David "Skippy" Parsons

David John 'Skippy' Parsons (born 17 May 1959 in Devonport, Tasmania^[1]), was an Australian racing driver, who while never a full time racing driver, drove for the biggest racing teams in Australia.

Son of Tasmanian touring car racer Graham Parsons, David Parsons began emerging onto the national scene racing a Holden Commodore in the 1982 Australian Touring Car Championship making his debut at Symmons Plains.^[2] Embraced as an endurance co-driver by gentleman privateer racer Peter Janson his pace on his way to fourth at the 1982 James Hardie 1000 brought him to the attention of Peter Brock and the Holden Dealer Team. Co-driving John Harvey's #25 Commodore, Parsons was part of the HDT's dominant 1-2 finish at the 1984 James Hardie 1000.^[3]

Parsons maintained a connection with HDT into 1985 but as the relationship between Brock and Holden deteriorated, Parsons went to drive for fellow HDT alumnus, Larry Perkins. Parsons was recalled to HDT during 1987 and took part in the HDT's abbreviated campaign of the European leg of the World Touring Car Championship.

Heading into the 1987 James Hardie 1000 the Holden Dealer Team was expected to do little more the make up the numbers against the strength of the factory supported Ford and BMW teams. When the #05 car Parsons shared with Brock experienced a major engine failure in the early running, their effort looked set to be little more than a footnote. First Brock, then Parsons stepped aboard the team's second car, #10 which had been driven to that point of the race by Peter McLeod. Inspired driving on variable surface as rain plagued the second half of the race, good strategy and a lucky break with safety car procedure and the team clawed their way past the BMW M3s as they failed and into third position behind the flawless 1-2 finish of the Eggenberger Motorsport Ford Sierras.

Subsequently the two Sierras were disqualified, giving Parsons, Brock and McLeod the race win.^[4]

Parsons stayed with the team into 1988 as they transitioned to BMW M3s. After a year out of racing Parsons returned to Brock's team in 1990, now running Ford Sierras. The Sierra experience gained saw Parsons join Glenn Seton Racing in 1991 where he became a regular co-driver for the team for the next seven years, continuing to race with the team into the V8 Supercar era. A highlight was winning the 1993 Sandown 500 co-driving a Ford EB Falcon with Geoff Brabham.

From 1998 onwards Parsons was a hired gun, driving for Gibson Motor Sport and Owen Parkinson Racing, including co-drives with the other racing driver named David John Parsons. His final Bathurst appearance was alongside Paul Romano in 2000. Since then Parsons has made occasional one-off appearances in various sedan based categories.^[5]

Career results

References