David Pearson Trivia

If it wasn't for a man named Richard Petty, David Pearson would be considered the most successful driver in Winston Cup history.

He is second only to "The King" in victories and pole starts. While Petty's victory total of 200 swamps the 105 wins for Pearson, the margin in pole starts is only 14 (127 for Petty, 113 for Pearson).

By percentage, Pearson's numbers are actually slightly better than Petty's. Pearson won 105 of the 574 races he started (18.3 percent), while Petty won 200 of 1,177 races (17.0 percent). Among active drivers, Jeff Gordon is tops with 58 wins in 293 starts (19.8 percent).

But Pearson has not lived his whole NASCAR life in Petty's shadow. In his sterling 27-year career, he won the Rookie of the Year Award the year after Petty, he won the Daytona 500 (albeit only once) and won three Winston Cup championships. He also won 10 or more races in five different seasons, including a high of 16 in 1968.

He is also one of only a few drivers to have won the four major Winston Cup races (Daytona 500, Winston 500, Coca-Cola 600 and Southern 500). Except for the Daytona 500, he won the other three major races three times each. Darlington, the site of the Southern 500, was the most successful venue for Pearson as he won 10 races at that track, more than any other driver.

Know much about David Pearson? Enter the Winner's Circle with our five weekly trivia questions. Take the NASCAR.com Trivia Challenge:

1) How many times did Pearson finish second in his career?
a) 79
b) 84
c) 89
d) 108

2) Pearson won three driving titles. Which of the following years did he not win the championship?
a) 1966
b) 1968
c) 1969
d) 1972

3) What year did Pearson claim his only Daytona 500 victory?
a) 1970
b) 1972
c) 1976
d) 1977

4) Where did Pearson win his last race?
a) Lowe's
b) Darlington
c) North Wilkesboro
d) Pocono

5) What year did Pearson win the Rookie of the Year Award?
a) 1957
b) 1960
c) 1961
d) 1963

ANSWERS:

1) C. Pearson finished second 89 times in his career, second-most in Winston Cup history.

2) D. Pearson did not win the driving title in 1972. He was the driving champion in 1966, 1968 and 1969. 3) C. Pearson won the 1976 Daytona 500. And who finished as runner-up to Pearson? Richard Petty.

4) B. Pearson's last win came on April 13, 1980, in the CRC Rebel 500 at Darlington Raceway.

5) B. Pearson won the Rookie of the Year Award in 1960.