Johnnie Parsons

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This article is about the Indianapolis 500 winner. For his son, also a racing driver, see Johnny Parsons.
Johnnie Parsons
Parsons, circa 1957
BornJohn Woodrow Parsons
(1918-07-04)July 4, 1918
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
DiedSeptember 8, 1984(1984-09-08) (aged 66)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Championship titles
AAA Midwest Midget Car (1948)
AAA Championship Car (1949)
USAC Pacific Coast Midget Car (1956)
Major victories
Indianapolis 500 (1950)
Champ Car career
61 races run over 11 years
Best finish1st (1949)
First race1948 Springfield 100 (Springfield)
Last race1958 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis)
First win1948 DuQuoin 100 (DuQuoin)
Last win1952 Phoenix 100 (Phoenix)
Wins Podiums Poles
11 20 1
Formula One World Championship career
Active years1950 – 1958
TeamsKurtis Kraft, Kuzma
Entries9
Championships0
Wins1
Podiums1
Career points12
Pole positions0
Fastest laps1
First entry1950 Indianapolis 500
First win1950 Indianapolis 500
Last entry1958 Indianapolis 500

John Woodrow "Johnnie" Parsons (July 4, 1918 – September 8, 1984) was an American racing driver in the AAA and USAC Championship Car series. He was the 1949 AAA national champion, and won the 1950 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 by Frank Kurtis, owner of Kurtis Kraft, the leading constructor of AAA Championship cars during the early 1950s.[1]

Early life

Parsons was born in Los Angeles, California, to Harmon and Belle Parsons, who both made their living in show business. By the age of three, Parsons was a participant in his family's song-and-dance act, working vaudeville theaters of the Orpheum 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 legend dirt track driver Fred Lecklider, rising star Frank Lockhart, and Ralph DePalma, winner of the 1915 Indianapolis 500. Exposure to these drivers coupled with the experiences attending his first races at the Legion Ascot Speedway during the late 1920s inspired Parsons to aspire to a driving career for himself.[1][2] As a teenager, he sold programs during midget races in the grandstands of venues such as Gilmore Stadium.[1]

Parsons was heavily influenced by drivers such as Bob Swanson - a two-time winner of the Turkey 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 from Polytechnic High School, he had worked for drivers such as Curly Wetteroth and Kelly Petillo. He was then hired by an engineering firm in Glendale, where he did design layouts and worked as a welder.[2]

Driving career

Midget and Sprint car career

Parsons' open-wheel racing career began in 1940, competing in a midget race at Atlantic Boulevard Speedway in Los Angeles. Later that year, he scored his first victory at a race held in Colton, California.[1] Around this time he began competing in semi-professional, United Midget Association (UMA) sanctioned midget races on the U.S West Coast. In 1942, Parsons won the UMA championship, winning 18 races during the season, which was interrupted by the Second World War.[1][4] During the war, Parsons worked for the Douglas 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 the Midwest, where he competed in AAA-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 the Night Before the 500 triple-header held at the 16th Street Speedway - located across from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.[2][3][4] His successes during this year earned Parsons Championship Car opportunities.

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' winning car from the 1950 Indianapolis 500

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.

World Drivers' Championship career

Parsons intended to drive this Ferrari 375 Indianapolis in the 1952 Indianapolis 500 - he later elected to race the Kurtis Kraft in which he had driven the 1949 and 1950 events

The AAA/USAC-sanctioned Indianapolis 500 was included in the FIA World 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 the AAA/USAC National 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 are Nino Farina, who won the inaugural World Championship race – the 1950 British Grand Prix, 17 days earlier – and Giancarlo Baghetti, who won the 1961 French Grand Prix.

Personal life

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 marry Duane 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]

Borg-Warner Trophy

Parsons' misengraved name on the 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. 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.

Awards and honors

Parsons has been inducted into the following halls of fame:

Motorsports career results

AAA/USAC Championship Car results

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

Indianapolis 500 results

  • 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).

FIA World Drivers' Championship results

(key) (Races in italics 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 Kraft 1000 Offenhauser L4 GBR MON 500
1 		SUI BEL FRA ITA 6th 9
1951 Wynn's Friction Proofing / Walsh Kurtis Kraft 3000 Offenhauser L4 SUI 500
Ret 		BEL FRA GBR GER ITA ESP NC 0
1952 Jim Robbins Kurtis Kraft 1000 Offenhauser L4 SUI 500
10 		BEL FRA GBR GER NED ITA NC 0
1953 Belond Equa-Flow Kurtis Kraft 500B Offenhauser L4 ARG 500
Ret 		NED BEL FRA GBR GER SUI ITA NC 0
1954 Belond Equa-Flow / Calif. Muffler Kurtis Kraft 500C Offenhauser L4 ARG 500
Ret 		BEL FRA GBR GER SUI ITA ESP NC 0
1955 Trio Brass Foundry / Anderson Kurtis Kraft 500C Offenhauser L4 ARG MON 500
Ret 		BEL NED GBR ITA NC 0
1956 J.C. Agajanian Kuzma Indy Roadster Offenhauser L4 ARG MON 500
4 		BEL FRA GBR GER ITA 18th 3
1957 Sumar/Chapman Root Kurtis Kraft 500G Offenhauser L4 ARG MON 500
16 		FRA GBR GER PES ITA NC 0
1958 Fred Gerhardt Kurtis Kraft 500G Offenhauser L4 ARG MON NED 500
12 		BEL FRA GBR GER POR ITA MOR NC 0

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Johnnie Parsons". www.mshf.com. Retrieved 2023-04-23.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Johnnie Parsons". www.sprintcarhof.com. Retrieved 2023-05-08.
  3. ^ a b c d "Johnnie Parsons". IMS Museum. Retrieved 2023-04-23.
  4. ^ a b c d "Johnnie Parsons". 2007-09-27. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2023-04-24.
  5. ^ MGM, To please a Lady (1950)
Awards
Preceded by Indianapolis 500 winner
1950 		Succeeded by
Records
Preceded by Youngest Grand Prix
race winner
31 years, 330 days
(1950 Indianapolis 500) 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Youngest driver to set
fastest lap in Formula One
31 years, 330 days
(1950 Indianapolis 500) 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Youngest race leader,
for at least one lap in Formula One
31 years, 330 days
(1950 Indianapolis 500) 		Succeeded by
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