Parks and Parson’s #NASCAR Hall of Fame Acceptance Speeches

One of stock car racing’s earliest – and most successful – owners, Raymond Parks dominated the sport with his team in the late 1940s and early 1950s. He paired with mechanic Red Vogt to help Red Byron win the first NASCAR title (modified, 1948) and first premier series championship (1949).

Known for always donning a suit and keeping his cars in pristine condition, Parks is credited for helping to transform NASCAR into a nationally recognized sport. 

Raymond Parks’ family during the NASCAR Hall
of Fame Class of 2017 Induction Ceremony.

PATRICIA DePOTTEY (Raymond Parks’ Granddaughter): I will tell you knowing my grandfather, anybody who knew him, he could speak a whole book in two words. And the first time, to let you know how he was, I asked him how did you get into racing, and in less than 10 minutes, he told me his whole life story. His story was, well, I got some cars, and I just started winning. And I went, okay.

And you could go into his store, and he had that wooden table that you saw in the picture. He had his trophies. And I'm not kidding you, if you went over to look at one of the trophies, he would stand there and he'd say, well, oh, I got that when Red Byron won the championship. That was the end of the story.

But what really hit me, I think, was the first time I went to the Daytona Speedway, I was sitting in the stands, and it hit me, because everything I had heard growing up, I could see all of them in the Streamline Motel. I could see the cars racing around in the sand. I could just envision everything that he accomplished, and it was like all of the stories became real.

And I think that was just a very momentous time for me.

* * * * *

Terri Parsons (widow of 2017 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee
Benny Parsons and Dale Jarrett (NASCAR Hall of Fame)

Benny Parsons drove a taxi for a living in Detroit before embarking on his storied racing career. He won the 1973 NASCAR premier series title and finished fifth or better in the premier series standings in nine consecutive seasons (1972-80). Parsons won 21 races in 526 career starts, and tallied 283 top-10 finishes – a 53 percent ratio.

He took the checkered flag in the 1975 Daytona 500 and was the first driver to qualify a stock car at more than 200 mph (200.176 in 1982 at Talladega Superspeedway). Following his driving career, he made a seamless transition to the broadcast booth as a commentator for NBC and TNT until his passing in 2007, at the age of 65.

TERRI PARSONS (Wife): Most of all, the most important thing about tonight for him would be the people and especially the fans, understand how much they meant to him and how much he loved each and every one of you. You all have such great stories, and tonight is really a celebration of his life. This is not sad, this is happy. I'm the only one that's sad.

(Regarding the induction ring) Well, all this is shared with all the family and the crew members and the car owners that are here. We're going to put it in the Hall of Fame, because we think about it, the people at home, the fans that are visiting the Hall of Fame, never get to see a ring because we all take them home with us, so we thought we'd like to share this with the people that come through the Hall of Fame so they can see what an actual Hall of Fame ring looks like.

The living members of the NASCAR Hall of Fame gather as a group
at the conclusion of the 2017 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at NASCAR
Hall of Fame on January 20, 2017 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Winston Kelley, Executive Director of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, speaks
prior to the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2017 Induction Ceremony.

Photo Credit: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
Source: NASCAR.com Release

ICYMI, an unforgettable night for our new #NASCARHOFers.

👏 https://t.co/ZiAqB9k91R pic.twitter.com/rrg23oj4ze

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) January 21, 2017

NASCAR HOF - Class of 2017 Inductees

 

 Richard Childress

Long before he became one of the preeminent car owners in NASCAR history, Richard Childress was a race car driver with limited means. Childress, the consummate self-made racer, was respectable behind the wheel. Between 1969-81 he had six top-five finishes and 76 top 10s in 285 starts, finishing fifth in the NASCAR premier series standings in 1975. Having formed Richard Childress Racing in 1972, Childress retired from driving in 1981. He owned the cars that NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt drove to six championships and 67 wins between 1984-2000. In addition to Earnhardt’s championships, Childress drivers have given him five others. Childress was the first NASCAR owner to win owner championships in all three of NASCAR’s national series, and his 11 owner titles are second all time. Childress also owned the vehicles driven by NASCAR XFINITY Series driver champions Clint Bowyer (2008) and Austin Dillon (2013), as the 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver champion Austin Dillon.

Rick Hendrick

The founder and owner of Hendrick Motorsports, Rick Hendrick’s organization is recognized as one of NASCAR’s most successful. Hendrick Motorsports owns an all-time record 11 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car owner championship titles – six with Jimmie Johnson, four with Jeff Gordon and one with NASCAR Hall of Famer Terry Labonte. Hendrick also has 14 total NASCAR national series owner championships, most in NASCAR history. Gordon and Labonte combined to win four consecutive titles from 1995-98. In 2010, Johnson won a record-extending fifth consecutive championship. Hendrick also owned the car driven by 2003 NASCAR XFINITY Series driver champion Brian Vickers. Hendrick’s 242 owner wins in the premier series rank second all-time.

Mark Martin

He is often described as the “greatest driver to never to win a championship,” but Mark Martin’s legendary career is so much more than that. He came incredibly close to that elusive title many times – finishing second in the championship standings five times. Over the course of his 31-year premier series career, Martin compiled 40 wins (17th all time) and 56 poles (seventh all time). Martin saw success at every level of NASCAR.  He won 49 times in the NASCAR XFINITY Series, holding the series wins record for 14 years. He retired with 96 wins across NASCAR’s three national series, seventh on the all-time list. In 1998, Martin was named one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers.

Raymond Parks

Raymond Parks is one of stock-car racing’s earliest – and most successful – team owners. Funded by successful business and real estate ventures in Atlanta, Parks began his career as a stock-car owner in 1938 with drivers Lloyd Seay and Roy Hall. His pairing with another Atlantan, mechanic Red Vogt, produced equipment good enough to dominate the sport in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Red Byron won the first NASCAR title (modified, 1948) and first premier series title (1949) in a Parks-owned car. Parks’ team produced two premier series wins, two poles, 11 top fives and 12 top 10s in 18 events.

Benny Parsons

Benny Parsons won the 1973 NASCAR premier series championship and could be called an everyman champion: winning enough to be called one of the sport’s stars but nearly always finishing well when he wasn’t able to reach Victory Lane. He won 21 times in 526 career starts but finished among the top 10 283 times – a 54 percent ratio. One of Parsons’ biggest victories came in the 1975 Daytona 500. He was named one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers in 1998. Parsons also was known as a voice of the sport making a seamless transition to television following his NASCAR career. He was a commentator for NBC and TNT until his passing in 2007, at the age of 65.

Following the ceremony, a special NASCAR Fan Appreciation Day will take place at the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

2 icons. 5 legendary inductees. 24 hours until the Class of 2017 Is enshrined in #NASCARHall pic.twitter.com/QjcRJ61xFr

— NASCAR Hall of Fame (@NASCARHall) January 20, 2017

Related Posts:

1. Roush Fenway ‘Salutes’ Mark Martin’s Hall of Fame Career
2. NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
3. January 21, 2017 Will Be #NASCAR Fan Appreciation Day
4. A Peek at Richard Childress Racing Family's Holiday Fun
5. 2017 #NASCAR Hall of Fame Nominees

January 21, 2017 Will Be #NASCAR Fan Appreciation Day

NASCAR Fan Appreciation Day Returns To The NASCAR Hall of Fame

NASCAR announced that it will again host its annual NASCAR Fan Appreciation Day at the NASCAR Hall of Fame on January 21, 2017.

Current national series drivers, NASCAR Hall of Famers and members of the NASCAR Next Class are expected to be in attendance for a day-long celebration that will include autograph sessions, opportunities for fan-driver photos and question-and-answer sessions. 

NASCAR Fan Appreciation Day will follow Friday night's NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony (8 p.m. ET on NBCSN), where Richard Childress, Rick Hendrick, Mark Martin, Raymond Parks and Benny Parsons will be officially inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame as its Class of 2017.

Our engraver put some special names on the #NASCARHall granite markers today. We're only 3 weeks away from the #NASCARHOF 2017 Induction. 🏁🏆 pic.twitter.com/icGMMwpaJR

— NASCAR Hall of Fame (@NASCARHall) January 4, 2017

Also part of Saturday's festivities, the NASCAR Hall of Fame will unveil each inductees' granite markers in the gardens just outside the Hall's doors. 

On a personal note - if NASCAR Race Mom lived on the East Coast - she would be there the entire day!!!

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4. 2016 #NASCAR Sunoco Rookie Of The Year Winners
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2017 #NASCAR Hall of Fame Nominees

Hershel McGriff, Raymond Parks, Benny Parsons, Larry Phillips, Jack Roush

Each year, five inductees are selected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame by a Voting Panel. Inductees are chosen from a list of 20 nominees that are determined by a Nominating Committee. The main criteria for nomination and induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame include NASCAR accomplishments and contributions to the sport.

Here are the third five of the twenty nominees. (Others to follow).

Hershel McGriff - Driver (b. 12/14/27)

Hometown: Bridal Veil, Ore.

Pro Series West Stats

• Competed: 1971-2012
• Wins: 37
• Poles: 43

Hershel McGriff exhibited a competitive passion that lasted longer than any driver in NASCAR history. His first race was the 1950 Southern 500, in the NASCAR premier series’ sophomore season, at the age of 22. His final NASCAR race was at Sonoma Raceway in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West – in 2012 at the age of 84. In between: Greatness, and lots of it. McGriff competed in parts of 28 NASCAR premier series seasons, capturing four wins – all in 1954. But in what is now the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West, McGriff displayed an excellence that made him one of the best in series history. Competing in parts of 35 seasons, McGriff won 37 races, good for third on the all-time West Series wins list. His signature year came in 1986 when he won the series title, part of a string of 10 consecutive seasons with finishes in the top 10 in championship points. In 1991, McGriff was the recipient of the Bill France Award of Excellence. He was named one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers in 1998.

Raymond Parks - Owner (b. 6/5/14 - d. 6/20/10)

Hometown: Dawson County, Ga.

