped car to foil Cale Yarborough's last-lap attempt to slingshot him off the 4th turn. (Photo by ISC Archives via Getty Images

1979: David Pearson started out the season running five of the first eight NASCAR Cup races for the Wood Brothers before their parting of ways after the CRC Chemicals Rebel 500 at the Darlington (SC) Raceway. He ran just four more races during the year, all for car owner Rod Osterlund, and returned to Darlington in September where he won the Southern 500. (Photo by ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images)

1980: David Pearson ran nine NASCAR Cup races in the Hawaiian Tropic Chevrolet for car owner Hoss Ellington during the season and won the CRC Chemicals Rebel 500 at the Darlington (SC) Raceway. Pearson also had runner-up finishes in the Firecracker 400 at the Daytona (FL) International Raceway and the Southern 500 at Darlington. (Photo by ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images)

NASCAR legend David Pearson laughs it up with Ryan Newman and Tony Stewart at Darlington Raceway on May 7, 2010 in Darlington, South Carolina.

David Pearson poses with his marker during the NASCAR Hall of Fame Walk of Fame Unveiling at the NASCAR Hall of Fame, on May 22, 2011 in Charlotte, North Carolina

David Pearson speaks during the 2011 NASCAR Hall of Fame induction ceremonies at the Charlotte Convention Center on May 23, 2011 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Source: NASCAR.com

Unbelievably sad day today after hearing of the passing of (one of) THE ABSOLUTE GREATEST #nascar drivers. We wouldn’t be here today without him and we’re thinking of the entire David Pearson family tonight.

— Wood Brothers Racing (@woodbrothers21) November 13, 2018

David Pearson was one of the all time greats. Anyone who raced him will tell you he was the best. The Silver Fox lived up to his persona on and off the track. What a badass. RIP pic.twitter.com/LGGJ7ZIje9

— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) November 13, 2018

105 wins, and 3 @NASCAR championships, and a @NASCARHall of Famer

David Pearson was a wheelman. Here is part of his induction speech, where he talks about racing for @woodbrothers21 and against Richard Petty. pic.twitter.com/FGNimI2anD

— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) November 13, 2018

Tonight my heart is sad. I was blessed to watch and race with David Pearson and in my childhood memories of race tracks, David is there. The Man you had to beat, that Beautiful 21 Wood Bros Mercury. He was what a “Racecar Driver” was.. Steve McQueen Cool...one of the BEST EVER!

— Kyle Petty (@kylepetty) November 13, 2018

"He pushed me just as much as I pushed him on the track. We both became better for it,"- Richard Petty on David Pearson. #RESPECT

— Richard Petty Motorsports (@RPMotorsports) November 13, 2018

RIP David Pearson.

I’d have to say if their was one driver who inspired me the most on the race track it was you. Always gritty, witty and in position at the end when it counted.

— Brad Keselowski (@keselowski) November 13, 2018

I just learned of the passing of The Great David Pearson! You have no idea just how good of a driver he was and I feel so fortunate that I was able to work with him in 1983 & 1984! May He Rest In Peace! #FB #NASCAR

— Larry McReynolds (@LarryMac28) November 13, 2018

He was a legend & one of the all time best to ever drive a stock car. We will all miss you David Pearson “The Silver Fox”. #RIP pic.twitter.com/QK78Enu2OT

— Jeff Gordon (@JeffGordonWeb) November 13, 2018

Such sad news that David Pearson past away today. Got a chance to meet David a few times and share some good stories and laughs. May he RIP as our thoughts and prayers are with his loved ones! pic.twitter.com/Hpts8LIrtL

— Kyle Busch (@KyleBusch) November 13, 2018

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