 There is always a lot of talk amongst the media and those in the stands and garage comparing the stars of today’s NASCAR with those who helped build the sport. While it is difficult to compare one era of NASCAR racing to another, there is one driver from the sport’s yester-years that stand out above the rest.
Over the years, the Silver Fox – David Pearson – has maintained the competitive spirit that led him to 105 victories (second on the all-time win list) and three championships. One of the toughest competitors to ever grace the sport of NASCAR, Pearson knew how to get the job done the first time he climbed into the car.
Making 574 Cup Series starts over a span of twenty-seven years, Pearson battled with some of the sport’s best including Richard Petty, Bobby and Donnie Allison, Buddy Baker, etc. en route to three championships, 105 wins, 301 top-5s, 366 top-10s and 113 poles.
“I like to win if I’m playing checkers, I don’t care what it is,” Pearson explained, illustrating his determination and winning attitude remains still to this day. “I don’t care if you’re running in a cow pasture or a quarter-mile track or where it’s at; you still go there to win.
“I never went into a race I didn’t feel like I could win.”
While Dale Earnhardt was known throughout the sport as the Intimidator, Pearson was one of the best at getting inside a driver’s head. Standing in the Atlanta Motor Speedway media center this weekend, his cold stare and demanding personality have not faded since his exit from the sport in 1986. Unlike any other driver, Pearson would roll around under caution with a cigarette between his lips and chewing gum in his mouth while others struggled to keep up.
“You can’t let anyone really know what you’re going to do,” Pearson went on to say. Talking about how he used to play with Buddy Baker, the 74-year-old explained, “I’d wear him out. I’d be coming to make a pit stop and I’d have a good cold rag and I’d wash my face and all that stuff just like I hadn’t done nothing. I’d pull up beside old Buddy and grin and take my cigarette and blow smoke at him, now this is of course under caution, but he’d look at me and look like he’d be about dead. I had a lot of fun aggravating old Buddy.”
When asked what the Silver Fox missed most about racing his answer was quick and to the point, “Money, money, money,” Pearson said with a smile. “These boys get more money now just to sign to drive a car for a year than I made. I wish I could get back in.”
In a day when NASCAR drivers earn more money in one race than many of the veterans made in their entire career, it is interesting to think about how today’s drivers would have fared in Pearson’s day – especially when you consider over 27 years, Pearson made a total of $2,836,220 compared to the $3,788,268 Jimmie Johnson made in his first full season of Cup racing.
One of the coolest drivers behind the wheel of a stock car, Pearson always had a knack of being there when it mattered most. Pacing himself and taking care of his equipment, the Silver Fox knew what it took to get to victory lane and take home the check.
“That’s part of the game, you have to relax. That’s the main thing,” he said of his driving style. “If you can relax in that car and you don’t get all tensed up, you’re going to run better. You won’t get as tired or nothing else. Just don’t ever get tensed up, you can run fast without getting tensed up.”
“The guy was in good shape,” former team owner and close friend Leonard Wood said of Pearson. “He never gave out. Never in all the years he drove for us, he never gave out. He took care of himself and when it was time to go he was ready to go. I’ll tell you, you better have your act together to go up against him on the last lap. He knew how to set you up and he was just one of the greatest drivers there has ever been.”
Racing at a time when cars had no power steering, the helmets were open-faced and safety was more of an inconvenience than a priority, Pearson believes today’s drivers would struggle in his era, to say the least.
“If they started out without it, I’m sure they could [compete],” Pearson said when asked if today’s drivers could run with no power steering. “If they didn’t have it now and just go to it for one race it would be kind of hard, I would expect.”
Critical of the strictness of NASCAR’s rulebook, the three-time champion has kept his distance from the sport over the last few years.
“I don’t like none of the rules or the way they run it,” Pearson explained. “It ain’t right for somebody to tell you what springs to run, what shocks to run and what tires and what gear to run.”
As far as the new car implemented for the 2008 season, Pearson argued there is no way they are as hard to drive as today’s drivers say they are. He also does not believe many of the adjustments today’s teams are making – such as taking out or adding a quarter of a pound of air pressure in the tires – does anything to help the car. “I can make it do the same thing and put nothing in it,” he said with a serious look in his eye.
“I can’t believe it’s as bad as some of them say,” Pearson added. “Moving up a lane or down a lane, you can make your car push or do whatever. I know a lot of people were telling me the car’s too loose or pushing real bad and I said, ‘Can you spin it out?’ and they say, ‘Yeah, I can spin it out,’ so I said, ‘It ain’t too loose then.’”
While he does not follow the sport as much as he used to, Pearson can clearly see who today’s top dogs are in NASCAR. Pointing to drivers such as Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards, Pearson knows despite the new car and strict rules, good drivers are still good drivers.
“Gordon’s good, Gordon’s smart,” commented Pearson. “Carl Edwards is smart. Kyle just loves to run wide open all the time. If they can get a car that will stay under him, he’s going to run good – if he doesn’t wreck.”
There is no doubt David Pearson knew how to get the job done behind the wheel of a race car. Listening to the legend speak and looking at the fire that still remains in his eye, it is clear the Silver Fox wishes he could climb in a car and show these boys just how to get the job done. 
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