[DeTomaso] Parnelli Jones, August 12, 1933 – June 4, 2024

[marshallgsmith]

I organized a San Diego Panteras combined club event meeting with the Shelby Club at our San Diego Auto Museum in Balboa Park where the guest speaker was Parnelli Jones. It was nothing short of amazing to sit in front of Parnelli and listen to the stories that he told.The best story was when he passed Mario Andretti in the turbine car at Indy and Mario gave him the finger. I wish you all could have seen the smile on his face when he gave Mario the finger more than once as he led 171 laps in that race!We sat in front of racing history that evening listening to perhaps the finest driver to have ever raced.RIP Parnelli Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
-------- Original message --------From: Larry Stock <larrys at panteraparts.com> Date: 6/6/24  8:10 AM  (GMT-08:00) To: 'Detomaso Email List' <detomaso at detomasolist.com> Subject: [DeTomaso] Parnelli Jones, August 12, 1933 – June 4, 2024  Parnelli Jones retired from professional driving in the id-1970s but was always ready to drive around Indianapolis Motor Speedway in his No. 40 STP car – Penske Entertainment photoOne of the greatest, toughest drivers of his era, Rufus Parnell Jones, known to one and all in the racing game as Parnelli Jones, lost his battle with Parkinson’s Disease on June 4 in Torrance, CA. Jones was 90 years old and had lived in the South Bay area of Los Angeles County for all but seven years of his life, having been born in Arkansas.Parnelli Jones was a master of going faster and performed his feats in many different phases of motor sport. From the start of his career, Jones’ prowess in any type of car, from jalopies to late models to West Coast stockers, he showed the talents that would see him find success through the many different phases of his career.   
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   I organized a San Diego Panteras combined club event meeting with the
   Shelby Club at our San Diego Auto Museum in Balboa Park where the guest
   speaker was Parnelli Jones. It was nothing short of amazing to sit in
   front of Parnelli and listen to the stories that he told.

   The best story was when he passed Mario Andretti in the turbine car at
   Indy and Mario gave him the finger. I wish you all could have seen the
   smile on his face when he gave Mario the finger more than once as he
   led 171 laps in that race!

   We sat in front of racing history that evening listening to perhaps the
   finest driver to have ever raced.

   RIP Parnelli

   Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone

   -------- Original message --------
   From: Larry Stock <larrys at panteraparts.com>
   Date: 6/6/24 8:10 AM (GMT-08:00)
   To: 'Detomaso Email List' <detomaso at detomasolist.com>
   Subject: [DeTomaso] Parnelli Jones, August 12, 1933 - June 4, 2024

   Parnelli Jones retired from professional driving in the id-1970s but
   was always ready to drive around Indianapolis Motor Speedway in his No.
   40 STP car - Penske Entertainment photo
   One of the greatest, toughest drivers of his era, Rufus Parnell Jones,
   known to one and all in the racing game as Parnelli Jones, lost his
   battle with Parkinson's Disease on June 4 in Torrance, CA. Jones was 90
   years old and had lived in the South Bay area of Los Angeles County for
   all but seven years of his life, having been born in Arkansas.
   Parnelli Jones was a master of going faster and performed his feats in
   many different phases of motor sport. From the start of his career,
   Jones' prowess in any type of car, from jalopies to late models to West
   Coast stockers, he showed the talents that would see him find success
   through the many different phases of his career.