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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.

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. During these experiences Parsons developed a knack for showmanship that helped him become a fan favorite during his racing career. 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.

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. As a teenager, he sold programs during midget races in the grandstands of venues such as Gilmore Stadium.

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. 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.

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. 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. During the war, Parsons worked for the Douglas Aircraft Company.

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. 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. 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. 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.

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.

In 1947, Parsons married his second wife, Lila, together having a daughter, named Patricia.

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. 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:

  • National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame (1984)
  • Auto Racing Hall of Fame (1986)
  • Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (2004)
  • National Sprint Car Hall of Fame (2008)
  • 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

    Original Wikipedia article last retrieved on 08 November 2023.