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TO CONGRATULATE DAVID GENE PEARSON OF SPARTANBURG ON THE OCCASION ON HIS BEING INDUCTED INTO THE NASCAR HALL OF FAME, CLASS OF 2011.
Whereas, the House of Representatives is pleased to learn that David Gene Pearson of Spartanburg, American stock car racer, was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, Class of 2011, on May 23, 2011; and
Whereas, born December 22, 1934, near Spartanburg, David Gene Pearson began his NASCAR career in 1960 and ended his first season by winning the 1960 NASCAR Rookie of the Year award. He won three championships (1966, 1968, and 1969) every year he ran the full schedule in NASCAR's Grand National Series (now Sprint Cup Series); and
Whereas, at his finalist nomination for NASCAR Hall of Fame's inaugural 2010 class, NASCAR described David Pearson as "...the model of NASCAR efficiency during his career. With little exaggeration, when Pearson showed up at a race track, he won." He ended his career in 1986 and currently holds the second position on NASCAR's all-time win list with one hundred five victories, as well as one hundred thirteen pole positions; and
Whereas, nicknamed the "Fox" (and later the "Silver Fox") for his calculated approach to racing, David Pearson was successful in different venues of his sport. He won three times on road courses, forty-eight times on superspeedways, fifty-four times on short tracks and had twenty-three dirt-track wins. He completed his career with at least one top-ten finish in each of his twenty-seven seasons; and
Whereas, David Pearson's career paralleled that of Richard Petty, the driver who won the most races in NASCAR history. Together, these two champions accounted for sixty-three first/second-place finishes, with the edge going to Mr. Pearson. Petty said of his fellow driver, "Pearson could beat you on a short track, he could beat you on a superspeedway, he could beat you on a road course, he could beat you on a dirt track. It didn't hurt as bad to lose to Pearson as it did to some of the others, because I knew how good he was"; and
Whereas, Mr. Pearson has been granted numerous awards throughout his life for his outstanding racing achievements. Among the many organizations that have recognized him, the National Motor Sports Press Association's Hall of Fame inducted him in 1991, the International Motorsports Hall of Fame followed suit in 1993, and the Charlotte Motor Speedway Court of Legends did the same in 1998. In 1999, Sports Illustrated used votes from forty NASCAR insiders to name David Pearson the Top Sports Car Driver of the Twentieth Century; and
Whereas, yet with all this acclaim, he has never lost the quality of humility nor the heart of a true Southern gentleman, as those who know him best will attest; and
Whereas, grateful for his commitment to excellence throughout a long and fruitful career, the House of Representatives takes great pleasure in commending David Pearson on his latest honor, induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:
That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, congratulate David Gene Pearson of Spartanburg on the occasion on his being inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, Class of 2011.
Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be provided to David Gene Pearson.
This web page was last updated on June 1, 2011 at 3:52 PM