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Parnelli Jones, 1963 Indy 500 champion, dies at age 90

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Parnelli Jones, 1963 Indy 500 champion, dies at age 90

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Legendary racer and 1963 Indianapolis 500 champion Parnelli Jones died Tuesday at age 90, his son PJ posted on social media.

The younger Jones said his father had battle Parkinson’s disease for several years. According to a representative from BorgWarner, Jones “passed away peacefully at Torrance Memorial Medical Center with family members at his side.”

Though he owns only seven career Indy 500 starts to his name (1961-67), Jones ranks 8th all-time in laps led in the Greatest Spectacle in Racing (492), having led laps in five of his seven starts — including 27 as a rookie in 1961 when he finished 12th. He remains the only driver among the more than 800 to have made starts in the 108 editions of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing to have led 400 or more miles (160 laps) twice — which he did during his 1963 win (167 laps) and his one of several near misses in 1967 (171).

Jones dominated the Speedway action in ’63, setting a qualifying record of 151.153 mph and winning the race by 33 seconds over Jimmy Clark. The victory came with controversy. Jones’ car had leaked oil and begun smoking. Race officials considered black flagging him but were talked out of it.

Fellow drivers Eddie Sachs and Roger McCluskey claimed they had spun in Jones’ spilt oil. At a luncheon the next day, Sachs complained bitterly, and Jones punched him.

Jones’ near-misses at the Speedway were nearly as riveting. As a rookie in ’61, Jones might’ve factored into the race late, had he not been hit in the eye by a rock mid-race. With blood pouring into his goggles and a car with an engine down on power due to a damaged spark plug, Jones managed to steer himself to 12th, eight laps down, earning him co-Rookie of the Year honors with Bobby Marshman, who finished 7th.

As the polesitter in 1962 and the first driver in history to eclipse the 150 mph mark (150.370 mph), Jones led 120 of the first 125 laps of the race, until failing brakes forced him to slow for the final third of the race. Still having limped home in 7th on the lead-lap, Jones was often referred to by ’62 500-winner Rodger Ward as the moral winner of that year’s race.

Following a pit fire in 1964 that caught him out after just 55 laps, Jones returned to the 500 again in 1965 and led zero laps, finishing 2nd to Jim Clark and having to push his car back to the pits on Lap 200 after running out of fuel. Jones finished 14th in 1966, completing just 87 laps before a mechanical failure ended his day after running in 2nd-place. His final 500 start in 1967, Jones led by nearly a full lap over AJ Foyt in the closing stretch when a $6 ball bearing failed. Having led 171 of the first 196 laps, Jones eventually coasted to a stop and finished four laps down in 6th.

“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,” said IMS president Doug Boles in a statement on Jones’ passing. “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.”

Jones, who was born Rufus Parnell Jones in Texarkana, Arkansas, on Aug. 12, 1933, and began racing at 17 in California (before legal racing at the time). Legend has it lying about his age was easy, but he needed an alias to cover his identity. With the help of a friend, Jones adopted ‘Parnellie’ that day, and the name stuck. Somewhere along the lines, the ‘e’ was dropped, but he’d go on to be known as ‘Parnelli Jones’ from there on.

To go along with his lone 500 victory, pair of 500 poles and race ROY honors, Jones also amassed six USAC Indy victories and 12 USAC Indy poles in 59 starts. He’d also go on to win, among other things, 25 USA National Sprint Car features, 25 USAC National Midget Features, one USAC Midwest Sprint Car title, two USAC National Sprint Car titles, one USAC Stock Car title, 22 NASCAR West Coast Stock Car races, a pair of victories in both Baja 500 off-road and Baja 1000 off-road and four NASCAR Cup races in 34 starts.

After retiring from Indy 500 driving, he co-owned the cars under Vel’s Parnelli Jones Racing that Al Unser won the 500 with in 1970 and ’71. Jones’ team would go on to win seven 500-mile USAC Indy races at Indianapolis, Pocono and Ontario and amass 53 total USAC Indy victories, 47 USAC Indy poles, three consecutive USAC National titles (1970-Unser, 1971-Joe Leonard, 1972-Leonard) and two-straight USAC National Dirt Car titles (1973-Unser, 1974-Mario Andretti).

Jones would also field a Formula 1 car that Andretti drove for the final two races of his ’74 campaign, along with his full seasons in 1975 and another partial one in 1976, during which Andretti snagged a best finish of 4th in Sweden (1975).

“The racing world has lost a great competitor and a true champion,” Roger Penske said in a statement Tuesday evening. “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.”

Jones is survived by his wife of nearly 57 years, Judy, along with sons PJ and Page — both of whom followed in their father’s racing legacy. PJ even managed a pair of 500 starts in 2004 and 2006, with a best finish of 19th (2006). The elder Jones was inducted into several Halls of Fame in his lifetime, 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.

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