▁Can ▁Am ▁series . ▁Like ▁many ▁drivers ▁of ▁the ▁era , ▁he ▁participated ▁in ▁multiple ▁ven ues , ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁ 2 4 ▁H ours ▁of ▁Day ton a ▁and ▁ 2 4 ▁H ours ▁of ▁Le ▁Mans ▁end urance ▁races ▁while ▁driving ▁the ▁same ▁year ▁in ▁the ▁Can ▁Am ▁series . ▁ ▁Career ▁Par s ons ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 4 ▁in ▁Bru in , ▁Kentucky . ▁He ▁moved ▁to ▁California ▁at ▁age ▁ 2 4 ▁and ▁settled ▁near ▁Mon ter ey . ▁Par s ons ▁worked ▁in ▁autom obile ▁sales ▁and ▁eventually ▁owned ▁his ▁own ▁import ▁car ▁lot . ▁▁▁ ▁At ▁age ▁ 3 1 , ▁he ▁bought ▁his ▁first ▁competition ▁car , ▁an ▁Austin - He ale y , ▁from ▁the ▁proceed s ▁of ▁his ▁work ▁in ▁sales . ▁ ▁After ▁he ▁rac ed ▁the ▁He ale y ▁in ▁amateur ▁events , ▁he ▁moved ▁on ▁briefly ▁to ▁a ▁Por sche , ▁then ▁a ▁Lot us ▁type ▁ 1 5 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 9 , ▁he ▁bought ▁a ▁Mas er ati ▁Bird c age ▁rac er ▁from ▁Tex an ▁Jim ▁Hall , ▁later ▁of ▁Chap ar ral ▁cars ▁fame . ▁ ▁Following ▁his ▁experience ▁with ▁the ▁Mas er ati , ▁which ▁turned ▁out ▁to ▁be ▁expensive ▁to ▁operate , ▁Par s ons ▁sold ▁the ▁Bird c age ▁and ▁rac ed ▁a ▁Sun be am ▁Al pine ▁road ster . ▁The ▁Al pine ▁racing ▁effort ▁was ▁spons ored ▁by ▁R andy ▁Hil ton .