David Parsons

David John "Skippy" Parsons (born 17 May 1959 in Devonport, Tasmania ), is a retired Australian racing driver, who, while never a full-time racing driver, drove for some of the leading racing teams in Australia including the Holden Dealer Team, Perkins Engineering, Glenn Seton Racing and Gibson Motorsport.

Career

Group C The son of Tasmanian touring car racer Graham Parsons, David Parsons, a dairy farmer, began emerging onto the national scene racing a Holden Commodore (VC) in the 1982 Australian Touring Car Championship, making his debut at his home track, Symmons Plains in Tasmania. Embraced as an endurance co-driver by gentleman privateer racer Peter Janson, he showed pace on his way to fourth outright at the 1982 James Hardie 1000, as well as qualifying Janson's Commodore third for the 1983 race.

For his fourth place finish in the 1982 James Hardie 1000, Parsons won the Bathurst 1000's "Rookie of the Year" award.

This, and his performances in his self-funded Commodore in the 1983 ATCC, brought Parsons to the attention of Peter Brock and the Holden Dealer Team, and with the help of Janson he was drafted into the HDT for the 1984 Australian Endurance Championship. Parsons co-drove with John Harvey to a DNF in the Oran Park 250 in Brock's ATCC car, before the pair went on to finish third in the 1984 Castrol 500 at Sandown in the second of the team's new VK Commodores. Parson's actually spent the bulk of his stint in the car at Sandown trying to keep the drivers side door closed as the latch had broken and the door was swinging open on right hand turns, of which the new International Circuit (being a circuit that runs anti-clockwise) now had 9.

From there Harvey/Parsons finished second in the 1984 James Hardie 1000 behind teammates Brock and Larry Perkins, with Parsons following Brock across the finish line in a 1-2 form finish. Late in the James Hardie 1000, Parsons was "let off the leash" by team owner Brock who told him to go for second place which was held at the time by Formula One World Champion Alan Jones who was driving Warren Cullen's similar VK Commodore. Parsons responded to the challenge and reduced the gap to the former World Champion from over a minute to under two seconds before Jones was forced to pit with four laps remaining for fuel and attention to the cars non-existent rear brakes (unfortunately for Jones, the stop not only saw Parsons go past but also Gregg Hansford in Allan Moffat's Mazda RX-7, dropping the Commodore to 4th place and off the podium).

After finishing seventh in the 1983 ATCC in his own privately entered Holden Commodore SS, Parsons drove his 1983 Bathurst Commodore for Peter Janson in the opening two rounds of the 1984 championship at Sandown and Symmons Plains, but Janson did not have the funds to run the full series and these were Parson's only drives in the championship which saw him fall to 17th in the standings.

Group A Parsons was retained as a driver for the HDT into 1985, although results were harder to come by as the Commodore initially struggled with engine unreliability in Australia's move to the FIA's Group A rules. The highlight of the year for the Tasmanian dairy farmer was out qualifying team leader Brock at the 1985 James Hardie 1000 (the only time that Brock as the HDT owner was out-qualified by a teammate). Parsons left HDT in 1986 to join Perkins in his new team Perkins Engineering, but was let go in early 1987 with Perkins opting for someone with "more experience" after Parsons had crashed the Commodore in the Wellington 500 (Perkins would select World Champion Denny Hulme as Parsons replacement with the pair going on to win the Pukekohe 500 a week after Wellington). Parsons rejoined the HDT, now without any official support from Holden following the company's split with Brock in February 1987, and joined Brock and Neville Crichton at the Spa 24 Hours round of the inaugural World Touring Car Championship (WTCC). The trio failed to finish the race.

Heading into the 1987 James Hardie 1000 (which was also a round of the WTCC), the Holden Dealer Team was expected to do little more the make up the numbers against the strength of the factory supported European Ford and BMW teams. When the #05 car Parsons shared with Brock experienced a major engine failure in the early running, their effort looked set to be little more than a footnote (Brock had pitted a number of laps early and put Parsons into the car leading to speculation that Brock knew the engine was dying and wanted himself in the pits rather than stranded out on the track, though Parsons did manage to get the heavily smoking #05 back to the pits). First Brock, then Parsons stepped aboard the team's second car, #10 which had been driven to that point of the race by the 1983 Australian Endurance Champion Peter McLeod. Inspired driving on variable surface as rain plagued the second half of the race, good strategy and a lucky break with safety car procedure saw the team claw their way past the BMW M3s as they failed, and the Nissan Skyline turbos and into third position behind the almost flawless 1-2 finish of the Eggenberger Motorsport Ford Sierra RS500s. During his stint at the wheel, Parsons recorded a time of 2:25.37 on lap 129 which was credited as #10's fastest race lap in the 1987 1000 (Brock's fastest recorded time was a 2:25.55 on lap 90 while McLeod had posted a 2:26.58 on lap 58).

