Chuck Parsons
Encyclopedia
Charles W. "Chuck" Parsons (born February 6, 1924, died January 3, 1999) was an American
sports car racing
driver. Parsons drove in SCCA and USSRC competition, then became a driver in the Can Am series. Like many drivers of the era, he participated in multiple venues, such as the 24 Hours of Daytona
and 24 hours of LeMans endurance races while driving the same year in the Can Am series.
. He moved to California at age 24 and settled near Monterey. Parsons worked in automobile sales and eventually owned his own import car lot. At age 31 he bought his first competition car - an Austin-Healey
, from the proceeds of his work in sales. After he raced the Healey in amateur events he moved on briefly to a Porsche
, then a Lotus
type 15. In 1959 he bought a Maserati
Birdcage racer from Texan Jim Hall
, later of Chaparral cars fame. Following his experience with the Maserati, which turned out to be expensive to campaign, Parsons sold Birdcage and raced a Sunbeam Alpine
roadster. The Alpine racing effort was sponsored by Randy Hilton. During the 1963 SCCA season in California he raced a Lotus 23B twin cam. By 1964 he was driving an AC Cobra
roadster powered by a 289 cubic inch Ford V8. In 1965 he campaigned a Genie - Chevy Mark 10. In 1966 he switched to a McLaren-Elva Mark II, and won the USSRC Championship, with a win at the final race at Road America
, and second place finishes at Laguna Seca, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
and Las Vegas. Later in 1966 Parsons began driving in the Canadian American Challenge Cup with a Chevrolet
powered McLaren
. Parsons drove a series of historic Can Am cars over the next six years. In 1968 he drove a Lola T160, the following two years a Lola T163. During 1971 Can Am campaign Parsons raced a McLaren M8D, another Lola T163, and eventually returned to the cockpit of a McLaren M8D by the end of the season. The last M8D he drove belonged to actor-driver Paul Newman
. The original Can Am series was from 1966 to 1974. In the years that Parsons participated, he scored 145 points, which places him eighth overall among Can Am drivers. His highest total was 81 points in 1969. 1969 was also the year of his highest finish as an endurance race car driver, when he won the prestigious Daytona 24 hours with Mark Donohue
as a co-driver in a Penske Racing
Lola T70
coupe. Parsons had been a last minute substitute for an injured team driver, and Donohue gave Parsons credit as being key to the win, even though Mark drove most of the race. In 1970 Parsons drove a Ferrari
312P at the rainy LeMans 24 hour race, where he finished 10th overall with fellow American driver Tony Adamowicz
. In addition to Donohue and Adamowicz, Parsons teamed once with Jo Bonnier at Watkins Glen International
in 1969. Parsons also briefly drove Formula 5000
and in 1967 drove in a USAC
Championship Car race at Riverside International Raceway
. After his racing career Parsons lived in California until his death on January 3, 1999.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sports car racing
Sports car racing
Sports car racing is a form of circuit auto racing with automobiles that have two seats and enclosed wheels. They may be purpose-built or related to road-going sports cars....
driver. Parsons drove in SCCA and USSRC competition, then became a driver in the Can Am series. Like many drivers of the era, he participated in multiple venues, such as the 24 Hours of Daytona
24 Hours of Daytona
The 24 Hours of Daytona, currently known as the Rolex 24 Daytona for sponsorship reasons, is a 24-hour sports car endurance race held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is run on a combined road course, utilizing portions of the NASCAR tri-oval and an infield...
and 24 hours of LeMans endurance races while driving the same year in the Can Am series.
Career
Parsons was born in 1924 in Bruin, KentuckyBruin, Kentucky
Bruin is an unincorporated community in Elliott County, Kentucky, United States. It lies along Routes 7 and 409 just south of Grayson Lake State Park. Bruin is northeast of the county seat, Sandy Hook...
. He moved to California at age 24 and settled near Monterey. Parsons worked in automobile sales and eventually owned his own import car lot. At age 31 he bought his first competition car - an Austin-Healey
Austin-Healey
Austin-Healey was a British sports car maker. The marque was established through a joint-venture arrangement, set up in 1952 between Leonard Lord of the Austin division of the British Motor Corporation and the Donald Healey Motor Company, a renowned automotive engineering and design...
, from the proceeds of his work in sales. After he raced the Healey in amateur events he moved on briefly to a Porsche
Porsche
Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
, then a Lotus
Lotus Cars
Lotus Cars is a British manufacturer of sports and racing cars based at the former site of RAF Hethel, a World War II airfield in Norfolk. The company designs and builds race and production automobiles of light weight and fine handling characteristics...
type 15. In 1959 he bought a Maserati
Maserati
Maserati is an Italian luxury car manufacturer established on December 1, 1914, in Bologna. The company's headquarters is now in Modena, and its emblem is a trident. It has been owned by the Italian car giant Fiat S.p.A. since 1993...
Birdcage racer from Texan Jim Hall
Jim Hall
Jim Hall is the name of:* Jim Hall , jazz guitarist and composer* Jim Hall , Australian boxer in the late 19th century* Jim Hall , race car driver and founder of Chaparral Cars...
, later of Chaparral cars fame. Following his experience with the Maserati, which turned out to be expensive to campaign, Parsons sold Birdcage and raced a Sunbeam Alpine
Sunbeam Alpine
The Sunbeam Alpine is a sporty two-seat open car from Rootes Group's Sunbeam car marque. The original was launched in 1953 as the first vehicle from Sunbeam-Talbot to bear the Sunbeam name alone since the 1935 takeover of Sunbeam and Talbot by the Rootes Group....
roadster. The Alpine racing effort was sponsored by Randy Hilton. During the 1963 SCCA season in California he raced a Lotus 23B twin cam. By 1964 he was driving an AC Cobra
AC Cobra
The AC Cobra, also known colloquially as the Shelby Cobra in North America, is an Anglo-American sports car that was produced during the 1960s.-History and development:...
roadster powered by a 289 cubic inch Ford V8. In 1965 he campaigned a Genie - Chevy Mark 10. In 1966 he switched to a McLaren-Elva Mark II, and won the USSRC Championship, with a win at the final race at Road America
Road America
Road America is a road course located near Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin on Wisconsin Highway 67. It has hosted races since the 1950s and currently hosts races in the NASCAR Nationwide Series , American Le Mans , SCCA Speed World Challenge Series, ASRA, and AMA Superbike series.- Current track and...
, and second place finishes at Laguna Seca, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is a road course auto racing facility located in Troy Township, Morrow County, Ohio, United States, just outside of the village of Lexington...
and Las Vegas. Later in 1966 Parsons began driving in the Canadian American Challenge Cup with a Chevrolet
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
powered McLaren
McLaren
McLaren Racing Limited, trading as Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, is a British Formula One team based in Woking, Surrey, United Kingdom. McLaren is best known as a Formula One constructor but has also competed and won in the Indianapolis 500 and Canadian-American Challenge Cup...
. Parsons drove a series of historic Can Am cars over the next six years. In 1968 he drove a Lola T160, the following two years a Lola T163. During 1971 Can Am campaign Parsons raced a McLaren M8D, another Lola T163, and eventually returned to the cockpit of a McLaren M8D by the end of the season. The last M8D he drove belonged to actor-driver Paul Newman
Paul Newman
Paul Leonard Newman was an American actor, film director, entrepreneur, humanitarian, professional racing driver and auto racing enthusiast...
. The original Can Am series was from 1966 to 1974. In the years that Parsons participated, he scored 145 points, which places him eighth overall among Can Am drivers. His highest total was 81 points in 1969. 1969 was also the year of his highest finish as an endurance race car driver, when he won the prestigious Daytona 24 hours with Mark Donohue
Mark Donohue
Mark Neary Donohue, Jr. , nicknamed "Captain Nice", was an American racecar driver known for his ability to set up his own race car as well as driving it to victories. Donohue is probably best known as the driver of the 1500+ bhp “Can-Am Killer” Porsche 917-30 and as the winner of the 1972...
as a co-driver in a Penske Racing
Penske Racing
Penske Racing is a racing team that competes in the IndyCar Series and NASCAR. They also previously competed in road racing, and Formula One. Penske Racing is a division of Penske Corporation, and is owned and chaired by Roger Penske...
Lola T70
Lola T70
The Lola T70 was built for sports car racing, popular in the mid to late 1960s. Developed by Lola Cars in 1965 in Great Britain, the T70 was made for endurance racing...
coupe. Parsons had been a last minute substitute for an injured team driver, and Donohue gave Parsons credit as being key to the win, even though Mark drove most of the race. In 1970 Parsons drove a Ferrari
Ferrari
Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947...
312P at the rainy LeMans 24 hour race, where he finished 10th overall with fellow American driver Tony Adamowicz
Tony Adamowicz
Tony Adamowicz is a former American racing driver from Port Henry, New York. He won the 1968 Trans-Am Under 2-Liter championship in a Porsche, then raced in the Can-Am Series and Formula 5000, winning the 1969 Formula 5000 championship...
. In addition to Donohue and Adamowicz, Parsons teamed once with Jo Bonnier at Watkins Glen International
Watkins Glen International
Watkins Glen International is an auto race track located near Watkins Glen, New York, at the southern tip of Seneca Lake. The facility is owned by International Speedway Corporation...
in 1969. Parsons also briefly drove Formula 5000
Formula 5000
Formula 5000 was an open wheel, single seater auto-racing formula that ran in different series in various regions around the world from 1968 to 1982. It was originally intended as a low-cost series aimed at open-wheel racing cars that no longer fit into any particular formula...
and in 1967 drove in a USAC
USAC
USAC may refer to:* Unified Speech and Audio Coding, an audio compression scheme and MPEG-4 Audio Object Type* United States Army Cadet Corps, a non-profit youth education organization...
Championship Car race at Riverside International Raceway
Riverside International Raceway
Riverside International Raceway was a race track or road course in Riverside, California. The track was in operation from September 22, 1957, to July 2, 1989...
. After his racing career Parsons lived in California until his death on January 3, 1999.