Premier Series Owner Stats

• Competed: 1949-1955
• Starts: 18
• Wins: 2
• Poles: 2

Raymond Parks is one of stock-car racing’s earliest – and most successful – team owners. Funded by successful business and real estate ventures in Atlanta, Parks began his career as a stock-car owner in 1938 with drivers Lloyd Seay and Roy Hall. His pairing with another Atlantan, mechanic Red Vogt, produced equipment good enough to dominate the sport in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Red Byron won the first NASCAR title (modified, 1948) and first premier series title (1949) in a Parks-owned car. Though Parks’ team competed for only four seasons – 1949, 1950, 1954 and 1955 – his place in NASCAR history is secure. Parks’ team produced two premier series wins, two poles, 11 top fives and 12 top 10s in 18 events. Drivers Red Byron, Bob Flock and Roy Hall drove his cars during the 1949 season. Byron drove for him again in 1950. Fonty Flock drove for Parks in 1954, and NASCAR Hall of Famer Curtis Turner drove for him in 1955. Parks retired from racing in the mid-1950s.

Benny Parsons - Driver (b. 7/12/41 - d. 1/16/07)

Hometown: Ellerbe, N.C.

Premier Series Stats

• Competed: 1964-1988
• Starts: 526
• Wins: 21
• Poles: 20

Benny Parsons, a Wilkes County, North Carolina, native who called Detroit home after driving a taxi for a living during his years in the northern city, won the 1973 NASCAR premier series championship in one of the most dramatic fashions in series history. Parsons could be called an everyman champion: winning enough to be called one of the sport’s stars but nearly always finishing well when he wasn’t able to reach Victory Lane. He won 21 times in 526 career starts but finished among the top 10 283 times – a 54 percent ratio. One of Parsons’ biggest victories came in the 1975 Daytona 500. He was the first driver to qualify a stock car at more than 200 mph (200.176) in 1982 at Talladega Superspeedway. He was named one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers in 1998. Parsons also was known as a voice of the sport making a seamless transition to television following his NASCAR career. He was a commentator for NBC and TNT until his passing in 2007, at the age of 65.

Larry Phillips - Driver (b. 7/3/42 - d. 9/21/04)

Hometown: Springfield, Mo.

Weekly Series Stats

• Competed: 1989-2001
• Starts: 308
• Wins: 226
• Poles: N/A

The legend of Missouri’s Larry Phillips cannot be measured in wins alone. That’s because nobody can say for sure how many victories there were. He raced here, there and everywhere on dirt and asphalt and in places where record keeping wasn’t always a priority. Phillips was just happy to vanquish the competition and go on to the next track. One crew chief, James Ince, estimated Phillips won 1,000 times; maybe 2,000. Rivals expressed frustration upon seeing Phillips’ No. 75 car come through the pit gate, admitting they were racing each other for second place. What is fact is that Phillips is the only driver to win five NASCAR Weekly Series national championships. During an 11-year span – from his first title in 1989 through 1996 – the Springfield, Mo. competitor won 220 of 289 NASCAR-sanctioned starts. That’s a winning percentage of 76 percent. Phillips also won 13 track championships in three states. Phillips was named one of the 25 top drivers in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series in 2006.

Jack Roush – Owner (b. 1/19/42)

Hometown: Covington, Ky.

Premier Series Stats

• Competed: 1988-Present
• Starts: 3,340
• Wins: 135
• Poles: 87

Once a Michigan-based drag racing owner and enthusiast, Jack Roush made his best motorsports decision when he turned south in 1988 to start a NASCAR team. Since beginning Roush Racing (now known as Roush Fenway Racing), the graduate-level mathematician turned engineering entrepreneur has won a record 322 races across NASCAR’s three national series. Overall, Roush boasts five NASCAR national series owner championships, while his drivers have won an additional three driver championships. Roush initially built his powerhouse organization by pairing with fellow NASCAR Hall of Fame nominee Mark Martin who won 83 NASCAR national series races for RFR from 1988-2005. Known for his trademark Panama hat, Roush has displayed a prowess for discovering and developing talent. He helped Matt Kenseth (2003) and Kurt Busch (2004) grow into premier series champions and also jumpstarted the careers of current stars Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle. Roush was the 2001 recipient of the Bill France Award of Excellence.

 * * * * * *

The process begins with a 22-person Nominating Committee, who meets at Daytona International Speedway during Speedweeks to select the list of 20 nominees.

Then a 55-person Voting Panel, which includes the members of the Nominating Committee plus additional representatives, votes on five inductees from the list of 20 nominees. The Voting Panel submits a total of 56 ballots*, which includes one ballot from a nationwide fan vote, to determine the five inductees.

The number of ballots submitted may change if any member of the Nominating Committee or Voting Panel appears on the previous year’s ballot or current year’s ballot. These individuals are recused from participating in the nominating and/or voting process for as long as he/she appears on the ballot. If an individual who is currently on the Nominating Committee or Voting Panel is inducted, or is no longer included on a final ballot, he or she is immediately reinstated to active participation on the committee/panel.

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