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Bill 4658

                    Current Status

Bill Number:                      4658
Type of Legislation:              Concurrent Resolution CR
Introducing Body:                 House
Introduced Date:                  20000222
Primary Sponsor:                  D. Smith
All Sponsors:                     D. Smith
Drafted Document Number:          l:\council\bills\swb\5067djc00.doc
Date Bill Passed both Bodies:     20000223
Subject:                          David Pearson, Resolutions


                        History

Body    Date      Action Description                     Com     Leg Involved
______  ________  ______________________________________ _______ ____________
House   20000223  Received from Senate
Senate  20000223  Introduced, adopted, returned
                  with concurrence
House   20000222  Introduced, adopted, sent to Senate


              Versions of This Bill

TO COMMEND DAVID GENE PEARSON, OF SPARTANBURG, KNOWN IN NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STOCK CAR AUTOMOBILE RACING CIRCLES (NASCAR) AND BY SPORTS WRITERS AND STOCK CAR AUTOMOBILE RACING ENTHUSIASTS AS "THE SILVER FOX", FOR HIS TRULY OUTSTANDING STOCK CAR RACING CAREER, AND HIS STERLING EXAMPLE OF SPORTSMANSHIP OVER MANY YEARS IN THE HIGHLY COMPETITIVE SPORT OF STOCK CAR RACING, AND TO CONGRATULATE HIM ON BEING NAMED BY SPORTS ILLUSTRATED AS THE TOP STOCK CAR DRIVER OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY.

Whereas, David Gene Pearson was born on December 22, 1934, on Ash Street, Whitney, South Carolina, the son of Lennie H. Pearson and the late Eura A. Pearson. A typical Southern boy of the 1940's and 50's, David Gene Pearson grew up working on cars at home, at "Mac's", and helping his brother Bill at the body shop, painting and sanding vehicles. He won his first soapbox derby race on the Asheville Highway, but was disqualified because he was a little ahead of his time in terms of technology - his soapbox derby had steel-geared wheels; and

Whereas, at age eighteen David Gene Pearson made his debut racing in a hobby car on September 19, 1953, at Woodruff, South Carolina. A fan club helped him get a Grand National car in 1960, and he won a Rookie of the Year award. His first place win at the World 600 in Charlotte, North Carolina, on May 28, 1961, driving a factory Pontiac prepared by legendary mechanic Ray Fox, was his first real win that allowed him to become a full-time race car driver; and

Whereas, given his natural abilities David Gene Pearson quickly developed into a highly skilled race car driver and a fierce NASCAR competitor. His career highlights as a NASCAR race car driver include: five hundred seventy-four career starts in the Winston Cup, one hundred thirteen poles, a record of sixty-four Superspeedway poles, three Winston Cup Championships in four attempts, one hundred five Winston Cup victories, has the highest race winning percentage, won eleven of eighteen races and thirteen poles in 1973, and, as hereinafter described, was named "Driver of the Century"; and

Whereas, during the summer of 1999, Sports Illustrated magazine asked forty NASCAR insiders to independently rank the century's top stock car drivers and name the stock car driver of the century; the expertise, experience, and credentials of the forty voting on the top stock driver of the century guaranteed the highest degree of accuracy in their selection; and this distinguished panel of racing experts voted on the top drivers and selected South Carolina's David Gene Pearson as the Top Sports Car Driver of the Twentieth Century; and

Whereas, the distinguished panel of racing experts who selected David Gene Pearson as the top sports car driver of the twentieth century was composed of: Bobby Allison, driver, 1961-88, Buddy Baker, driver, 1959-92, and CBS and TBS analyst, Geoffrey Bodine, driver, 1979-present, Betty Carlan, librarian, International Motor Sports Hall of Fame, Richard Childress, driver, 1971-81, and car owner, 1969-present, Bobby Clay, senior editor, Sports Illustrated, Dale Earnhardt, driver, 1975-present, Chris Economaki, editor emeritus, National Speed Sport News, Charles (Red) Farmer, driver, 1953-75, Greg Fielden, NASCAR historian, author of Forty Years of Stock Car Racing, Bill France, Jr., NASCAR president, Jim France, NASCAR executive vice president, Bill Gazaway, NASCAR's chief technical inspector, 1968-87, Barney Hall, anchor, NASCAR radio network, Mike Helton, NASCAR senior vice president and chief operating officer, Ed Hinton, senior writer, Sports Illustrated, Jim Hunter, president, Darlington Raceway, Dale Inman, crew chief, 1958-92, Dale Jarrett, driver, 1984-present, Ned Jarrett, driver, 1953-66, and CBS and ESPN analyst, Junior Johnson, driver, 1953-66, and car owner, 1953-95, Mike Joy, CBS analyst, Bob Latfore, NASCAR historian, Dave Marcis, driver, 1968-present, Gary Nelson, NASCAR Winston Cup Series director, Everett (Cotton) Owens, driver, 1950-64, David Pearson, driver 1960-86, Lee Petty, driver, 1949-64, and car owner, 1949-present, Richard Petty, driver, 1958-92, and car owner, 1958-92, Benny Phillips, sports editor, High Point (N.C.) Enterprise, Jack Smith, driver, 1949-64, Ken Squier, CBS and TBS analyst, Herb Thomas, driver, 1949-1962, Darrell Waltrip, driver, 1972-present, H. A. (Humpy)Wheeler, president, Lowe's Motor Speedway, Waddell Wilson, crew chief, 1979-91, Leonard Wood, car owner, 1953-present, Cale Yarborough, driver, 1957-88, and car owner, 1987-present, Robert Yates, car owner, 1989-present, Smokey Yunick, crew chief, 1946-75, and car owner, 1956-69; and

Whereas, never flamboyant and a man of sterling character, and despite a racing career that spans twenty-seven years, and includes five hundred seventy-four races, one hundred five victories, three championships, and accomplishments too numerous to mention, David Gene Pearson never forgot his Southern roots or lost the humility that dwells in the heart of a true Southern gentleman and son of the soil; and

Whereas, predeceased by his wife, Helen R. Pearson, David Gene Pearson resides in Spartanburg, South Carolina, living a simple, uncomplicated and comfortably life surrounded by trophies, memories of an outstanding racing career and, more importantly to him, by his father Lennie H. Pearson, his sister, Josephine Pearson Brown, his three sons Larry Pearson, Ricky Pearson, and Eddie Pearson, their families, and many, many true and loyal friends and admirers. He is loved and respected by those who know him as a fierce competitor, a winner, a gentleman at all times, and a genuine example of sportsmanship. The "man behind the wheel of the number 21 car", David Gene Pearson can rest easy knowing that the legacy of "The Silver Fox" among his peers and NASCAR fans is forever secure; and

Whereas, by his quiet example David Gene Pearson has given South Carolinians someone to look up to and respect. And, having been named "Driver of the Century" by Sports Illustrated, David Gene Pearson has given all South Carolina something to be proud of. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:

That the members of the General Assembly, by this resolution, commend David Gene Pearson, of Spartanburg, known in National Association of Stock Car Automobile Racing (NASCAR) circles and by sports writers and stock car automobile racing enthusiasts as "The Silver Fox", for his truly outstanding stock car racing career, and his sterling example of sportsmanship over many years in the highly competitive sport of stock car racing, and to congratulate him on being named by Sports Illustrated as the top stock car driver of the twentieth century.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to "the man behind the wheel of the number 21 car", David Gene Pearson, of Spartanburg.

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