John Woodrow Parsons (July 4, 1918 – September 8, 1984) was born in Los Angeles, California. He learned the mechanical side of racing from a young age, working at his uncle's garage in Los Angeles where figures such as Ralph DePalma — winner of the 1915 Indianapolis 500 — also kept cars. Parsons developed as both a driver and a wrench, a combination that served him well when he later exercised responsibility over his own racing programme. For a significant portion of his driving career he operated under the Frank Kurtis organisation, running Kurtis Kraft machinery, the dominant constructor in AAA Championship racing during the early 1950s.
Parsons began serious open-wheel competition in 1940 in midget racing on the U.S. West Coast, winning the United Midget Association championship in 1942 with 18 victories. He moved to AAA national competition after the Second World War, and finished second at the Indianapolis 500 on his first attempt in 1949 — the same year he claimed the AAA national championship title.
The following year, 1950, Parsons won the Indianapolis 500. That race was also the inaugural round of the new FIA World Drivers' Championship, meaning Parsons is counted among the drivers who scored World Championship points at Indianapolis. He participated in nine World Drivers' Championship races at Indianapolis in total, winning once, recording one fastest lap, and accumulating 12 championship points. He is one of only three drivers to have won on their World Drivers' Championship debut, alongside Nino Farina and Giancarlo Baghetti.
Parsons continued to compete at Indianapolis and in championship car events throughout the 1950s, including a notable episode at the 1957 Indianapolis 500 in which he was called up as a last-minute replacement after qualified driver Dick Rathmann was mugged the day before the race. He also won the 1955 Turkey Night Grand Prix midget race and contested sprint car events alongside his championship programme.
After retiring from active competition, Parsons served as Chief Steward for the USAC Midget division on the West Coast during the 1970s, maintaining his connection to the sport in an official capacity. He was inducted into the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 1984, the Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 1986, the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2004, and the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 2008.
Parsons left a lasting mark on American oval racing as both a champion driver and a knowledgeable team-side figure. His 1950 Indianapolis 500 victory also carries a notable footnote: the Borg-Warner Trophy silversmith engraved his name as "Johnny" instead of "Johnnie," and the error was preserved intact during a 1991 restoration as part of the trophy's lore. His son, John Wayne Parsons — known as Johnny Parsons Jr. — also became a racing driver, continuing the family's association with Indianapolis Motor Speedway across generations.