While there are a number of challenging tracks on the NASCAR stock car racing circuit, few have earned the fearsome reputation of South Carolina's Darlington Raceway. Known as 'the track too tough to tame', its shaped like an egg with a surface that shreds tires. Some of the best drivers--including NASCAR's 'King' Richard Petty never mastered it. David Person, on the other hand, dominated at Darlington. He won 10 races and won 12 poles--both records that will likely never be broken. He actually made the 'track too tough to tame' look downright easy.
David Pearson was born on December 22,1934 in Whitney, SC--a textile town near Spartanburg. Like most of the locals, his parents worked in the local cotton mill and did their best to provide. David dropped out of school after the 10th grade to work in the mill, but soon quit that life as well--he was drawn to racing cars and began running at short tracks in the Carolinas. He ran his first race on 9/19/52 in Woodruff South Carolina. Within a few years, he won his first championship at the Greenville/Pickens Speedway in'59.
Pearson never sought out stock car racing immortality, but some of his friends had other ideas. They began raising money to buy a car to race in the NASCAR Grand National series (the forerunner to today's Sprint Cup). With a patchwork of financial backing, David began racing a limited schedule on the Grand National circuit and was named the'60 rookie of the year. In'61,he attracted sponsors and started to race a full time schedule. Not long after, he was considered among the best in the sport winning Grand National titles in'66,'68 and'69.
In'72, he started driving for the Wood Brothers in the #21 car that he was to make a legend. In'73, he won 11 races in' starts"an incredible feat even by today's standards. He cut back his schedule in those years to focus on superpeedways. Through the end of the'70s, Pearson won 43 races. In addition to his mastery of Darlington, he posted remarkable numbers all over the circuit. He is one of two men to have won more than 100 races, and his 105 is second only to The King Richard Petty's 200 wins. Hes also second on career poles (113) to Petty. Head to head, however, he has a slight edge over NASCARs legendary King: in races where he and Petty finished 1-2, Pearson won 33 to Petty's 30. His 11 consecutive poles at Charlotte is a feat that will likely never be matched. Another record that may never be broken is his'.29% winning percentage, as well as his record of starting from the pole in 20% of the races he ran.
In March, 2000, SC Highway 221 through Spartanburg County was renamed David Pearson Boulevard in his honor. He lives in Spartanburg to this day. Pearson still takes to the track occasionally--he and current NASCAR driver Carl Edwards were the first to race on the newly repaved Darlington Raceway last Spring. We should all hope to be able to run with a 20 something NASCAR driver when we're in our mid 70's. Incidentally, he got the nickname Silver Fox due to his prematurely gray hair and cunning style behind the wheel.
David Pearson was born on December 22,1934 in Whitney, SC--a textile town near Spartanburg. Like most of the locals, his parents worked in the local cotton mill and did their best to provide. David dropped out of school after the 10th grade to work in the mill, but soon quit that life as well--he was drawn to racing cars and began running at short tracks in the Carolinas. He ran his first race on 9/19/52 in Woodruff South Carolina. Within a few years, he won his first championship at the Greenville/Pickens Speedway in'59.
Pearson never sought out stock car racing immortality, but some of his friends had other ideas. They began raising money to buy a car to race in the NASCAR Grand National series (the forerunner to today's Sprint Cup). With a patchwork of financial backing, David began racing a limited schedule on the Grand National circuit and was named the'60 rookie of the year. In'61,he attracted sponsors and started to race a full time schedule. Not long after, he was considered among the best in the sport winning Grand National titles in'66,'68 and'69.
In'72, he started driving for the Wood Brothers in the #21 car that he was to make a legend. In'73, he won 11 races in' starts"an incredible feat even by today's standards. He cut back his schedule in those years to focus on superpeedways. Through the end of the'70s, Pearson won 43 races. In addition to his mastery of Darlington, he posted remarkable numbers all over the circuit. He is one of two men to have won more than 100 races, and his 105 is second only to The King Richard Petty's 200 wins. Hes also second on career poles (113) to Petty. Head to head, however, he has a slight edge over NASCARs legendary King: in races where he and Petty finished 1-2, Pearson won 33 to Petty's 30. His 11 consecutive poles at Charlotte is a feat that will likely never be matched. Another record that may never be broken is his'.29% winning percentage, as well as his record of starting from the pole in 20% of the races he ran.
In March, 2000, SC Highway 221 through Spartanburg County was renamed David Pearson Boulevard in his honor. He lives in Spartanburg to this day. Pearson still takes to the track occasionally--he and current NASCAR driver Carl Edwards were the first to race on the newly repaved Darlington Raceway last Spring. We should all hope to be able to run with a 20 something NASCAR driver when we're in our mid 70's. Incidentally, he got the nickname Silver Fox due to his prematurely gray hair and cunning style behind the wheel.
About the Author:
Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and respected authority on football betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sportsbooks and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Northern Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and a kangaroo. He is currently working on an autobiography of former energy secretary Donald Hodell.
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