Papa John’s offers free pizza to Camaro owners

By MIKE MORRIS

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Papa John’s Pizza is giving away free pizzas today, but only to Camaro drivers. Mustang owners need not apply.

The one-day offer is being made to commemorate company founder John Schnatter’s successful quest to track down his beloved 1971 Chevrolet Camaro Z28, which he sold for $2,800 in 1983. The money helped save his father’s tavern in Jeffersonville, Ind., and he used the rest to start what would become a worldwide pizza business.

Schnatter missed his cherished Camaro and spent years searching for the long-lost muscle car. He created a Web site on the search, held promotional appearances and eventually offered $250,000 to whoever found it.

The car was finally found earlier this month in Flatwoods, Ky., about 165 miles east of Papa John’s home base of Louisville.

Owner Jeff Robinson is now $250,000 richer, and Schnatter has his car back.

“When I first saw it I still wanted to look it over to make sure it was the car even though I knew it,” Schnatter told The Associated Press. “That kind of hit me emotionally. I was kind of numb.”

To celebrate, Schnatter is giving away a free large, one-topping pizza today to Camaro owners.

To redeem the offer, Camaro owners must arrive at their nearby Papa John’s restaurant in their Camaro to order and pick up their free pizza. There’s a limit of one pizza per Camaro, company officials said.

-- The Associated Press contributed to this article.