| Johnnie Parsons | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Parsons, circa 1957 | |||||||
| Born | John Woodrow Parsons (1918-07-04)July 4, 1918 Los Angeles, California, U.S. | ||||||
| Died | September 8, 1984(1984-09-08) (aged 66) Los Angeles, California, U.S. | ||||||
| Championship titles | |||||||
| AAA MidwestMidget Car (1948) AAAChampionship Car (1949) USAC Pacific CoastMidget Car (1956) Major victories Indianapolis 500 (1950) | |||||||
| Champ Car career | |||||||
| 61 races run over 11 years | |||||||
| Best finish | 1st (1949) | ||||||
| First race | 1948Springfield 100 (Springfield) | ||||||
| Last race | 1958Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis) | ||||||
| First win | 1948DuQuoin 100 (DuQuoin) | ||||||
| Last win | 1952Phoenix 100 (Phoenix) | ||||||
| |||||||
| Formula One World Championship career | |||||||
| Active years | 1950 –1958 | ||||||
| Teams | Kurtis Kraft,Kuzma | ||||||
| Entries | 9 | ||||||
| Championships | 0 | ||||||
| Wins | 1 | ||||||
| Podiums | 1 | ||||||
| Career points | 12 | ||||||
| Pole positions | 0 | ||||||
| Fastest laps | 1 | ||||||
| First entry | 1950 Indianapolis 500 | ||||||
| First win | 1950 Indianapolis 500 | ||||||
| Last entry | 1958 Indianapolis 500 | ||||||
John Woodrow Parsons (July 4, 1918 – September 8, 1984) was an Americanracing driver in theAAA andUSACChampionship Car series. He was the1949 AAAnational champion, and won the1950 Indianapolis 500.
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 byFrank Kurtis, owner ofKurtis Kraft, the leading constructor of AAA Championship cars during the early 1950s.[1]
Parsons was born inLos Angeles, California, to Harmon and Belle Parsons, who both made their living inshow business. By the age of three, Parsons was a participant in his family's song-and-dance act, workingvaudeville theaters of theOrpheum Circuit.[2] During these experiences Parsons developed a knack for showmanship that helped him become a fan favorite during his racing career.[1][3] Parsons' parents separated in the mid-1920s, after which he went to live with his uncle, Jack Bridges, who owned a garage in Los Angeles.[2]
Among those who leased space from Bridges included local legenddirt track driverFred Lecklider, rising starFrank Lockhart, andRalph DePalma, winner of the1915 Indianapolis 500. Exposure to these drivers coupled with the experiences attending his first races at theLegion Ascot Speedway during the late 1920s inspired Parsons to aspire to a driving career for himself.[1][2] As a teenager, he sold programs duringmidget races in the grandstands of venues such asGilmore Stadium.[1]
Parsons was heavily influenced by drivers such asBob Swanson - a two-time winner of theTurkey Night Grand Prix - who were also skilled mechanics. Parsons, determined to emulate the career of Swanson, learned to weld and work on cars, becoming multi-talented within the sport.[1] During junior high school he began working for some of the local drivers who had cars stored at his uncle's garage. By the time of his graduation fromPolytechnic High School, he had worked for drivers such asCurly Wetteroth andKelly Petillo. He was then hired by an engineering firm inGlendale, where he did design layouts and worked as a welder.[2]
Parsons' open-wheel racing career began in 1940, competing in amidget race atAtlantic Boulevard Speedway in Los Angeles. Later that year, he scored his first victory at a race held inColton, California.[1] Around this time he began competing in semi-professional,United Midget Association (UMA) sanctioned midget races on the U.SWest Coast. In 1942, Parsons won the UMA championship, winning 18 races during the season, which was interrupted by theSecond World War.[1][4] During the war, Parsons worked for theDouglas Aircraft Company.[2]
Post-war, Parsons resumed racing in UMA sanctioned events throughout California. He also turned professional, in one week racing as often as five nights, and twice during Sundays.[2] In 1947, Parsons raced out of state for the first time, relocating to theMidwest, where he competed inAAA-sanctioned events held throughout the United States.[2][4] In 1948, Parsons claimed the AAA Midwest Midget championship, a year during which he won the prestigious third feature of theNight Before the 500 triple-header held at the16th Street Speedway - located across from theIndianapolis Motor Speedway.[2][3][4] His successes during this year earned ParsonsChampionship Car opportunities.
Parsons continued racing midgets during his Championship car career. He won the 1955Turkey 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]
Parsons began racing in theAAA afterWorld War II. Parsons finished second in his first Indy 500 in1949. He won the season championship that season. He also won the1950 Indianapolis 500.
After he retired, he became the Chief Steward for theUSAC Midget division on the West Coast in the 1970s.
TheAAA/USAC-sanctioned Indianapolis 500 was included in theFIAWorld Drivers' Championship from 1950 through 1960. Drivers competing at Indianapolis during those years were credited with World Drivers' Championship points and participation in addition to those which they received towards theAAA/USACNational Championship.
Parsons participated in nine World Drivers' Championship races at Indianapolis. He won once, recorded one fastest lap, and accumulated 12 World Drivers' Championship points.
Parsons is one of only three drivers to win on their World Drivers' Championship début. The other two areNino Farina, who won the inaugural World Championship race – the1950 British Grand Prix, 17 days earlier – andGiancarlo Baghetti, who won the1961 French Grand Prix.
Around 1942, Parsons met and married his first wife, Arza. Together they had two children; a son,John Wayne Parsons, and a daughter, Joan. John, commonly referred to as "Johnny Parsons, Jr.," would grow up to also become a race car driver. Parsons, Sr. and Arza separated around 1947. Arza would later marryDuane Carter, having a son,Duane, Jr. - commonly known as "Pancho" - who coincidentally also grew up to be a race car driver.[2]
In 1947, Parsons married his second wife, Lila, together having a daughter, named Patricia.[2]
Johnnie Parsons had the dubious distinction of being the only Indianapolis 500 winner to have his name misspelled on theBorg-Warner Trophy. The silversmith engraved "Johnny" instead of "Johnnie." He had a son namedJohnny who competed at Indy a dozen times. Evidence of the engraver's mistake can be seen in MGM’s production,To Please a Lady (1950). When the camera pans across Johnnie Parsons' name and bust relief, while they’re doing a brief segment on the trophy, his misspelled name is revealed.[5] 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.
Parsons has been inducted into the following halls of fame:
| Year | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | Pos | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | ARL | INDY DNQ | MIL | LAN | MIL | SPR 2 | MIL 2 | DUQ 11 | ATL | PIK | SPR 13 | DUQ 1 | 11th | 700 | |||
| 1949 | ARL 1 | INDY 2 | MIL 13 | TRE 11 | SPR 3 | MIL 1 | DUQ 11 | PIK | SYR 1 | DET 12 | SPR 1 | LAN 1 | SAC 5 | DMR 15 | 1st | 2,280 | |
| 1950 | INDY 1 | MIL 11 | LAN DNS | SPR DNQ | MIL DNS | PIK | SYR DNQ | DET 16 | SPR DNQ | SAC 11 | PHX 3 | BAY DNQ | DAR 1 | 3rd | 1,313 | ||
| 1951 | INDY 21 | MIL DNQ | LAN DNS | DAR 23 | SPR | MIL 3 | DUQ 2 | DUQ 16 | PIK | SYR 17 | DET | DNC 14 | SJS 7 | PHX 1 | BAY 1 | 6th | 1,012 |
| 1952 | INDY 10 | MIL DNQ | RAL 22 | SPR DNQ | MIL | DET | DUQ | PIK | SYR | DNC | SJS 16 | PHX 1 | 18th | 350 | |||
