Edmonton Speedway Park: 1969 Camaro Convert. Pace & Parade Cars for Can Am 1969

[SMKZ28]

Multiple 1969 Camaro convertibles were used in official capacities during the Klondike 200 Canadian American Challenge Cup (Can-Am) event held at Edmonton Speedway Park in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada on Sunday, July 27, 1969.  A 1969 Camaro was the pace car for the event and dignitaries and drivers were paraded around the track prior to the race in at least ten 1969 Camaro convertibles.  Denny Hulme won the event in his Chevrolet powered McLaren M8B.

This cool advertisement for the event appeared in the Friday, July 25, 1969 issue of the Edmonton Journal newspaper.  Notice that a portion of it states, "...and Camaro pace car parade led by Sterling Moss..."  He was an ex-driver who travelled with the series and performed the pace car driving duties.  You can see him in the third image talking to Bruce McLaren from the drivers seat of what might have been the 1969 Camaro RS/SS 396 used as the pace car for the event.  Notice that this car appears to have wheel covers instead of the optional Rally Wheels.  Due to the lack of spectators, this image was taken prior to race day.

Images:
1/2: newspapers.com
3/4: http://miscellaneousphotographs.com/projects-and-galleries/the-klondike-200/

[SMKZ28]

This image shows a 1969 Camaro convertible (non RS) sitting to the left of pit lane beyond the Ferrari 612 P of Chris Amon.  This was also taken prior to race day due to the lack of fans in the stands.

www.toromagazine.com

[SMKZ28]

On race day at least ten 1969 Camaro convertibles were used to chauffeur dignitaries and the drivers around the track prior to the race.  These blurry photos show the Camaro parade for dignitaries/VIP's.  I found them years ago at a website that no longer exists.  I believe they are part of the Dave Friedman Collection.

[SMKZ28]

Here are more small images of the Camaro parade for dignitaries and VIP's. 

[SMKZ28]

Sometime before or after the parade of dignitaries/VIP's Camaro convertibles were again used to chauffeur the Can-Am drivers around the track.  Not sure if these were the same Camaros or if they were another group lettered up especially for the Can-Am drivers.  You can see the lineup of Camaros on the left side of the image.  The people walking down pit lane in this image were sitting in the back of two different Camaros in the previous post.

[SMKZ28]

This great advertisement for Stedelbaur Chev. Olds Ltd. shows a fantastic picture of the Camaro drivers parade.  It appeared in the Monday, July 28, 1969 issue of the Edmonton Journal newspaper.  It states that, "Camaro appointed Official Can-Am Klondike 200 Pace Car" and that "Schmiley Buys All 10 Camaro Pace Cars."  The interesting thing is that there looks to be at least eleven Camaro convertibles in the picture!  Notice that the first and possibly the second are Rally Sports.  At least one of them appears to have a nose stripe.

www.newspapers.com

[SMKZ28]

This picture shows the pace car in pit lane after having just released the field to the green flag at the start of the race.  I know this photo is blurry but to me it looks like the Camaro might be white with Rally stripes.  What do you guys see?  If this was the case, the pace car was probably a 1969 Camaro RS/SS Z11 convertible.  I haven't been able to find another photo that confirms this. 

This photo also came from the website that no longer exists.

[SMKZ28]

Cover of the souvenir program: https://www.progcovers.com/motor/canam1969.html

[169INDY]

Great Vintage Tail Pan SS396 SHot! (LoL)

[MO]

Great research as always Scott!

[KurtS]

what might have been the 1969 Camaro RS/SS 396 used as the pace car for the event. 

If that's the case, then the pacer isn't a Z11 (reply #6).

[SMKZ28]

what might have been the 1969 Camaro RS/SS 396 used as the pace car for the event. 

If that's the case, then the pacer isn't a Z11 (reply #6).

I'm just not sure what that lightly colored, probably white, 1969 Camaro RS/SS 396 convertible was used for.  Since that picture wasn't taken on race day, Sterling Moss could have just been driving this Camaro around the track for inspection or giving someone a ride.  That's why I used the phrase "what might have been."  I haven't been able to find a definitive photo of the pace car in front of the field of Can-Am cars so I don't know if the 1969 Camaro RS/SS 396 in the photo from Reply #1 is or is not the pace car.  The photo from Reply #6 is what has me wondering since it kind of looks like the car has the Rally Stripes.  No other non-racecar would be in that position once the race was on, so it has to be the pace car.  Just wish the photo was clearer.  They could be stripes or it could be an optical illusion.  Hopefully another image will emerge in the future to put the question to rest.

[SMKZ28]

Great research as always Scott!

Thanks, I'm glad you enjoy it.

[SMKZ28]

I did a little more digging and unfortunately could not find a photo of the actual pace car for the event but I did figure out why there were several people riding in the Camaro parade dressed in 19th century outfits (replies #3 & #4) and why the event had the word Klondike in the title.  Every year in late July Edmonton celebrates a fair known as Klondike Days.  According to Wikipedia, "the fair was originally named the Edmonton Exhibition from its founding in 1879 until 1964, when it was renamed Klondike Days. The name change coincided with the introduction of the kitsch theme associated with the 1890s and the Klondike Gold Rush. The gold rush had taken place several hundreds of miles to the northwest. Edmonton was a stopping point for prospectors headed to the Yukon Territory on the "all-Canadian overland route.""  In 1969, the Klondike Days fair was held July 17th - 26th.  The people dressed in the Victorian clothing must have been VIP's associated with Klondike Days.

Images:
1-3: Ebay
4: Tumblr

[SMKZ28]

More items from Klondike Days 1969.

worthpoint

[group/7]

I found this 

Sorry for the quality and size, couldn't make it any smaller 

Mike

[SMKZ28]

WOW!  Fantastic photo Mike.  Thanks very much for finding and posting that!  Cool to see the door decals and all the other stickers on these SS convertibles.  Notice how they are parked in front of the Chateau Lacombe in your photo.  According to the advertisement from Reply #1 the lobby of the Chateau Lacombe is the "Race Headquarters."  Pretty cool!

[SMKZ28]

I just found this color photo of the #7 Chaparral 2H 001/Chevrolet driven by John Surtees driving past a parked red Camaro SS 350 sometime during the 1969 Klondike Trail 200 race weekend.  Notice that it is lettered up like one of the cars in the picture posted by Mike (group/7) in Reply #15 on this page.  Perhaps it is the second one from the right.  That is the only non RS car in the photo out of the four Camaro's pictured.

I found it here: https://theadworks.zenfolio.com/p593269253