dd you know that Johnny Carson took a spin around the Indianapolis Speedway, at speed, and was only prevented from crashing by none other than Parnelli Jones?

In September of 1967, Carson got to do a few hot laps at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Parnelli Jones’ STP Turbine Indy racer. Carson’s ride in the turbine car was a result of his relationship with STP boss Andy Granatelli. STP was a major sponsor of the Tonight Show and Granatelli, always a good interview, had been Carson’s guest on the show a number of times. Perhaps the relationship had grown out of Granatelli’s role at Studebaker. Carson was one of the first owners of the Avanti.

“Andy [Granatelli] and I took him around in the pace car. I was driving and Andy was in the backseat. After a couple of laps, while I was pointing out the proper groove, Johnny said, ‘I got it, let me try it.’ We switched seats and he took it around the first time. He did OK through the third turn and then the fourth turn, but going down the straightaway he was going too deep. When he didn’t back off, I yelled at him and grabbed the steering wheel.

He was doing what nearly all laymen do when they get a chance to drive. They think all you have to do is stand on it all the way around. You can’t do that in a race car, and you can’t in a passenger car, either, but they all seem to think you can. He was no different.

“He was a quick learner. “I’d shook him up a little, but he did just what I told him. He gained a lot of respect for the race car. And I had a lot of respect for how he did. He did really well.”

Though not nearly as fast as Jones in the car, Carson’s best lap averaged a respectable 138 mph after getting some pointers from Jones, Granatelli and Andretti. By comparison, it took a speed of at least 162 mph to qualify for the 500 that year.

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