Chuck Parsons
#101
Posted 02 December 2006 - 13:44
Kent, Washington in 1963. The USRRC Race. Ernie Gravelle and Chuck and Sherry Parsons. Ernie was Sherry's father and head mechanic for the operation. Chuck went on to finish 10th overall. This race was won by Pedro Rodriguez in a Genie-Chevy.
Chuck and Sherry Parsons and the Lotus 23.
Monterey USRRC 1963 in Lotus 23. Chuck won this race over Don Wester in a Porsche RS61. Skip Hudson in a front engined Chaparral 1 was third.
Chuck Parsons by his Lotus 23
photos lent site by Gravelle Family-scanned by Ike Smith
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#102
Posted 02 December 2006 - 13:55
Chuck Parsons in Randy Hilton's Sunbeam.
Chuck running the Sunbeam in race.
photos lent site by Gravelle Family-scanned for site by Ike Smith
#103
Posted 02 December 2006 - 22:03
Riverside in 1968 the USRRC race. Colin Riley and Ike Smith with Chuck Parsons. Gil Munz helping on Skip Scott's car. Chuck Parsons finished 4th. Skip Scott had overheating problems and was a DNF.
photo by Stephen Kaye-Lent site by Ike Smith
#104
Posted 02 December 2006 - 22:46
Elkhart Lake 1968 500 mile race. Chuck and Skip Scott in Victory Lane. Ike Smith and Peter Bryant and in the scarf Skip Scott's wife Kathy.
photo- Ike Smith Collection
Victory Trophy presentation for Chuck Parsons and Skip Scott.
Carl Haas is seen at picture right ducked down.
photo lent site-Peter Bryant.
Edited by Jerry Entin, 19 November 2010 - 11:21.
#105
Posted 05 December 2006 - 00:08
Tom Walker
#106
Posted 05 December 2006 - 03:16
Same source indicates that the car that Chuck Parsons drove was SL160/5.
#107
Posted 05 December 2006 - 03:29
http://72.14.203.104...us&ct=clnk&cd=7
Nick Smith
#108
Posted 05 December 2006 - 03:40
I trust you are referring to SL160/5 as that is what is shown in the Krecji data that you use as your reference.Originally posted by NGSmith
Where did it come from and where is it now? Most of what I have seen in reference to that chassis number is that is beleived to be the Parsons car.
Nick Smith
#109
Posted 05 December 2006 - 05:05
http://wspr-racing.c.../canam1968.html
#110
Posted 05 December 2006 - 14:14
Maybe I am not looking in the right place, but on the link that Mr. Smith mentions I found race results, but no reference to SL164/21. Also, the mention of Parsons' car as #9 contradicts Mr. Krejci's research as I mentioned in an earlier post. Martin says #5 was the Haas/Parsons car while #9 was owned by someone named Rod Leach. (Does anyone know who Rod Leach is/was? Maybe that would clear some things up)
#111
Posted 05 December 2006 - 15:10
I would have thought any mention of his name in car records would be to later ownership
#112
Posted 05 December 2006 - 20:10
Originally posted by RA Historian
Chuck Parsons drove in the Can Am for Carl Haas for three years, 1967-69. In 1967 he drove a McLaren Elva Mk III (M1C). In 1968 he drove a Lola T-160, which according to Martin Krejci's data is SL160/5. Then in 1969 he drove a T-163 and in the last two races the one-off T-163B or T-164 (I've seen it referred to as both in different places.)
Maybe I am not looking in the right place, but on the link that Mr. Smith mentions I found race results, but no reference to SL164/21. Also, the mention of Parsons' car as #9 contradicts Mr. Krejci's research as I mentioned in an earlier post. Martin says #5 was the Haas/Parsons car while #9 was owned by someone named Rod Leach. (Does anyone know who Rod Leach is/was? Maybe that would clear some things up)
I agree that the listing is contradictory. Here we have other results from Krejci WSRP sites that show the car listed as SL160/9. I know that he posts what people report to him and it has to be difficult to verify that it is truly an accurate representation of fact. These cars had many lives through the years as we all know.
http://wsrp.wz.cz/canam1968.html
Nick
#113
Posted 05 December 2006 - 22:03
Gerald.
www.lolaheritage.co.uk
#114
Posted 06 December 2006 - 00:29
Rod Leach is a car dealer in the UK, and may well be able to help me as I think he is still on the go.
As far as I know, the car was owned by Alec Seldon in the UK around the mid 80's and did a bit of racing before being sold to a museum in '85 where it languished till now !
It is the early US history (if any!) which I would like to pin down.
Oh, there is a reference to a race at Mosport Park in August 1978, driven by David Giorgi. Does that ring any bells ?
Tom Walker.
#115
Posted 06 December 2006 - 03:01
What museum was it at? Is that where you bought it from?
Nick
#116
Posted 06 December 2006 - 03:02
Originally posted by Gerald Swan
I'm working purely from memory here so I might be talking complete rubbish but didn't Rod Leach convert the T160 into a fairly mind-blowing (red?) road car. I would go and look it up but I can't think where to start!
Gerald.
www.lolaheritage.co.uk
I can't remember where I had heard that but the story does ring a bell.
Nick
#117
Posted 06 December 2006 - 22:13
I would like to claim credit for finding the article but I didn't so a big thank you to Anders for locating it.
I for one would love to know if it still exists as a road car although there is mention in the article that Rod Leach was thinking of converting it back to race spec. Possibly it was which would fit in with Alec Seldon racing it in the 80s.
Gerald.
www.lolaheritage.co.uk
#118
Posted 07 December 2006 - 11:44
Gerald, I spoke to Rod Leach last night and he was able to confirm that SL160/9 is the car he bought from the States in 1977 and then converted into a road car. I did not know about the Motor Sport article, but Mr Leach told me that the converted car appeared on the front cover of and featured in Classic Cars magazine January 1982, which I have confirmed as I bought a copy on Ebay last night !
He said it made a fabulous road car, with a de-tuned Chevy, and when I suggested ground clearance might be a problem, he said it was fine because there was no such thing as sleeping policemen in those days !
He was not sure about its early history in the States, but he thought that it was ex-Chuck Parsons /Haas, and had been at the Quaker State School. He sold the car to Alex Seldon in The early 80's.
The only concrete evidence I have of the cars previous use is a SCCA log book stamped from May 1985 to August 1976, the Driver/entrant being shown as John Erickson, at venues such as Waterford, Nelson Ledges Drivers School, Glen Drivers School, Gratten Drivers School, Blue Water, "Cincy Reg" (is that short for Cincinatti ?) and Nelson Ledges Regional.
Can anyone in the States tell me if the SCCA would hold records of members addresses going back that far ? I would like to find John Erickson.
Tom Walker.
#119
Posted 07 December 2006 - 23:08
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#120
Posted 08 December 2006 - 03:19
#121
Posted 08 December 2006 - 12:51
Originally posted by tom walker
The only concrete evidence I have of the cars previous use is a SCCA log book stamped from May 1985 to August 1976, the Driver/entrant being shown as John Erickson, at venues such as Waterford, Nelson Ledges Drivers School, Glen Drivers School, Gratten Drivers School, Blue Water, "Cincy Reg" (is that short for Cincinatti ?) and Nelson Ledges Regional.
Can anyone in the States tell me if the SCCA would hold records of members addresses going back that far ? I would like to find John Erickson.
Tom Walker.
SCCA HQ archives are a real mess, as most who have tried to do research will tell you. Is there a logbook number? the first 2 numbers should correspond to the SCCA region which issued the logbook. That MIGHT be the home region for John Erickson. You can map region number to region at the scca.org website. Based on the tracks listed, I think it would be safe to assume he was somewhere in what is now called the Great Lakes Division. Region archives can be hit or miss, as often times there is no real permanent storage other than some lockup where the club also stores pylons, oil dry, fire extuingishers, etc etc.
Then again, Mr Erickson might still be racing, just in something alot less fire breathing than an ASR Lola. One thing you might try is writing letters to the newsletter editors for possible home regions, asking to add a short blurb that you are looking for Mr Erickson and why. Also check the regions websites for forums, and post your query there.
It is interesting that you mention Waterford. While the detroit region of the SCCA has sometimes sanctioned races there, that track actually belongs to another club, Waterford Hills Road Racing Inc.. WHRRI does, I believe, have a clubhouse at the track and might have better access to records.
Yes, Cincy Reg would be the Cincinatti Region.
#122
Posted 10 December 2006 - 16:11
Tom Walker.
#123
Posted 11 December 2006 - 12:19
Chuck Parsons driving a Cooper Formula Junior car. This is from Riverside in March of 1962
photo lent site Tam McPartland. www.tamsoldracecarsite.net
#124
Posted 11 December 2006 - 16:10
Can anyone in the States tell me if the SCCA would hold records of members addresses going back that far ? I would like to find John Erickson. [QUOTE]
Here is the url for the North East Ohio SCCA region, which runs races and schools at Nelson.
http://www.neohio-scca.org/
You might be able to contact someone at the site and pose the questions.
At the following site you can search for SCCA region websites and do the same.
http://www.scca.org/...0-182B930&x=080|090&~=
A lot of these folks have been involved in club racing forever and would likely remember John Erickson.
Dave
#125
Posted 12 December 2006 - 13:20
[QUOTE]The only concrete evidence I have of the cars previous use is a SCCA log book stamped from May 1985 to August 1976, the Driver/entrant being shown as John Erickson, at venues such as Waterford, Nelson Ledges Drivers School, Glen Drivers School, Gratten Drivers School, Blue Water, "Cincy Reg" (is that short for Cincinatti ?) and Nelson Ledges Regional.
Can anyone in the States tell me if the SCCA would hold records of members addresses going back that far ? I would like to find John Erickson. [QUOTE]
Here is the url for the North East Ohio SCCA region, which runs races and schools at Nelson.
http://www.neohio-scca.org/
You might be able to contact someone at the site and pose the questions.
At the following site you can search for SCCA region websites and do the same.
http://www.scca.org/...0-182B930&x=080|090&~=
A lot of these folks have been involved in club racing forever and would likely remember John Erickson.
Dave [/QUOTE]
Actually, NeOhio, Mahoning Valley (sp?), Steel Cities, and possibly even Western New York region sanctioned schools and/or races at Nelson Ledges. I think only MV region raced at Segdel Noslen, in the late 60s, but thats a tangent on a tangent.
I sent Tom contact information for Western Michigan Region (6) yesterday via PM.
One name I do not recognize is "blue water". (correction) 'Blue Water Regional' has, in the past, been a SCCA sanctioned event at Waterford Hills.
#126
Posted 12 December 2006 - 18:02
Tom Walker
#127
Posted 13 December 2006 - 12:41
Originally posted by ggnagy
Then again, Mr Erickson might still be racing, just in something alot less fire breathing than an ASR Lola.
Oddly enough, there is a John Erickson who is now in charge of the Penske ALMS team. Therefore, perhaps I should retract the word "alot" from the line above.
#128
Posted 13 December 2006 - 16:34
Chuck Parsons at Elkhart Lake in 1967 in Carl Haas run McLaren 3B.
John Surtees in his Lola T-70 can be seen on the side. Chuck had a blown engine after 38 laps. Denis Hulme won this race in the new Mk 6 McLaren. John Surtees was third.
photo Gil Munz-scanned Ike Smith
Edited by Jerry Entin, 19 November 2010 - 01:15.
