Johnnie Parsons

Johnnie Parsons

Born	July 4, 1918
Died	September 8, 1984 (aged 66)
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality	American
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

Johnnie Woodrow Parsons ^[1] (July 4, 1918 – September 8, 1984) was an American race car driver from Los Angeles, California who won the Indianapolis 500 in 1950.

Parsons had the dubious distinction of being the only Indianapolis 500 winner to have his name misspelled on the Borg-Warner Trophy. Silversmiths carved "Johnny" instead of "Johnnie." He had a son named Johnny who competed at Indy a dozen times.

Racing career

Parsons first raced in open wheel cars on the West Coast of the United States in a midget car. He won the 1942 season championship in the United Midget Association. He won 18 feature events in the abbreviated season.^[2] Parsons began racing in the AAA after World War II. He captured the third feature in the 1948 Night Before the 500 midget race at the 16th Street Speedway. Parsons finished second in his first Indy 500 in 1949. He won the season championship that season. He also won the 1950 Indianapolis 500. He won the 1955 Turkey Night Grand Prix midget car race.

After he retired, he became the Chief Steward for the USAC Midget division on the West Coast in the 1970s.

Awards

• He was inducted in the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2004.
• He was inducted in the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 1984. Parsons died before receiving notification that he was selected to the hall of fame.^[2]

Indy 500 results

Parsons' misspelled likeness on the Borg-Warner Trophy

Year Car Start Qual Rank Finish Laps Led Retired 1949 12 12 132.900 2 2 200 0 Running 1950 1 5 132.044 8 1 138 115 Running 1951 3 8 132.154 28 21 87 0 Magneto 1952 5 31 135.328 19 10 200 0 Running 1953 21 8 137.667 3 26 86 0 Crankshaft 1954 15 15 139.578 6 32 79 0 Stalled in pits 1955 16 27 136.809 27 21 119 0 Magneto 1956 98 6 144.144 7 4 200 16 Running 1957 18 17 140.784 21 16 195 0 Flagged 1958 45 6 144.683 6 12 200 0 Running Totals 1504 131

Starts 10 Poles 0 Front Row 0 Wins 1 Top 5 3 Top 10 4 Retired 4

World Championship career summary

The Indianapolis 500 was part of the FIA World Championship from 1950 through 1960. Drivers competing at Indy during those years were credited with World Championship points and participation. Johnnie Parsons participated in 9 World Championship races. He won 1 race, set 1 fastest leading lap, and finished on the podium once. He accumulated a total of 12 championship points.

Parsons is one of only three drivers to win on his world championship début. The other two are Giuseppe Farina, who won the first world championship grand prix, the 1950 British Grand Prix, and Giancarlo Baghetti, who won the 1961 French Grand Prix.

Complete Formula One World 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

References

1. The Talk of Gasoline Alley - 1070-AM WIBC, May 15, 2007
2. Biography at the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame