Top 10 Father/Son Driver Combos: Part III

Bud Kaeding finds some quiet time at ORP
Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cmakin/

 6. Johnnie and Johnny Parsons

Johnnie Parsons’ biggest claim to fame was his success at the Indianapolis 500, where he won the rain-shortened 1950 race – although it should be noted that Parsons was a full lap ahead of the field when the race was halted at lap 138 and had led 115 laps to that point. In all Parsons would start 10 Indianapolis 500s, finishing with four Top 10 finishes and three Top 5s, as well as claiming the National Driving Championship in 1949.

But Parsons was also one of the most accomplished midget drivers of his generation. He won the 1942 UMA title with 18 victories before the season was cut short by World War II. Parsons later would win some of the biggest races in midgets, including the third feature of the 1948 Night Before the 500 and the 1955 Turkey Night Grand Prix.

Johnnie’s son shared the name that was accidentally carved onto the Borg Warner Trophy after his 1950 Indianapolis victory. And Johnny Parsons would follow his father’s footsteps to Indy and the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame. While he would never win the Indianapolis 500, he would be a consistent presence in the 1970s and 1980s, racking up 11 career starts while finishing fifth twice.

Johnny Parsons also has the distinction of being one of the best midget drivers to never win a USAC title. His closest finish was second in 1977, and he also finished second twice in the Silver Crown series. However, he did show a knack for winning big races, including two victories at the 4-Crown Nationals and victories at the Hut Hundred and Copper Classic.

5. Howard, Brent, Tim and Bud Kaeding

For three generations, the Kaeding family has been at the top of the sprint car world on the West Coast. Starting with patriarch Howard and moving to his son Brent and grandsons Tim and Bud, the Kaeding name has been synonymous with one thing: winning.

Howard Kaeding was perhaps the greatest supermodified driver in the West Coast, winning three straight California State Championships and an unprecedented 27 straight victories at the now-defunct San Jose Speedway. Howard also dabbled in sprint cars, running a few NARC and World of Outlaws shows and even winning a $2,000 to win show at San Jose Speedway in 1990.

His son Brent got his start at Santa Maria Speedway in 1978, where he was named the track’s Rookie of the Year. From there, his career would reach meteoric proportions – it’s fair to say that since the 1980s, he’s been California’s answer to Steve Kinser in terms of his domination. He’s won the King of California series a record 13 times and taken more than 350 career victories. These have included four World of Outlaws victories, including three different Dirt Cup victories and a surprise Turkey Night midget win in 1985, part of what might be considered one of the best seasons in racing history.

While he continues to race and win – including six victories already this season – his sons are becoming names in their own right. Bud Kaeding has chosen non-wing racing as his main career path, winning the USAC Silver Crown title twice and currently leading the 2009 standings. He has also excelled in sprint cars, including winning the Oval Nationals three different times.

Meanwhile, his brother Tim has continued his father’s legacy of being a ferocious winged sprint car driver, both nationally and on the West Coast. He’s also a former King of California, and has the most career wins at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico, CA. In addition, he’s toured on and off with the World of Outlaws while driving for Dennis Roth and Steve Kinser, winning six races (including one in 2009).

Previous entries:

10. Bubby and Tony Jones

9. Steve and Stevie Smith

8. Sammy and Kevin Swindell

7. Bill Vukovich, Bill Vukovich Jr. and Billy Vukovich III