Bristol Inter. Dragway: 1969 Z11's & Bristol NASCAR Pace Car at AHRA Drags 1969

[SMKZ28]

At least two 1969 Camaro RS/SS 396 Z11 convertibles and the 1969 Bristol International Speedway NASCAR Camaro RS/SS 396 convertible pace car were on hand to chauffer very important people down the dragstrip prior to the start of the American Hot Rod Association (AHRA) Spring Nationals that took place at the Bristol International Dragway in Bristol, Tennessee on Sunday, June 8, 1969. 

The first & second pictures show Miss Tennessee 1969, Mary Cox Ward, riding in the back of a 1969 Camaro RS/SS 396 Z11 convertible.  Notice how they just taped the "MISS TENNESSEE" sign right over the Indy Pace Car decal on the door.  Also the Pace Car decal was applied over the door stripe without buffing it off.  According to the sign on the rear quarter, "Bill Gatton Chevrolet Cadillac Bristol TENN-VA" provided the Camaro for the event.  Notice that this Camaro has two stickers on the drivers side of the windshield.  Click on the link to see a larger version of the photo and to zoom in on it: https://keithmcgraw.smugmug.com/CAR-STUFF/DRAGRACING/TOMMY-ERWIN/GIRLS-ROAD-AND-NATIONALS/i-rXRh8zQ/A

The third picture focuses in on the 1968 Camaro dragster of Bill Grumpy Jenkins but just behind it you can see the nose of a 1969 Camaro RS/SS 396 Z11 convertible.  I really like the STP shirt that the little boy in front of the Z11 is wearing.  Click on the link to see a larger version of the photo and to zoom in on it: https://keithmcgraw.smugmug.com/CAR-STUFF/DRAGRACING/TOMMY-ERWIN/BRISTOL-AUGUST-1970/i-NSF4Xjm

The photos from Smugmug are mislabled "August 1970"

[SMKZ28]

Another photo shows a second 1969 Camaro RS/SS 396 Z11 convertible provided by Bill Gatton Chevrolet Cadillac.  This car has a sign on its rear quarter stating that the young lady riding on the back is "Kathy Young 1969 Florida Citrus Queen."  This Camaro has only one sticker on the drivers side windshield.  This shows that it is a different car from the previous photo and that it wasn't the same car used for a different purpose at a different time.  This Camaro also did not have its door stripe buffed off before the pace car decal was added.

The cropped version of the photo of the Z11 came from a great photo of that car sitting next to the 1969 Camaro RS/SS 396 convertible used as the pace car at the nearby Bristol International Speedway.  It was at the AHRA event to help advertise the upcoming Volunteer 500 NASCAR event to the crowd.  It carried Miss Spring Nationals on the back. Notice the smaller version of the rear spoiler on the early build NASCAR pace car compared to the larger version on the Z11.

See a larger version of the photo and zoom in on it here: https://keithmcgraw.smugmug.com/CAR-STUFF/DRAGRACING/TOMMY-ERWIN/BRISTOL-AUGUST-1970/i-PS5qHST

[SMKZ28]

Here are two more photos of the NASCAR pace car at the AHRA event.  Miss Spring Nationals is riding 0n the back.

Click on the links to see a larger version of the photo and to zoom in on them:

1 & 2) https://keithmcgraw.smugmug.com/CAR-STUFF/DRAGRACING/TOMMY-ERWIN/BRISTOL-AUGUST-1970/i-fWKRnKq

3) https://keithmcgraw.smugmug.com/CAR-STUFF/DRAGRACING/TOMMY-ERWIN/GIRLS-ROAD-AND-NATIONALS/i-P8SfSjQ/A

[SMKZ28]

1) Souvenir program cover (worthpoint.com)


Cool photos of the original Bristol International Speedway/Dragway sign (one with bonus drag Camaro).  The first one was taken in 1965 and the second in the early 1970's:

2) gettyimages.com
3) pinterest

[169INDY]

Great Post!

[SMKZ28]

Apparently Bill Gaton Chevrolet Cadillac still exists in Bristol, Tennessee.  Their web site says that they have been in business since 1967.

https://www.billgatton.com/
https://www.billgattoncadillac.com/

[SMKZ28]

Great Post!

Thanks!

[KurtS]

I also don't see any numbers on the back of the rearview mirror of the first Z11.

Great finds!