Parnelli Jones in 2012 (AP)
TORRANCE, Calif. — Parnelli Jones, the 1963 Indianapolis 500 winner, died Tuesday at Torrance Memorial Medical Center after a battle with Parkinson’s disease, his son said. Jones was 90 years aged.
Jones was the oldest living winner of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”
“Parnelli Jones was the greatest driver of his era,” his contemporary Mario Andretti once said. “He had an aggressiveness and also a finesse that no one else had. And he won with everything he could get his hands on.
Rufus Parnell Jones was born in Texarkana, Arkansas in 1933, but moved to Torrance as a toddler and never left. It was there that “Parnelli” stayed because his name Rufus was too well known for him to compete, the locals did not know his true identity and he was not aged enough to race.
A friend came up with “Parnellie,” which was painted on the door of Jalopy Jones’ 1934 Ford. Ultimately, the last “e” was removed, but the name remained.
Parnelli Jones in the 1963 Indy 500 (AP)
Jones in 1962 became the first driver at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to qualify at over 250 miles per hour, posting a four-lap average of 150.370. He was the Indy 500 pole winner in 1962 and 1963 and co-rookie of the year with Bobby Marshman in 1961.
From 1961 to 1967, he made seven starts at Indianapolis and led in five of those races, leading a total of 492 laps, the eighth-highest leading lap in the history of the race. In the only two starts in which he did not lead, in 1965 and 1966, Jones ran primarily second. He finished second in 1965 and retired in 1966 due to mechanical problems.
Considered one of the most versatile drivers of his time, Jones moved on to other vehicles and won the Baja 1000 twice and the Trans-Am championship in a legendary 1970 Boss 302 Mustang painted orange to stand out. He also had four Cup Series wins in NASCAR, as well as USAC sprint car and midget wins.
Jones is survived by his wife of almost 57 years, Judy, sons PJ and Page, and six grandchildren. Both of Jones’ sons had professional racing careers. PJ Jones followed in his father’s footsteps by competing in the Indianapolis 500 in 2004 and 2006. Page Jones was making great progress on miniature tracks in the Midwest until he was seriously injured in a crash in 1994, ending his driving career.
Parnelli Jones has been inducted into numerous Halls of Fame, including the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame, the National Motor Sports Hall of Fame, and the National Sprint Car and National Midget Halls of Fame.
Related Video:
___
AP Car Racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing
