Stock Car Legends of the Oval Track - David Pearson

Richard Brooks drafts behind David Pearson’s No. 33 Pontiac in the 1971 Motor State 500 at Michigan International Speedway. Pearson in a Pontiac was a rare sight—of his 574 starts only 28 were in a Pontiac. He took the marque to Victory Lane three times, all in the 1961 season. Here he finished 33rd after suffering an ignition problem.

Pearson concentrates while readying for the 1966 World 600 at Charlotte. He qualified fourth, led the most laps (134), but suffered an accident and finished 17th. The race was won by Marvin Panch driving a Richard Petty-owned Plymouth.

Pearson hits the pits in the 1979 Talladega 500 where he’d finish Second just over a minute behind Darrell Waltrip. He was driving a Rod Osterlund Oldmobile, you can almost make out the Lowe’s logo on the hood.

Pearson’s modest house and Torino station wagon, quite different from what today’s NASCAR star would have.

The grandstands of Evergreen Speedway in Washington state were jammed two hours before race time. The 7,200-plus fans were all waiting to see NASCAR superstar David Pearson. It was Pearson’s first visit to Washington state and he brought along a friend. That’s Ralph Seagraves to Pearson’s left. Seagraves was R.J. Reynold’s President of Special Events Operations and in conjunction with Junior Johnson roundly was credited with bringing the Winston sponsorship to NASCAR.

Pearson readies for action in the 1970 Firecracker 400 at Daytona International Speedway. He led 34 laps in a Holman-Moody Ford but was involved in a late-race accident six laps from the finish. Still, he finished Eighth.

A familiar sight, Pearson battling Petty. This battle took place in the 1977 Dixie 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Pearson would finish Second, 2 seconds behind winner Darrell Waltrip. Petty came home Sixth.

The June 1980 race at Michigan was under an extended rain delay. Thinking the race would be canceled Pearson left the track. When informed that the race was on, he ended up having to run to his car. Backup driver D.K. Ulrich was already buckled in the Hawaiin Tropic Chevrolet when Pearson came running down pit road. Ulrich got out and Pearson got in, but had run only 173 of the race’s 200 laps when engine failure sidelined him.

Perhaps one of the most replayed highlights in NASCAR history. The end of the 1976 Daytona 500 saw Petty and Pearson fighting for the lead. They tangled coming out of Turn 4, both crashing hard. Pearson was able to get his Wood Brothers entry going before Petty and limped across the finish line to claim his lone Daytona 500 victory.

Pearson crouches over a short track car at an unnamed speedway. Judging from the Purolator hat, this photo would have been taken between 1973 and 1978, the years he was sponsored by the filter company.

Pearson drove just four races early in the 1981 season for Joe Halpern in the Halpern Enterprises Chevrolet. His best finish was Fourth at Darlington. That’s Cale Yarborough in the No. 27 drafting him.