Record-setting driver Parnelli Jones passes away at 90

Submitted by IMS

Parnelli Jones, the 1963 Indianapolis 500 winner and the first driver to qualify for the “500” faster than 150 mph, passed away peacefully with his family by his side June 4 in Torrance, California. He was 90.

One of the most versatile drivers in history, Jones was so highly rated by all his competitors, including several of the best from Europe. He only competed in the Indianapolis 500 seven times yet led in all but two of them for a total of 492 laps, still the eighth-highest laps led total in the race’s history. And in the only two starts he didn’t lead – 1965 and 1966 – he ran many laps in second place, finishing in that position in 1965 and retiring from there with mechanical trouble in 1966.

Jones, who was born Rufus Parnell Jones on Aug. 12, 1933, in Texarkana, Arkansas, is the only person ever to have led the Indianapolis 500 for 400 or more miles on two occasions. The first came when he won in 1963 and the second when his Andy Granatelli-entered, STP turbine-powered car failed after leading 171 of the first 196 laps in 1967.

Winner of the pole position with track-record qualifying speeds faster than 150 mph in 1962 and 1963, Jones never started lower than sixth in any of his seven “500s.”

Even after retiring from INDYCAR SERIES competition as a driver, somewhat prematurely in 1968 at the age of only 34, the street-smart Jones continued to be a winner. He fielded a team with a longtime business partner Vel Miletich that won the “500” in 1970 and 1971 with a pair of PJ Colt chassis, built in-house under the direction of chief mechanic George Bignotti and driven by Al Unser. This combination also won the United States Auto Club National Championship in 1970 followed by a second and third straight title in 1971 and 1972 with former motorcycle racing standout Joe Leonard behind the wheel.

Vel’s Parnelli Jones Racing even briefly ventured into Formula One. They fielded Mario Andretti in the 1974 season-closing Canadian and United States rounds, followed by the entire Grand Prix circuit in 1975, and all the races up through the Long Beach, California, round in spring 1976, at which point lack of sufficient sponsorship brought the campaign to an end.

During this same period, the team also fielded Andretti and Unser in the Sports Car Club of America’s Formula 5000 road racing series and the USAC Dirt Car (later Silver Crown) series on 1-mile dirt ovals, the two drivers consistently recording top-three finishes in each of these widely contrasting forms of motorsport.

Jones was named after a local judge, Rufus Parnell, whom his mother respected. The family moved from Arkansas to Fallbrook, California, when Jones was 2 and then to Torrance, California, when Jones was 7.

At age 17, while racing old cars in Gardena, California, Jones needed an alias to prevent race officials from learning he wasn’t the minimum legal age of 18 to compete.

Jones’ school friend, Billy Calder, came up with an idea to solve the problem. There was a girl in their school named Nellie, and Calder used to tease Jones about her liking him. Calder knew Jones’ middle name was Parnell, and he would joke around with him, calling him “Parnellie.” Calder painted the name “Parnellie” on the jalopy door, and the rest is racing history, with the “e” dropped somewhere along the way.

In 1963, Jones won the Indianapolis 500 in the No. 98 Watson-Offy nicknamed “Calhoun,” although the race was not without controversy. Late in the running, oil began to seep from a tiny crack in an externally mounted oil tank, placing Chief Steward Harlan Fengler in the unenviable position of having to decide whether or not to black-flag the leader. While he was still deliberating, the leak stopped, and Jones was allowed to continue to the victory.

In 1968, Jones was supposed to drive the much-revised No. 40 turbine in the “500,” but he ended up never turning a lap, having weighed his chances of winning against the growing responsibilities of his many business investments and his family. He decided instead to step down and turn over the car to Leonard, who was driving for the team Jones co-owned with Miletich.

Although he was now no longer an Indianapolis 500 driver, that did not mean Jones was through with driving. He became part of Ford’s effort to win the SCCA Trans-Am championship, and he won the driver’s title in 1970. In off-road racing, he teamed up again with Stroppe to score five major wins with a much-modified Ford Bronco, sponsored by Olympia Beer and affectionately nicknamed “Big Oly.” The combination won the Baja 1000 in 1971 and 1972, the Baja 500 in 1970 and 1973, and the Las Vegas Mint 400 in 1973.

Jones is survived by his wife of nearly 57 years, Judy, and sons PJ and Page, both of whom had professional racing careers. PJ Jones followed in his father’s footsteps by starting the Indianapolis 500 in 2004 and 2006. Page Jones was making great strides on Midwest short tracks until he suffered serious injuries in a crash in 1994, ending his driving career.

Parnelli Jones was inducted into numerous Halls of Fame, including the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame, the National Motorsports Hall of Fame and both the National Sprint Car and National Midget Halls of Fame.

 

Statements from Roger Penske and Indianapolis Motor Speedway President J. Douglas Boles about 1963 Indianapolis 500 winner Parnelli Jones, who died June 4 at age 90 in Torrance, California:

“The racing world has lost a great competitor and a true champion. Parnelli Jones was one of the most accomplished racers in history, and his determination and will to win made him one of the toughest competitors I have ever seen. From racing against him on track to competing against him as a fellow team owner, I always respected Parnelli’s passion and commitment to the sport he loved. I was proud to call Parnelli a good friend for many years, and our thoughts are with his family as we remember one of the true legends of motorsports.”

– Roger Penske

“In over 115 years of racing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, there have been many iconic moments and a handful of iconic drivers. Parnelli Jones was a total icon, both for his driving skill and the magical moments he created in the Indianapolis 500. He will always be known for his speed, talent and fearless approach, and for his personal demeanor and character. The first to officially break 150 mph at Indy, he also will be remembered for driving the famed STP turbine to near-victory in 1967 and as the winning Indy 500 owner in 1970 and 1971. His fingerprints on our sport go well beyond the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. A winner in virtually everything on wheels including USAC, NASCAR and off-road racing, he is truly one of the most versatile competitors the sport has ever seen. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.”

– J. Douglas Boles