Parnelli Jones facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Parnelli Jones |
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Jones in 2015
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| Born | Rufus Parnell Jones August 12, 1933 Texarkana, Arkansas, United States |
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| Died | June 4, 2024 (aged 90) Torrance, California, United States |
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| Championship titles | |||||||
| USAC Midwest Sprint Car (1960) USAC Sprint Car (1961, 1962) USAC Stock Car (1964) Major victories Indianapolis 500 (1963) Baja 1000 (1971, 1972) |
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| Champ Car career | |||||||
| 59 races run over 8 years | |||||||
| Best finish | 3rd (1962) | ||||||
| First race | 1960 Rex Mays Classic (Milwaukee) | ||||||
| Last race | 1967 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis) | ||||||
| First win | 1961 Bobby Ball Memorial (Phoenix) | ||||||
| Last win | 1965 Rex Mays Classic (Milwaukee) | ||||||
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| NASCAR Cup Series career | |||||||
| 34 races run over 12 years | |||||||
| Best finish | 33rd (1958) | ||||||
| First race | 1956 Race 24 (Merced) | ||||||
| Last race | 1970 Motor Trend 500 (Riverside) | ||||||
| First win | 1957 Race 36 (Bremerton) | ||||||
| Last win | 1967 Motor Trend 500 (Riverside) | ||||||
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Rufus Parnell "Parnelli" Jones (August 12, 1933 – June 4, 2024) was a famous American race car driver and team owner. He was known for his amazing achievements in the Indianapolis 500 and the Baja 1000 desert race. He also competed in the Trans-Am Championship series.
In 1962, Parnelli Jones became the first driver to qualify for the Indy 500 at over 150 miles per hour (240 km/h). He won the race in 1963. Later, in the 1967 race, he was leading with only three laps left when his special turbine car broke down. As a team owner, he won the Indy 500 in 1970 and 1971 with driver Al Unser.
Jones was a versatile driver, winning races in many types of vehicles. These included sports cars, IndyCars, sprint cars, midget cars, off-road vehicles, and stock cars.
Contents
Parnelli Jones's Racing Career
Parnelli Jones was born in Texarkana, Arkansas. His family later moved to Torrance, California, where he grew up. His childhood friend, Billy Calder, gave him the nickname "Parnelli." This was so Jones's family wouldn't find out he was racing cars at just 17 years old. Jones started his racing journey in a Jalopy race at Carrell Speedway in Gardena, California. He improved his skills by racing in many different types of events in the 1950s. He even won 15 stock car racing events in the NASCAR Pacific Coast Late Model Series.
Early Success and Indianapolis Debut
His first big championship was the Midwest region Sprint car title in 1960. This win caught the eye of race promoter J. C. Agajanian, who became his sponsor. Jones began racing at Indianapolis in 1961.
He was named the 1961 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year. He shared this honor with Bobby Marshman. Jones led early in the race. However, a stone hit him in the face, causing him to bleed and blurring his vision. This slowed him down, and he finished 12th.
In 1962, Jones made history at the Indianapolis 500. He was the first driver to qualify at over 150 miles per hour (240 km/h). He won the pole position, meaning he started first, with a speed of 150.370 mph (241.997 km/h). Jones led most of the race. But a brake line failed, slowing him down. He ended up finishing seventh.
Winning the Indianapolis 500
In the 1963 Indianapolis 500, Parnelli Jones started from the pole position again. This year was special because the new Lotus-Ford cars, with their engines in the back, raced for the first time. Before the race, officials warned that any car leaking oil would be disqualified.
As the race neared its end, Jones's car developed a crack in its oil tank. Another driver, Eddie Sachs, crashed on the oily track, causing a caution flag. Jones's car owner, Agajanian, argued with the chief official not to disqualify Jones. He said the oil leak had stopped. Meanwhile, Colin Chapman, the head of Lotus, demanded that Jones be disqualified. With only minutes left in the race, the official decided not to disqualify Jones. Parnelli Jones went on to win the race! The Lotus-Ford team was unhappy but also recognized Jones's great driving. Ford officials also didn't want to win by disqualifying their biggest competitor.
That same year, a famous car builder named Bill Stroppe built a Mercury Marauder stock car for Jones. Jones used this car to win the 1963 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. He also broke the stock car speed record there.
In 1964, Jones won seven races and tied for another. This helped him win the USAC Stock car championship. He also won the Turkey Night Grand Prix midget car event. The next year, Jones almost won the Indy 500 again, finishing second to Jim Clark.
In 1966, he won five of the nine midget car races he entered. This included the Turkey Night Grand Prix again.
The Turbine Car and Off-Road Racing
In 1967, Jones drove a revolutionary STP-Paxton Turbocar for owner Andy Granatelli in the Indianapolis 500. Jones was leading the race easily. But with only three laps left, a small, inexpensive part in the transmission broke. This forced him out of the race. After 1968, rules were changed, and turbine-powered cars were no longer allowed to compete.
Also in 1967, Jones raced a Mercury Cougar in the Trans-Am series. He had a tough race against his friend and teammate Dan Gurney in Texas. Jones lost by a very small margin.
Parnelli Jones then started off-road racing. In 1968, he teamed up with Bill Stroppe for the Star Dust 7/11 race across the Nevada desert. Jones had never driven the Ford Bronco before. He hit a dry wash at full speed, which broke the wheels and blew out the front tires. Jones later appeared in the movie Gone in 60 Seconds with his Bronco. He was hooked on off-road racing.
In 1968, Jones was supposed to drive a new turbine car at the Indy 500. But after some accidents involving other drivers and finding his car unsafe, he decided not to race. He retired from driving IndyCars, saying, "If I hadn't already won Indy, they could never have kept me out of that car."
Jones had a special off-road car built by Dick Russell and Bill Stroppe. It looked like a Bronco but had strong racing parts. Jones named it "Big Oly" after his sponsor, Olympia Beer. In Big Oly, Jones won the 1971 Mexican 1000 race from start to finish. He set a new record time of 14 hours and 59 minutes. This was the first off-road win by an Indy 500 champion. With Big Oly, Jones won two Mexican NORRA 1000s, a Mint 400, and a Baja 500.
Jones also returned to the Trans-Am Championship series with Bud Moore Engineering. In 1969, he raced a new Boss 302 Mustang. He finished second in the Drivers Championship. In 1970, Jones and his team dominated the Trans-Am season.
Parnelli Jones finished his racing career with major wins in 1973. He won his second Mexican 1000. He also won the 1973 Baja 500 and Mint 400 off-road events. After a big accident in 1974, Jones stopped full-time off-road racing to become a race car owner.
Summary of Driving Achievements
Parnelli Jones retired from driving with many impressive wins:
- Six IndyCar wins and twelve pole positions.
- Four wins in 34 NASCAR races, including the 1967 Motor Trend 500.
- 25 midget car wins.
- 25 sprint car wins.
- Seven Trans-Am wins and a Drivers Championship in 1970.
- His fifteen wins in NASCAR Pacific Coast Late Model history rank him eighth all-time.
Parnelli Jones as a Car Owner
Parnelli Jones started his own racing team called Vel’s Parnelli Jones Racing. This team won the Indianapolis 500 in 1970 and 1971 with driver Al Unser. The team also won the USAC National Championships in 1970, 1971, and 1972.
Jones also owned the Parnelli Formula One race team from late 1974 to early 1976. Later, he returned to off-road racing as an owner. His vehicles won class victories at the Baja 500 and Baja 1000. His USAC Dirt Car team won two championships.
Documentary About Parnelli Jones
Parnelli Jones was featured in a one-hour documentary called Behind the Indianapolis 500 with Parnelli Jones. The film explores the Indy 500 through his experiences. Other famous drivers like Rick Mears and Mario Andretti were also interviewed in the film.
Parnelli Jones's Businesses
Parnelli Jones was also a successful businessman. He owned Parnelli Jones Inc., which had 47 retail Parnelli Jones Tire Centers in four states. He also owned Parnelli Jones Enterprises, which sold Firestone Racing Tires in 14 Western states. Parnelli Jones Wholesale distributed shock absorbers, car tires, and other auto products. Since the 1970s, he also owned several wheel manufacturing companies, such as Rebel Wheel Co., US Mags, and American Racing Equipment.
Death
Parnelli Jones passed away in Torrance, California, on June 4, 2024, at the age of 90.
Awards and Honors
Parnelli Jones received many awards and honors for his racing career:
- He was inducted into the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1978.
- He was inducted into the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame in 1985.
- He was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1990.
- He was inducted into the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 1990.
- He was inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1991.
- He was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1992.
- He was inducted into the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame in 2002.
- He was inducted into the USAC Hall of Fame in 2012.
Indianapolis 500 Results
Here's a quick look at Parnelli Jones's performance in the Indianapolis 500 races he competed in:
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See also
In Spanish: Parnelli Jones para niños
