One of the all-time greats, Parnelli retired comparatively early due to fears over safety, yet for a long time, he still drove racing cars, both for historic and exhibition races and for the corporate driving school that he was an instructor of. Became a team owner and his close relationship with Firestone tyres led to a hugely successful dealership, and then later on, a franchise - his name is commonplace in the Mid-West of America for that reason alone. Parnelli's two sons, PJ and Page both raced - PJ had a long and reasonably successful career; Page was injured in a crash in 1994 and whilst he has made a recovery, he still needs therapy for his injuries, a source of great regret for his father. Parnelli, who lived in California, was really called Rufus Parnell Jones, but when his jalopy team painted his name incorrectly and then a newspaper misspelling stuck, the name Parnelli Jones went down in history! Sadly, Parnelli died in 2024 after some years suffering from Parkinson's Disease which caused a step back from any public appearances.

Biography last updated 5 Jun 2024