Reg Parnell is perhaps best rememberd as a Team Manager in various motor sports arenas, but started out as a very sucessful driver. Parnell’s racing career started before World War II with victories driving several marques including Bugattis.  When racing resumed after the war so did Parnell’s career, with the Englishman progressing up to competing in 7 World Championship Grand Prix between 1950 and 1954. He continued competing in non-championship F1 races up to retirment from driving in 1957. (below Parnell in a Ferrari at the 1957 New Zealand GP)

In the early sixties Parnell manged the Yeoman Racing F1 team, with drivers John Surtees and Roy Salvadori, and the Le Mans winning Aston Martin team. In 1962 he set up Reg Parnell Racing but died of peritonitis in 1964 before the team became fully established. The Parnell racing team was taken over by his son Tim and continued until 1970.

This entry was posted on Monday, January 7th, 2008 at 9:13 pm and is filed under Drivers, Formula One, Le Mans, Racers Past. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.