| 1953 | INDY 26 | MIL | SPR DNQ | DET 8 | SPR 4 | MIL 21 | DUQ 3 | PIK | SYR 12 | ISF 3 | SAC 15 | PHX 16 | 13th | 435.5 | |||
| 1954 | INDY 32 | MIL 16 | LAN | DAR 30 | SPR DNQ | MIL | DUQ 7 | PIK | SYR 8 | ISF 16 | SAC DNQ | PHX DNQ | LVG DNQ | 33rd | 122.5 | ||
| 1955 | INDY 21 | MIL | LAN | SPR | MIL 9 | DUQ DNQ | PIK | SYR DNQ | ISF | SAC | PHX | 39th | 53.2 | ||||
| 1956 | INDY 4 | MIL 17 | LAN | DAR | ATL | SPR | MIL 11 | DUQ DNQ | SYR DNP | ISF | SAC DNQ | PHX | 13th | 650 | |||
| 1957 | INDY 16 | LAN | MIL | DET | ATL | SPR | MIL 7 | DUQ | SYR | ISF | TRE | SAC | PHX | 27th | 120 | ||
| 1958 | TRE | INDY 12 | MIL Wth | LAN | ATL | SPR | MIL | DUQ | SYR | ISF | TRE | SAC | PHX | 34th | 50 | ||
| 1959 | DAY | TRE | INDY DNP | MIL | LAN | SPR | MIL | DUQ | SYR | ISF | TRE | SAC | PHX | - | 0 | ||
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(key) (Races initalics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | WDC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | Wynn's Friction / Kurtis-Kraft | Kurtis Kraft1000 | OffenhauserL4 | GBR | MON | 500 1 | SUI | BEL | FRA | ITA | 6th | 9 | ||||
| 1951 | Wynn's Friction Proofing / Walsh | Kurtis Kraft3000 | OffenhauserL4 | SUI | 500 Ret | BEL | FRA | GBR | GER | ITA | ESP | NC | 0 | |||
| 1952 | Jim Robbins | Kurtis Kraft1000 | OffenhauserL4 | SUI | 500 10 | BEL | FRA | GBR | GER | NED | ITA | NC | 0 | |||
| 1953 | Belond Equa-Flow | Kurtis Kraft500B | OffenhauserL4 | ARG | 500 Ret | NED | BEL | FRA | GBR | GER | SUI | ITA | NC | 0 | ||
| 1954 | Belond Equa-Flow / Calif. Muffler | Kurtis Kraft500C | OffenhauserL4 | ARG | 500 Ret | BEL | FRA | GBR | GER | SUI | ITA | ESP | NC | 0 | ||
| 1955 | Trio Brass Foundry / Anderson | Kurtis Kraft500C | OffenhauserL4 | ARG | MON | 500 Ret | BEL | NED | GBR | ITA | NC | 0 | ||||
| 1956 | J.C. Agajanian | KuzmaIndy Roadster | OffenhauserL4 | ARG | MON | 500 4 | BEL | FRA | GBR | GER | ITA | 18th | 3 | |||
| 1957 | Sumar/Chapman Root | Kurtis Kraft500G | OffenhauserL4 | ARG | MON | 500 16 | FRA | GBR | GER | PES | ITA | NC | 0 | |||
| 1958 | Fred Gerhardt | Kurtis Kraft500G | OffenhauserL4 | ARG | MON | NED | 500 12 | BEL | FRA | GBR | GER | POR | ITA | MOR | NC | 0 |
| Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Indianapolis 500 winner 1950 | Succeeded by |
| Records | ||
| Preceded by Juan Manuel Fangio 38 years, 331 days (1950 Monaco GP) | Youngest Grand Prix race winner 31 years, 330 days (1950 Indianapolis 500) | Succeeded by José Froilán González 28 years, 282 days (1951 British GP) |
| Preceded by Juan Manuel Fangio 38 years, 331 days (1950 Monaco GP) | Youngest driver to set fastest lap in Formula One 31 years, 330 days (1950 Indianapolis 500) | Succeeded by José Froilán González 29 years, 338 days (1952 Italian GP) |
| Preceded by Juan Manuel Fangio 38 years, 323 days (1950 British GP) | Youngest race leader, for at least one lap in Formula One 31 years, 330 days (1950 Indianapolis 500) | Succeeded by Jimmy Davies 21 years, 285 days (1951 Indianapolis 500) |