Parker Johnstone

27/3/1961

Record updated 27-Mar-20

An accomplished musician, Parker Johnstone III was the principal trumpet of the International Youth Orchestra, touring Europe, playing with Herbert von Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic and famed pianist Van Cliburn. However instead of persuing a career in music, he went to the engineering school at the University of California, Berkeley, where he graduated in 1982. He began his amateur racing career while still in high school, winning local SCCA events and working as an instructor at the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving after college. Before arriving in CART in 1994 with the Comptech Honda team, Parker Johnstone led the driving duties that landed Acura many IMSA race wins and championships from the late 1980s to 1993. A resident originally from Redmond, OR, he began racing in autocrosses in his 428 Cobra Jet Mustang. He raced amatuer Super-Vee in North California. He later competed in the IMSA Renault Cup. A series based on the Renault Alliance. He nearly won the championship in 1984, his first season, finishing 2nd in the Renault Cup National Championship, earning a spot with the factory Renault team to race in Europe. He returned to the United States to win the Renault Cup championship in 1985. In 1986 he won the SCCA National Road Racing Championship driving for Honda in the GT-4 class. He also won IMSA championships in International Sedan for Acura in 1987 and 1988. In 1987 he was also the rookie of the year in the pro-Formula Atlantic division. He competed in the Tasman Formula Pacific series in New Zealand in 1987. He won the IMSA Camel Lights sports car championship 3 years in a row, from 1991 to 1993, setting all-time qualifying and race win records, including winning the 24 Hours of Daytona twice, the 12 Hours of Sebring, and 1000km Suzuka event in Japan. He finished second in both 1989 and 1990 in the IMSA International Sedan Championship. He left sports car racing having set the all-time IMSA race win record at 54 victories and for 1994 the Comptech team took on their greatest challenge CART. As with any first year engine program and the first season with Honda was a giant learning curve. In 1994 and 1995, Parker put in more miles doing development work on the Honda engine than racing, where he drove in mainly the road course races. He made his oval debut at the Michigan 500 in 1995, qualifying on pole with a new track record, Honda's first ever Champ Car pole position. He led the race until retiring with mechanical problems. He ran the full season in 1996 and in 1997 he moved to Team Green Racing. He led a number of races, however his best CART finish was a second place in 1996 at the Long Beach Grand Prix. When Johnstone stopped racing in CART after the 1997 season he managed a very emotional podium finish at Michigan International Speedway in a 500 mile event. That was the highlight of his CART career After he retired from professional racing, Parker became the color analyst commentator for ABC's/ESPN's coverage of IndyCar/CART racing. When ESPN stopped covering IndyCar/CART he was moved to cover the pit action and work as the technical pit analyst for the NHRA coverage. After three years of covering the NHRA Drag Racing Championship, he left broadcasting to oversee and operate Parker Johnstone's Wilsonville Honda in Wilsonville, Oregon. Several of his historically significant race cars are on display there. He is currently racing in SCCA competition in a Huffaker built HP MG Midget as well as competing in vintage racing in several different types of cars. He is an Eagle Scout. He is an instrument, commercial, certified flight instructor pilot and has competed and won in aerobatic competitions. He is scuba certified. He has appeared in over 50 TV commercials as well as performed as a stuntman in the movie Speed. He is a member of both the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA). He has competed in triathlons and cycling races. He lives in Wilsonville where he served as member of the City's Parks and Rec board for 5 years. He also served on the board of directors for the Children's Cancer Association.

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