Johnnie Parsons

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

Borg-Warner Trophy

Parsons has 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)

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 INDYDNQ MIL LAN MIL SPR2 MIL2 DUQ11 ATL PIK SPR13 DUQ1 11th 700 1949 ARL1 INDY2 MIL13 TRE11 SPR3 MIL1 DUQ11 PIK SYR1 DET12 SPR1 LAN1 SAC5 DMR15 1st 2,280 1950 INDY1 MIL11 LANDNS SPRDNQ MILDNS PIK SYRDNQ DET16 SPRDNQ SAC11 PHX3 BAYDNQ DAR1 3rd 1,313 1951 INDY21 MILDNQ LANDNS DAR23 SPR MIL3 DUQ2 DUQ16 PIK SYR17 DET DNC14 SJS7 PHX1 BAY1 6th 1,012 1952 INDY10 MILDNQ RAL22 SPRDNQ MIL DET DUQ PIK SYR DNC SJS16 PHX1 18th 350 1953 INDY26 MIL SPRDNQ DET8 SPR4 MIL21 DUQ3 PIK SYR12 ISF3 SAC15 PHX16 13th 435.5 1954 INDY32 MIL16 LAN DAR30 SPRDNQ MIL DUQ7 PIK SYR8 ISF16 SACDNQ PHXDNQ LVGDNQ 33rd 122.5 1955 INDY21 MIL LAN SPR MIL9 DUQDNQ PIK SYRDNQ ISF SAC PHX 39th 53.2 1956 INDY4 MIL17 LAN DAR ATL SPR MIL11 DUQDNQ SYRDNP ISF SACDNQ PHX 13th 650 1957 INDY16 LAN MIL DET ATL SPR MIL7 DUQ SYR ISF TRE SAC PHX 27th 120 1958 TRE INDY12 MILWth LAN ATL SPR MIL DUQ SYR ISF TRE SAC PHX 34th 50 1959 DAY TRE INDYDNP 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)