He was the owner of Red Byron's car which won the inaugural NASCAR Strictly Stock Series championship in 1949.
Most famous for being a moonshine runner who helped to start NASCAR, he is recognized as the first "team" owner in stock car racing.
Prior to the founding of NASCAR, Parks was the car owner for moonshine runner and nephews Lloyd Seay and Roy Hall as far back as 1938.
[7] Parks was the last living member of the group who created NASCAR during a meeting at the Streamline Hotel in Daytona Beach, Florida in 1947.
[7] He was one of eight drivers inducted in the first class of the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame in 2002, along with his cousin Lloyd Seay, Byron, Tim Flock, and Bill Elliott.