#129
Posted 15 December 2006 - 21:19
Chuck Parsons and Sherry never had any children together. This was their baby. Their beloved "Susie"
photo lent site- Ike Smith
#130
Posted 15 December 2006 - 21:47
I talked to a formula Vee driver 5 or 6 years ago who had raced at Nelson backwards (running the course backwards, as opposed to driving in reverse) and I got the impression it had been within several years of our conversation. But that is just a tangent on a tangent on a tanget....
#131
Posted 22 December 2006 - 03:39
"...Regarding Chuck Parsons...I share the views of others that he was a fine race driver and a nice guy. He and I co-drove a 67 Ford Mustang for Randy Hilton in the 1967 Trans-American Championship event held at Stardust Int'l Raceways in Las Vegas, Nevada..."
Some of the results last Vic Parsons or Ray Parsons or something, but it seems it was Chuck.
Vince H.
#132
Posted 22 December 2006 - 12:36
#133
Posted 05 March 2007 - 06:36
Chuck Parsons at Texas Raceway in 1969. Bullhorn Special.
Lothar Motschenbacher behind car and Carl Haas on the side. Colin Riley is with Carl Haas.
photo Gil Munz
scanned for site Ike Smith
Edited by Jerry Entin, 24 November 2010 - 12:22.
#134
Posted 05 March 2007 - 07:00
Randy and John Hilton. Long time friend and sponsor to Chuck Parsons. This is Kent, Washington in 1966. First time of running the McLaren Mk 2.
Gil Munz photo-scanned for site Ike Smith
#135
Posted 05 March 2007 - 10:25
More Can-Am pix!
#136
Posted 05 March 2007 - 16:44
Vince H.
#137
Posted 05 March 2007 - 18:17
#138
Posted 05 March 2007 - 21:33
I note the image above of Chuck in the CanAm T70 with apparently Chevy power and down-draught induction. I thought that universally Chevies were fitted with side-draught DCOE-type Webers as opposed to the down-draught IDA style so frequently found on the Ford V-8's of the period. Was this a rarity in that this car featured a Chevy nursed by down-draugths? Thanks.
PS: I'm aware that once injection took over from carbs, most induction systems for the big-block Chevs featured down-draught trumpets. Most...but not all.
#139
Posted 05 March 2007 - 22:44
Would you have a picture of the back of te T163 at Daytona? My friend Scott Bader owns one of the two high-wing Simoniz cars and is curious to find out if this car is his or the other one. His is the one with the open back of the body. Thanks in advance!
T54
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#140
Posted 06 March 2007 - 03:31
#141
Posted 06 March 2007 - 05:05
#142
Posted 06 March 2007 - 05:46
#143
Posted 06 March 2007 - 14:01
#144
Posted 19 April 2007 - 04:37
Here are Gil Munz and Chuck Parsons opening up Carl Haas's shop to go to work in 1969.
photo Ike Smith.
#145
Posted 19 April 2007 - 04:43
This is 1968 and Chuck Parsons is testing what would become the Lola T-163 nose. Looking on are Colin Riley and Eric Broadley. Gil Munz is bent over at back.
photo Ike Smith.
#146
Posted 13 November 2007 - 03:19
Ike Smith as he looks today, with his friend of over 40 years, Jerry Entin.
This is at Elkhart Lake this summer and Ike Smith helped the crew at Arrowlane Restoration restore the ex Chuck Parsons Lola T-70 back to it's original condition. Car is now owned and driven by Steven Hilton.
Photo Paul Medici
#147
Posted 13 November 2007 - 05:29
Mike Summers
#148
Posted 13 November 2007 - 05:53
#149
Posted 13 November 2007 - 06:02
Vince H.
#150
Posted 13 November 2007 - 11:52
Jerry. Mosport is planning a big CanAm revival meet for sometime in June, 2008. Any chance that you'll attend? In any capacity?
It'd be marvelous to meet you.
As far as that goes, we should see Chuck Brandt here, too, no? Chuck?