Martin, taking a DB2 to sixth place in to 24 Heures du Mans, partnered by Charles Brackenbury (second in class). He followed this up with a class win (fourth overall) in the RAC Tourist Trophy, held around the narrow lanes of Dundrod. In 1952, Parnell enjoyed more class success with the DB2, taking wins at Silverstone and Boreham; at Goodwood, he unhesitatingly assumed duties as team manager for Aston Martin, following a pit fire seriously injured John Wyer. This was a foretaste of things to come. The success continued into 1953. At that year's Mille Miglia despite driving on the ignition switch after a broken throttle had to be wired up fully open, he and navigator, Louis Klemantaski finished in fifth place in their DB3. This was the highest ever finish by a British car at the great Italian classic. This result followed his second place in the 12 Hours of Sebring. He was also second at the RAC Tourist Trophy, and victorious in the Goodwood Nine Hours. Later years In 1954, in addition to his commitments for Aston Martin, Parnell continued to drive his own Ferrari 625 in numerous Formula One events, winning at Goodwood, Snetterton and Crystal Palace. The following season, he secured more victories for Aston Martin, before an unsuccessful sortie to New Zealand with an experimental single-seater Aston Martin. During 1956 Whit Monday at Crystal Palace, Parnell crashed Rob Walker's Connaught B-type, suffering a broken collar-bone and a badly cut knee. He recovered from this and returned to New Zealand, with the Scudeia Ambrosiana entered Ferrari 555/860, winning both the New Zealand Grand Prix and the Dunedin Trophy, early 1957. He was successful in other formulae but at the end of 1957 he decided to retire at the age of just 45. His last international race was the New Zealand Championship Road Race, at Ryal Bush where he finished second in a Ferrari 555/860. Team management He became the team manager of Aston Martin, a move which led him to oversee a famous 1–2 in 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans, when Roy Salvadori and Carroll Shelby led home Maurice Trintignant and Paul Frère. The company then decided to enter Formula One and Parnell led the team but at the end of 1960 the programme was abandoned. In 1961 the Samengo-Turner brothers (Paul, William & Fabian) asked Parnell to take over the management of the Yeoman