Continental Divide Raceway 1969 Camaro RS/SS Z11 Pace Car USAC Indycar & Prize

[SMKZ28]

Two 1969 Camaro RS/SS Z11 convertibles were involved in the United States Auto Club (USAC) sanctioned Rocky Mountain 150 Indycar race held on the 2.8 mile road course at Continental Divide Raceways in Castle Rock, Colorado on Sunday July 6, 1969.  One was used as the Official Pace Car of the event and according to the souvenir event program, the other was given away as the Grand Prize of a contest sponsored by Coca-Cola.  Gordon Johncock won the second annual event in his Ford powered Eagle.

The 1st & 2nd pictures show two different 1969 Camaro RS/SS Z11 convertibles in the paddock area across from the grand stands.  One is parked in front of the two yellow vans on the right side of the photo and the other is parked between the tower and the tent on the left side of the photo.  To me, it looks like the one on the right side is the car that was used as the pace car.  The other one is either a backup pace car or perhaps it could be the one that would be given away to the winner of the contest???  I found this picture in a letter to the editor on page 16 of the May/June 2016 edition of Vintage Motorsport magazine.  Notice that there is an Indycar on the track and at least one parked in the paddock.  I'm not sure if this was taken on Saturday during practice and or qualifying or sometime during the race on Sunday.  The stands seem to be pretty full so I would bet it was on race day Sunday.  If it was Sunday, maybe it was taken during warm up or practice since there doesn't seem to be any other cars on the track either on the front stretch or the back part behind the paddock.

The 3rd & 4th photos show the pace car Camaro off to the right of the track while the field is about to go by.  It looks likes it just pulled off before the field got the green flag.  It is part of the Bobby Unser collection at The Henry Ford Digital Collections.  Click on this link to use the magnification tools on this photo: https://www.thehenryford.org/collections-and-research/digital-collections/artifact/375285ene

[SMKZ28]

A special ceremony was held twenty-five minutes before the start of the race in which there was a "Formal Dedication" of naming turn #1 "Foyt's Corner."  This was in honor of 3 time Indy 500 winner (at that time) A.J. Foyt.  A picture of A.J. Foyt riding in the back of one of the 1969 Camaro RS/SS Z11 convertible pace cars was featured in the souvenir event program for the following year, 1970.  The caption for the photo states, "A.J. Foyt, CDR's first '150' winner, cuts ribbon prior to last year's annual 'Rocky Mountain 150' dedicating turn #1 as 'Foyt's Corner.'"  Notice that the photo appeared on a page next to an advertisement for the new 1970 Camaro Z28. 


All photos came from worthpoint.com

[SMKZ28]

Here is a photo of the schedule of events for the 1969 Rocky Mountain 150.  Notice that the formal dedication of Foyt's Corner took place at 1:05pm.  Also notice that it states that five minutes later there would be a ceremony "Announcing The Grand Prize Winner of 'Win Something Wild.'  A Camaro Indy '500' Pace Car (Sponsored by Coca-Cola)."  While I am not absolutely sure, the Z11 on the left side of the picture in the first post of this thread could be the giveaway car.

I searched and searched for information regarding this contest and could not find anything about it.  Does anyone have any information on this particular Coca-Cola sponsored contest where a 1969 Camaro RS/SS Z11 convertible was given away???  If so, please share.  I had not heard of this before and like I mentioned, I could not find anything about it.  Perhaps it was a local contest but I could not find anything in any Colorado newspapers either.

[SMKZ28]

The schedule of events page also states that, "Official Pace Car at CDR, the Indy '500' Camaro, Courtesy Ruwart-McKinnon Chevrolet, Denver, Colorado."  Surprisingly, there isn't much information available on this particular dealership either.  I was able to find a photo of a 1968 Chevelle SS that was originally sold there and it still has the metal dealer sign attached to the trunk lid.

1) worthpoint
2) buffalocars.com

[SMKZ28]

1) Billboard for Continental Divide Raceways: rmvr.com
2) Advertisement for 1969 event: autoracingmemories.com
3) Souvenir Event Program Cover: worthpoint.com
4) Camaro/Corvette ad inside Souvenir Event Program: worthpoint.com

[SMKZ28]

Not sure how I forgot to post this in this thread.  I found out that the "Win Something Wild" sweepstakes was put on by a Denver, Colorado radio station called 95 KIMN, The Tiger.

June & July 1969
KIMN Radio Win Something Wild Sweepstakes (Denver, Colorado)

"Win in the Win Something Wild Sweepstakes"
"Grand Prize!  A Camaro Indy '500' Pace Car"
"Listen to the wildest drawing on radio"

Found here: https://kimsloans.wordpress.com/colorado-kimn-1968-1969/