The Riverside International Automotive Museum has announced that Parnelli Jones will be the Honored Guest at the third annual Legends of Riverside, scheduled for March 25-27 in the Southern California city. Jones became a racing legend with exploits in a broad range of motorsport disciplines, headlined by his mastery of Indycars as he cracked the 150mph barrier at Indianapolis and won the 1963 Indy 500.
His career accomplishments also included a pair of Sprint Car titles, a Trans-Am championship, twin Baja 1000 triumphs with Bill Stroppe, and a couple of USAC Stock Car crowns, as well as two wins at Pikes Peak. At Riverside International Raceway, he won the 1964 L.A. Times Grand Prix with one of Carroll Shelby’s King Cobras and the 1967 Motor Trend 500 NASCAR race in a Stroppe-run Ford, as well as clinching his 1970 Trans-Am championship with a victory there.
Although he never officially retired from driving, Jones did move into team ownership and ultimately became a championship-winning racecar constructor in partnership with Vel Miletich as they assembled the fabled “Super Team” of Al Unser, Mario Andretti, and Joe Leonard. Beyond Indycars, his team also contested Formula 5000, tackled Formula 1 and even went drag racing.
Legends of Riverside, which celebrates the memory of all that was Riverside Raceway, is part film festival, part gala, and part reunion, with great memories for all who attend. For complete information and to order guest tickets, which are limited to 150, please visit www.legendsofriverside.com or call (951) 369-6966.
