Post by Deleted on Mar 10, 2010 14:31:23 GMT -5
Hi everyone,
I first met Parnelli Jones, after being a HUGE fan of his most of my life, in 1993. I interviewed him for a magazine I was working for at the time and found Parnelli to be kind, bright, very funny and everything that you'd want one of your childhood heroes to be. A CLASS ACT! I remember being at Riverside Raceway during a Trans-Am Race in the late 1960's when Parnelli was driving a bright orange Ford Mustang for Bud Moore, and was knocked off the track one one of the first laps. Parnelli got back on the track and had that Mustang every way on the track but backwards!....and he won that race going away from the field. In the interview I did with Parnelli, he said that was his favorite race he ever won...and I was there to see it.
In 1995, I was asked by Parnelli and Mel Velitch to restore a model that they had of the Old Ontario Motor Speedway. It was an architectuial model which meant it was build on Styrofoam and it was supposed to be a one shot deal...not to last over the years. My Friend Tom Hampton and I started the task of restoring the beast! It was 8 foot by 6 feet......and we got it done for Parnelli's Upstairs Muesum...along with the race cars he owned and owns...Here's a few pictures I took.
A few of the cars.....this is a bad photo....
\
The reception area of the Muesum...
I understand that Parnelli sold the Lotus 56 I once sat in...
What color would you paint the Johnny Lighting Specials for 70-71?
And to be one of my next building projects....The Lotus 34 that Clark sat on the Pole in 1964...
And...some schmuck sitting in a real race car....See the color?
Best to all of you!
Russ
I first met Parnelli Jones, after being a HUGE fan of his most of my life, in 1993. I interviewed him for a magazine I was working for at the time and found Parnelli to be kind, bright, very funny and everything that you'd want one of your childhood heroes to be. A CLASS ACT! I remember being at Riverside Raceway during a Trans-Am Race in the late 1960's when Parnelli was driving a bright orange Ford Mustang for Bud Moore, and was knocked off the track one one of the first laps. Parnelli got back on the track and had that Mustang every way on the track but backwards!....and he won that race going away from the field. In the interview I did with Parnelli, he said that was his favorite race he ever won...and I was there to see it.
In 1995, I was asked by Parnelli and Mel Velitch to restore a model that they had of the Old Ontario Motor Speedway. It was an architectuial model which meant it was build on Styrofoam and it was supposed to be a one shot deal...not to last over the years. My Friend Tom Hampton and I started the task of restoring the beast! It was 8 foot by 6 feet......and we got it done for Parnelli's Upstairs Muesum...along with the race cars he owned and owns...Here's a few pictures I took.
A few of the cars.....this is a bad photo....
\The reception area of the Muesum...
I understand that Parnelli sold the Lotus 56 I once sat in...
What color would you paint the Johnny Lighting Specials for 70-71?
And to be one of my next building projects....The Lotus 34 that Clark sat on the Pole in 1964...
And...some schmuck sitting in a real race car....See the color?
Best to all of you!
Russ
