Battling Cancer

Benny Parsons found out two weeks ago that he has lung cancer. (Photo: AP)

07/26/2006

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP)- Former NASCAR champion Benny Parsons has been diagnosed with lung cancer and began chemotherapy treatments Wednesday.

Parsons, the 1973 Cup champion and currently a NASCAR commentator on NBC and TNT, was diagnosed two weeks ago after he had trouble breathing.

“Needless to say this was a huge shock,” Parsons said. “The first thing everyone asks me is, ‘Are you a smoker?’ The answer is that I smoked my last cigarette way back in 1978, and since then I’ve hated being around smoking.

“I don’t even allow anyone in my foursome to smoke on the golf course.”

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