On February 16 , 1975 1975: Benny Parsons didn’t have much success getting to victory lane in NASCAR competition, winning only two of his 175 races. But today the 33-year-old PTA president registers a major upset when he wins the Daytona 500. While Parsons leads just for four of the 200 laps, he’s in front when it counts. Parsons has been steadily gaining on leader David Pearson, but doesn’t appear to have enough time to catch him. But on the 198th lap of the 2 1/2-mile speedway, Pearson spins out of control after a tapping incident with another car. “I guess I’m too big to say this, but I just about cried when I saw Pearson off on the grass and knew I was going to win,” says Parsons, who was 100 yards behind Pearson at the time of the accident. Parsons’ victory is even more remarkable considering he starts from the 32nd position. But he gradually moves his Chevy up with the leaders and then takes advantage of Richard Petty giving him a draft in a last-ditch effort to catch Pearson.
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