Parnelli Jones

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Parnelli Jones
Jones in 2015
Born	Rufus Parnell Jones (1933-08-12)August 12, 1933 Texarkana, Arkansas, United States
Died	June 4, 2024(2024-06-04) (aged 90) Torrance, California, United States
Championship titles
USAC Midwest Sprint Car (1960) USAC Sprint Car (1961, 1962) USAC Stock Car (1964) Major victories Indianapolis 500 (1963) Baja 1000 (1971, 1972)
Champ Car career
59 races run over 8 years
Best finish	3rd (1962)
First race	1960 Rex Mays Classic (Milwaukee)
Last race	1967 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis)
First win	1961 Bobby Ball Memorial (Phoenix)
Last win	1965 Rex Mays Classic (Milwaukee)
Wins Podiums Poles 6 17 12
NASCAR driver
NASCAR Cup Series career
34 races run over 12 years
Best finish	33rd (1958)
First race	1956 Race 24 (Merced)
Last race	1970 Motor Trend 500 (Riverside)
First win	1957 Race 36 (Bremerton)
Last win	1967 Motor Trend 500 (Riverside)
Wins Top tens Poles 4 11 3

Rufus Parnell "Parnelli" Jones^[1] (August 12, 1933 – June 4, 2024) was an American professional racing driver and racing team owner. He is notable for his accomplishments while competing in the Indianapolis 500 and the Baja 1000 desert race, and the Trans-Am Championship series. In 1962, he became the first driver to qualify over 150 mph (240 km/h). He won the race in 1963, then famously broke down while leading the 1967 race with three laps to go in a turbine car.^[2] During his career as an owner, he won the Indy 500 in 1970–1971 with driver Al Unser.

Jones won races in many types of vehicles: sports cars, IndyCars, sprint cars, midget cars, off-road vehicles, and stock cars.