Parnelli Jones was honored at the third annual Legends of Riverside, held at the Riverside International Automotive Museum on the last weekend of March, joining Dan Gurney and Carroll Shelby as the third such honoree. The event also spotlighted the effort to raise awareness of traumatic brain injuries with an auction of memorabilia to raise funds for the documentary film “Godspeed” that chronicles the recovery of Parnelli’s son Page from a near-fatal head injury suffered in a 1994 sprint car accident.
The three-day event drew a good crowd to the museum, which featured a display of significant cars from Parnelli’s career as a driver and team owner. Included were his 1970 Trans-Am championship-winning Boss 302 Mustang, a King Cobra like the one with which he shocked the sports car world at Riverside in 1964, one of the wedge-shaped Lotus 56 turbine cars and, of course, his replica of “Calhoun,” the Offenhauser-powered roadster he drove to victory in the 1963 Indianapolis 500.
Ed Justice Jr. served as master of ceremonies as Jones recounted many of the experiences of his career, making familiar stories fresh again with new and different comments on the events that shaped his life. He also headlined an autograph session on the Saturday afternoon, joined by Gurney, Bobby Allison, George Follmer, Jerry Grant, Hershel McGriff, Lynda Vaughn, Tony Adamowicz, Don Devendorf, John Morton and John Knepp, among others
Also in the spotlight on Saturday afternoon was a panel discussion, led by VR Editor Casey Annis, featuring Women in Racing that included Lyn St. James, Paula Murphy, Mary McGee, Mary Davis, Vickie Kinder-Fritz, Ginny Sims and Margie Smith-Haas. The discussion examined both the role of women in the sport and the individual experiences of the participants in forging their respective careers.
As before, the event proved an enjoyable experience for all in attendance and left everyone looking ahead to next year.
