racing driver born december american stock car south_carolina pearson began nascar career ended season winning nascar rookie year award won championships year ran schedule nascar grand national series sprint cup series nascar described season indication consistent greatness season finished season points having competed races finalist nomination inaugural class nascar described pearson model nascar efficiency career little pearson showed race track won pearson ended career currently holds second position nascar time win list victories achieving pole positions pearson successful different venues racing won times road courses times times short tracks dirt track wins pearson finished finish seasons pearson nicknamed fox later silver fox calculated approach racing espn described plain spoken humble man added little charisma pearson career paralleled driver won races nascar history accounted second place finishes edge going pearson petty said pearson beat short track beat beat road course beat dirt track didn hurt bad lose pearson knew good background pearson born near south_carolina pearson young climbed tree local stock car racing track races pearson said interested cars decided right wanted life worked brother car body repair shop money purchase ford coach pearson removed convert vehicle street rod jumped car ditches rolled mother paid car money purchase car build raced ford dirt tracks won outlaw class race kept winning attracted attention racing community including career 1960s pearson began racing nascar series season shortly winning track champion nascar start qualifying race finished 17th self owned car purchased started events season finishing 23rd season points voted nascar rookie year season highlighted second place finish south_carolina fourth place finish fifth starting pole position hometown track interstate pearson bent frame race car early season began working house support family included sons contract dispute tire company able compete inaugural world charlotte track recommended car builder hire pearson pearson unsure join team fox convinced trust car relatively year old driver pearson successful test run qualified car fastest time pearson raced way lead early event leader round pit stops cars lead lap restart lap petty seconds pearson laps petty retire blown engine pearson held lap lead leading late race ran debris blew tire laps remaining pearson drove car track slowly final lap approximately miles hour victory started races season wins finish thirteenth season points winning nascar race fox prepared car concord later season won atlanta pearson started events managed finish tenth season points pearson began season racing fox fox retired started season seven finishes wins starts races pearson finished season sixth points held pole positions wins wins richmond columbia pearson finished championship won petty time qualified pole position events nascar banned engine petty pearson races compete non competitive engine ford mercury drivers competed drag racing pearson drove dodge station wagon nicknamed cotton nascar owner adjusted engine rules later season bring drivers ended competing events pearson won final races columbia richmond finish 40th season points time season pearson won nascar championships won events second nascar history time early season pearson won columbia complete straight victories season pearson won richmond dog second race second richmond race pearson ran partial season competing races began season racing switching thirteenth race pearson quit misunderstanding drive teams tow truck dodge decided stop racing nascar pearson switched way favor wins bristol season dominated petty time record victories including time record straight pearson finished seventh season points second season running schedule won races pearson won championship petty finished pearson competed primarily winning bristol richmond field charlotte middle georgia bristol columbia added pole positions pearson won final championship final season running schedule championship tied pearson championships nascar history hold current record seven titles started season driver qualify faster miles hour speed miles hour starts wins tens earned record effort pearson completed laps laps nascar cup season drivers boycott race concerns tires rejoined tour following event 1970s season started pearson competing time rest career pearson led caution laps remaining changed right tires tire pit stop tire stop passed pearson restart victory starts won single race earned pole positions finish 23rd points began nascar grand national series retitled cup series pearson split near middle season pearson refused pay cut won races split twin bristol second place finishes pearson finished season competing seven races recorded finish eighth july race suffered mechanical problems races season finished 51st points competing races tens request nascar began cutting number races season eliminating races dropped short tracks race schedule pearson began racing season raced events wins earned 20th place finish season points pearson racing end spun pearson won race won later season race win straight times pearson started races named nascar driver year finishing eighth points won races win percentage highest nascar history wins atlanta dover michigan second race second atlanta race second dover race second race remaining seven races contained finishes second place finishes place event pearson led miles giving lead pit stop won pole positions average starting position pearson finished points competing events season drivers awarded points based money earnings ended rewarding drivers finished high big money races won seven races including seconds pearson began earn nickname silver fox entering final lap leading followed closely petty fearing petty pass slowed little pulled car simulate blown motor threw hand air motion defeat petty quickly passed find pearson following closely coming final corner pearson pass win race invited participate annual star stock car racing series season finished fourth drivers nascar changed points system use decade current chase cup format implemented abc televised second half drew rating opposite rating nba game game pearson led race laps remaining racing distant second petty laps experiencing tires difficulties began drafting parsons duo started closing pearson pearson collided car parsons won race race pearson complained petty showed helping parsons attempt win consecutive fell short unable catch baker despite near wins won times attempts finished 14th points event season competed second annual season finished sixth points known final lap battle espn rated race fourth interesting petty leading pearson going lap couple car lengths pearson draft attempt pass petty end stretch lap car pushed high final turn going car petty edged pearson cars crashed final turns spun infield grass approximately feet meters short finish line place car lap disabled cars petty unable restart car pearson slowly drove grassy infield past finish line victory won series best races finished ninth season points competing events won race race iii finished fifth points pearson finished 13th nascar points wins races invited participate finished ninth race series competed races winning times 16th place finish season points march pearson won 100th cup race late world pearson battling win parsons parsons spin collected drivers edged victory pearson competed final race june began winning pole position year race riverside finished second place pearson final season racing race happening left pits waiting pit crew place nuts car tires fell car reached end pit lane pearson quit team race pearson won races driving later season rookie driver suffered shoulder injury hired pearson replace races collected pole position michigan won southern season pearson competed races finished 32nd points fans voted nascar popular driver 1980s pearson raced season won rebel final cup win started times finish 37th season points pearson qualified pole position charlotte eleventh straight time started row straight races raced races owners season highlighted winning pole position dover finishes hired pearson race events started pole position charlotte finishes july race charlotte ended race season 37th place point standings pearson entered series race season won pole position race bristol finished second pearson raced races season dover north_carolina starting second finished fifth north_carolina win victory pearson raced events finishes including eighth place finishes finished 33rd points started pole position final race dover resulted twelfth place finish pearson raced events finished 41st season points finishes ninth place finishes world miller pearson raced races final average start resulted average finish 30th place finish july race finished 36th points pearson final season nascar pearson drove car events charlotte finished tenth final race august michigan event year hiatus pearson planned come retirement replacing injured following testing event suffered severe neck pain chose instead announce retirement replaced pearson race legacy inducted pearson inducted finalists driver quarter century sponsored united_states businessman won award sports_illustrated votes nascar pearson stock car driver pearson nominees class inducted nascar named people inducted class stated finished sixth eighth place pearson left premises minutes announced drew public criticism writers predicted class induction ceremony pearson said felt inaugural class include pioneers pearson said feel like going year knew wasn withdraw pearson named class received votes voters proud people thought vote pearson said added felt beating class vote inducted results personal life pearson wife sons larry raced nascar champion general manager crew chief won series races december pearson suffered mild stroke partially paralyzed left half body recovered
David Pearson (racing driver)