This article is about the Indianapolis 500 winner. For his son, also a racing driver, see Johnny Parsons.
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 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 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)
Wins
Podiums
Poles
11
20
1
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 win
1950 Indianapolis 500
Last entry
1958 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]
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...
broadcasts of race activities. Johnny Parsons is the son of JohnnieParsons and Arza Parsons (née Mitchell). His parents divorced, and Johnny was raised...
that JohnnieParsons's team discovered an irreparable crack in the engine block on race morning. The discovery supposedly precipitated Parsons to charge...
in the United States, was won by the Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser of JohnnieParsons, ahead of the Diedt-Offenhausers of Bill Holland and Mauri Rose. The...
1982 Austrian Grand Prix 1985 San Marino Grand Prix 79 United States JohnnieParsons 1 1950–1958 1950 Indianapolis 500 1950 Indianapolis 500 United States...
winners A. J. Foyt, Mario Andretti, Johnny Rutherford, Parnelli Jones, JohnnieParsons, Al Unser Sr., and Al Unser Jr., as well as NASCAR Cup Series champions...
Formula One 38 years, 323 days (1950 British Grand Prix) Succeeded by JohnnieParsons 31 years, 330 days (1950 Indianapolis 500) Preceded by Giuseppe Farina...
series of pit stops by the leaders, JohnnieParsons now led. Don Freeland moved into second, then took the lead when Parsons made his pit stop on lap 72. Al...
got in Cliff Griffith's car, and at a speed of 141.565 mph, bumped JohnnieParsons from the lineup. R = Indianapolis 500 rookie W = Former Indianapolis...
field was filled to 33 cars, and one car (Joe Barzda) was bumped. JohnnieParsons, the 1950 winner, was the fastest driver of the day. His speed of 137...
inaugural World Championship race – the 1950 British Grand Prix – and JohnnieParsons, who won the AAA-sanctioned 1950 Indianapolis 500 17 days later. Baghetti...
were also two non-championship events. The AAA National Champion was JohnnieParsons, and the Indianapolis 500 winner was Bill Holland. The season was marred...
Jerry Hoyt (50) shared car no 5. Art Cross (120), Jimmie Davies (30), JohnnieParsons (22), Andy Linden (17) & Sam Hanks (11) shared car no 45. Chuck Stevenson...
Tony Stewart, Sarah Fisher, Rodger Ward, A. J. Foyt, Mario Andretti, JohnnieParsons, Ryan Newman, Kyle Larson, Jeff Gordon, Christopher Bell, Bill Vukovich...
the first World Championship race (the 1950 British Grand Prix) and JohnnieParsons, who won the 1950 Indianapolis 500 (the Indianapolis 500 was part of...
Monaco, Belgian, French Giuseppe Farina 1950 British, Swiss, Italian 5 JohnnieParsons 1950 1 Indianapolis 500 Giancarlo Baghetti 1961 French Jackie Stewart...
on the spot. 1950 saw him a lap down on lap 138 in second place to JohnnieParsons when rain fell and ended the race. On November 14, 1951, Holland was...
Resta, 1916 Fred Frame, 1932 Wilbur Shaw, 1939 Bill Holland*, 1949 JohnnieParsons, 1950 Sam Hanks, 1957 Jim Rathmann, 1960 Bobby Unser, 1975 Johnny Rutherford...
bumps of the Monza banking. Jack Fairman's Jaguar managed to lead JohnnieParsons' Kuzma-Offy early, but eventually the three remaining USAC cars led...
Rathmann 5 Ed Elisian 16 Jimmy Reece 2 14 Bob Veith 4 Pat O'Connor 45 JohnnieParsons W 3 1 Jimmy Bryan 9 Johnny Boyd 33 Tony Bettenhausen 4 25 Jack Turner...
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