After scrutineering at Bathurst in 1987, there had been rumours about the legality of the Eggenberger built Sierra's, specifically to do with oversized wheel arches. On the Thursday before qualifying, an official protest was lodged against the Sierra's, which was held over due to the lack of a road going RS500 in Australia to compare them with. Eventually, after nearly four months and an eventual disqualification and later appeal by Eggenberger, the two Sierras were disqualified for having oversize wheel arches allowing them to fit larger wheels, giving McLeod, Brock and Parsons the race win.

Parsons stayed with the team into 1988 as they transitioned from V8 Holden Commodores to 4 cyl BMW M3s, although by now in Australia the giant-killers of 1987 had become little more than class runners in the face of the all-powerful Sierras. After then sitting out 1989 during which time the Brock team also switched to running the RS500 Sierras, Parsons returned to Brock's team in 1990, teaming with Andrew Miedecke and Charlie O'Brien to finish 11th at the 1990 Tooheys 1000 at Bathurst, 12 laps down on the winning Holden Racing Team SS Group A Commodore of Allan Grice and Win Percy.

Parsons then went on to join Glenn Seton Racing in 1991 where he became a regular co-driver for the team for the next seven years, continuing to race with the team into the V8 Supercar era. The highlight of his time with GSR was winning the 1993 Sandown 500 co-driving a Ford Falcon (EB) with Geoff Brabham and qualifying in the top ten at the 1991 Tooheys 1000 in a Sierra.

Parsons came close to winning his second Bathurst 1000 in 1995 when team boss and co-driver Glenn Seton led the race with just ten laps to go. However, a dropped valve in the Barry Seton built Ford V8 saw the Ford Falcon (EF) retire on lap 152, handing the win to Parsons' former teammate Larry Perkins. The loss was hard to take as the car had led for most of the race and until the engine went sour on lap 151, Seton held a 10-second lead over Perkins. 1995 was also the 30th anniversary of Bo Seton's only win in 1965. Parsons was actually to drive the team's second car with lead driver Alan Jones, while veteran Allan Grice was entered as Seton's co-driver. However, after early practice had seen Parsons lapping quicker than Grice, Glenn Seton made the decision to move Parsons into the lead car with himself while Grice was moved to partner Jones. Ironically, the Jones/Grice car would finish second behind the Commodore of Perkins and Russell Ingall.

V8 Supercars From 1998 onwards, Parsons was a hired gun, driving for Gibson Motorsport and Owen Parkinson Racing, including co-drives with the other racing driver named David "Truckie" Parsons. His final Bathurst appearance was alongside Paul Romano in 2000. Since then Parsons has made occasional one-off appearances in various sedan based categories.

Career results Season Series Position Car Team 1982 Australian Touring Car Championship 12th Holden VC Commodore David Parsons Australian Endurance Championship 48th Holden VH Commodore SS Cadbury-Schweppes Pty. Ltd. 1983 Australian Touring Car Championship 7th Holden VH Commodore SS David Parsons 1984 Australian Touring Car Championship 17th Holden VH Commodore SS Cadbury Schweppes Racing Australian Endurance Championship 6th Holden VK Commodore SS Holden Dealer Team 1985 Australian Touring Car Championship 25th Holden VK Commodore SS Holden Dealer Team 1986 Australian Endurance Championship 64th Holden VK Commodore SS Group A Perkins Motorsport 1987 Australian Touring Car Championship 24th Holden VK Commodore SS Group A HDT Racing P/L 1988 Australian Touring Car Championship 14th BMW M3 Mobil 1 Racing Asia-Pacific Touring Car Championship NC BMW M3 Mobil 1 Racing 1990 Australian Endurance Championship 16th Ford Sierra RS500 Mobil 1 Racing 1992 Australian Touring Car Championship 27th Ford Sierra RS500 Glenn Seton Racing 1999 Shell Championship Series 28th Holden VS CommodoreHolden VT Commodore Owen Parkinson RacingGibson Motorsport

Complete Australian Touring Car Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 DC Points 1982 David Parsons Holden VC CommodoreHolden VH Commodore SS SAN CAL SYM ORA LAK WAN AIR SUR 12th 14 1983 David Parsons Holden VH Commodore SS CAL SAN SYM WAN AIR SUR ORA LAK 7th 57 1984 Cadbury-Schweppes Racing Holden VH Commodore SS SAN SYM WAN SUR ORA LAK AIR 17th 20 1985 Holden Dealer Team Holden VK Commodore SS WIN SAN SYM WAN AIR CAL SUR LAK AMA ORA 25th 13 1987 HDT Racing P/L Holden VK Commodore SS Group A CAL SYM LAK WAN AIR SUR SAN AMA ORA 24th 3 1988 Mobil 1 Racing BMW M3 CAL SYMWIN WAN AIR LAK SAN AMA ORA 14th 6 1992 Peter Jackson Racing Ford Sierra RS500 AMA SAN SYM WIN LAK ECR MAL WAN ORA 27th 8 1999 Owen Parkinson RacingGibson Motorsport Holden VS CommodoreHolden VT Commodore ECR ADE BAR PHI HID SAN QLD CAL SYM WIN ORA QLD BAT 28th 446 2000 Romano Racing Holden VS Commodore PHI BAR ADE ECR HID CAN QLD WIN ORA CAL QLD SAN BAT NC 0

Complete World Touring Car Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 DC Points 1987 HDT Racing P/L Holden VL Commodore SS Group A MNZ JAR DIJ NUR SPA BNO SIL BATovr:1cls:1 CLDovr:8cls:4 WELovr:5cls:4 FJI NC 0 Despite winning the James Hardie 1000 at Bathurst, Parsons scored no World Championship points as he wasn't a registered WTCC competitor.

