John Woodrow Parsons[1] (born July 4, 1918 – died September 8, 1984), better known as Johnnie Parsons, was an American race car driver in the AAA and USAC Championship Car series. He was the 1949 AAA national champion, and won the 1950 Indianapolis 500.
| Johnnie Parsons | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | John Woodrow Parsons July 4, 1918 Los Angeles, California, U.S. | ||||||
| Died | September 8, 1984 (aged 66) Los Angeles, California, U.S. | ||||||
| Championship titles | |||||||
| 1949 AAA Championship Car Champion 1950 Indianapolis 500 Winner | |||||||
| Awards | |||||||
| Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame (1986) Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (2004) | |||||||
| Champ Car career | |||||||
| 61 races run over 11 years | |||||||
| Years active | 1948–1958 | ||||||
| Best finish | 1st – 1949 | ||||||
| First race | 1948 Springfield 100 (Springfield) | ||||||
| Last race | 1958 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis) | ||||||
| First win | 1948 DuQuoin 100 (DuQuoin) | ||||||
| Last win | 1952 Phoenix 100 (Phoenix) | ||||||
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Parsons was known as a "charger" - needing others to compete against in order to bring out the best in him as a driver - frequently moving from near the back of the grid to the front in spectacular displays of driving ability. He drove for several seasons on a team owned by Frank Kurtis, owner of Kurtis Kraft, the leading constructor of AAA Championship cars during the early 1950s.[2]
Early life
Parsons was born in Los Angeles, California, to parents working in show business. By the age of four, Parsons was a participant in his family's song-and-dance acts, developing a knack for showmanship that led to him becoming a fan favorite during his later career.[2][3]
Parsons' interest in racing began as a child, spending time at a garage owned by his uncle, who leased space to dirt track drivers Fred Lecklider and eventual legend Frank Lockhart, both of whom Parsons met. As a teenager, he sold programs in the grandstands during midget races at Gilmore Stadium, and was influenced by the exploits of Bob Swanson, a two-time winner of the Turkey Night Grand Prix. Parsons, determined to emulate the career of Swanson, learned to weld and work on cars, becoming multi-talented within the sport.[2]
Driving career
Midget and Sprint car career
Parsons open-wheel racing career began in 1940, competing in United Midget Association (UMA) sanctioned midget races on the U.S West Coast. He won the 1942 UMA championship, winning 18 races during the season, which was interrupted by the Second World War.[2][4]
Post-war, Parsons began competing in AAA sanctioned events held throughout the United States. At the 16th Street Speedway - located across from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway - he won the third feature of the prestigious Night Before the 500 triple-header held in 1948, a year in which he also won the 1948 AAA Midwest Midget championship.[3][4]
Parsons continued racing midgets during his Championship car career. He won the 1955 Turkey Night Grand Prix midget car race, and also began racing sprint cars. In 1951, he finished third in the AAA Eastern Sprint Car championship.[3]
Championship car career
Parsons began racing in the AAA after World War II.Parsons finished second in his first Indy 500 in 1949. He won the season championship that season. He also won the 1950 Indianapolis 500.
After he retired, he became the Chief Steward for the USAC Midget division on the West Coast in the 1970s.
Borg-Warner Trophy
Johnnie Parsons had the dubious distinction of being the only Indianapolis 500 winner to have his name misspelled on the Borg-Warner Trophy. The silversmith engraved "Johnny" instead of "Johnnie." He had a son named Johnny who competed at Indy a dozen times. In 1991, during a trophy restoration project, it was proposed to correct the spelling, albeit posthumously. However, it was decided to keep the error intact, as part of the trophy's lore.
Awards
- He was inducted into the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 1984.[4]
- He was inducted into the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame in 1986.[3]
- He was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2004.[2]
- He was inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 2008.[5]
Complete AAA/USAC Championship Car results
Indianapolis 500 results
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- Parsons initially failed to qualify for the 1957 Indianapolis 500. However, Dick Rathmann (who had qualified) was mugged the day before the race and therefore deemed unable to drive. Parsons was selected as replacement driver for the car and allowed to start from the position Dick Rathmann had qualified the car at (in later years such a driver change would see the car in question moved to the rear of the field).
World Championship career summary
The Indianapolis 500 was part of the FIA World Championship from 1950 through 1960. Drivers competing at Indy during those years were credited with World Championship points and participation. Johnnie Parsons participated in 9 World Championship races. He won one race, set one fastest leading lap, and finished on the podium once. He accumulated a total of 12 championship points.
Parsons is one of only three drivers to win on his world championship début. The other two are Nino Farina, who won the first world championship race – the 1950 British Grand Prix, 17 days earlier – and Giancarlo Baghetti, who won the 1961 French Grand Prix.
References
- ^ "Johnnie Parsons". www.champcarstats.com. Retrieved 2023-04-23.
- ^ a b c d e "Johnnie Parsons". www.mshf.com. Retrieved 2023-04-23.
- ^ a b c d "Johnnie Parsons". IMS Museum. Retrieved 2023-04-23.
- ^ a b c "Johnnie Parsons". web.archive.org. 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2023-04-24.
- ^ "Johnnie Parsons". www.sprintcarhof.com. Retrieved 2023-05-08.