Complete Asia-Pacific Touring Car Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 DC Points 1988 Mobil 1 Racing BMW M3 BAT WEL PUK FJI NC 0

Complete Bathurst 1000 results Year Car# Team Co-drivers Car Class Laps Overallposition Classposition 1982 3 Cadbury Schweppes Racing Peter Janson Holden VH Commodore SS A 158 4th 4th 1983 3 Cadbury Schweppes Racing Peter Janson Holden VH Commodore SS A 106 DNF DNF 1984 25 Marlboro Holden Dealer Team John Harvey Holden VK Commodore SS Group C 161 2nd 2nd 1985 7 Holden Dealer Team John Harvey Holden VK Commodore SS A 96 DNF DNF 1986 11 Enzed Team Perkins Larry Perkins Holden VK Commodore SS Group A C 140 25th 18th 1987 10 HDT Racing P/L Peter McLeod Peter Brock Jon Crooke Holden VL Commodore SS Group A 1 158 1st 1st 05 Peter Brock Holden VL Commodore SS Group A 1 34 DNF DNF 1988 57 Mobil 1 Racing Jim Richards Neil Crompton BMW M3 B 68 DNF DNF 1990 6 Mobil 1 Racing Andrew Miedecke Charlie O'Brien Ford Sierra RS500 1 149 11th 11th 1991 35 Peter Jackson Racing Wayne Park Ford Sierra RS500 1 60 DNF DNF 1992 35 Peter Jackson Racing Wayne Park Ford Sierra RS500 A 136 8th 7th 1993 35 Peter Jackson Racing Geoff Brabham Ford EB Falcon A 154 6th 6th 1994 30 Peter Jackson Racing Alan Jones Ford EB Falcon A 52 DNF DNF 1995 30 Peter Jackson Racing Glenn Seton Ford EF Falcon 152 DNF DNF 1996 30 Ford Credit Racing Glenn Seton Ford EF Falcon 152 15th 15th 1997 1 Ford Credit Racing Glenn Seton Ford EL Falcon L1 121 DNF DNF 1998 2 Gibson Motorsport Simon Wills Holden VS Commodore OC 57 DNF DNF 1999 73 Gibson Motorsport David Parsons Holden VT Commodore 159 11th 11th 2000 24 Romano Racing Paul Romano Holden VS Commodore 23 DNF DNF

Complete Spa 24 Hours results Year Team Co-drivers Car Class Laps Overallposition Classposition 1987 HDT Racing P/L Peter Brock Neville Crichton Holden VL Commodore SS Group A Div.3 206 DNF DNF

Complete Sandown Enduro results Year Team Co-drivers Car Class Laps Overallposition Classposition 1982 Cadbury Schweppes Racing Holden VH Commodore SS D NA DNF DNF 1983 Cadbury Schweppes Racing Peter Janson Holden VH Commodore SS Over 3000cc NA DNF DNF 1984 Holden Dealer Team John Harvey Holden VK Commodore SS Over 3000cc 127 3rd 3rd 1985 Holden Dealer Team John Harvey Holden VK Commodore SS A 78 DNF DNF 1986 Perkins Engineering Larry Perkins Holden VK Commodore SS Group A B 122 14th 14th 1987 Holden Dealer Team Peter Brock Holden VL Commodore SS Group A A 113 DNF DNF 1988 Mobil 1 Racing Peter Brock Jim Richards BMW M3 B 122 7th 1st Neil Crompton Peter Brock BMW M3 B 58 DNF DNF 1990 Mobil 1 Racing Peter Brock Andrew Miedecke Ford Sierra RS500 Div.1 151 4th 4th 1992 Peter Jackson Racing Wayne Park Ford Sierra RS500 3A 82 DNF DNF 1993 Peter Jackson Racing Geoff Brabham Ford EB Falcon V8 161 1st 1st 1994 Peter Jackson Racing Alan Jones Ford EB Falcon V8 147 DNF DNF 1995 Peter Jackson Racing Alan Jones Ford EF Falcon 136 DNF DNF 1996 Ford Credit Racing Glenn Seton Ford EF Falcon 161 2nd 2nd 1997 Ford Credit Racing Glenn Seton Ford EL Falcon 150 11th 11th 1998 Gibson Motorsport Simon Wills Holden VS Commodore OC 143 10th 10th