John Schnatter when he first owned the car (Photo from ABC News video)
Update -- Monday, 9:50 a.m.: A 1971 Camaro belonging to the Papa John's Pizza owner was recovered Monday morning on the city's west side after being stolen in Detroit overnight Saturday, WXYZ reports.
It was discovered in an abandoned home's driveway across from Samuel Gompers Elementary-Middle School on Pierson Street, about three blocks north of I-96, the Detroit Free Press says.
Original article:
The Woodward Dream Cruise this past weekend was all about fun.
But for three classic car owners -- including the owner of Papa John's Pizza -- there was little fun after they discovered their classic cars had been stolen.
Jane Park of WXYZ reports that the 1971 Camaro Z28 belonging to the Papa John's Pizza owner John Schnatter, that was in town for the Dream Cruise, was stolen overnight Saturday while it was inside a trailer, attached to a truck. The station reports that the truck and trailer were on E. Jefferson Avenue at a hotel. The truck and car were reported missing Sunday morning. The truck was recovered on Woodbridge, but the car is missing.
Media reports say that Schnatter sold the car in 1983 for $2,800 to help his dad who was going through bankruptcy, and to save his Indiana tavern. Schnatter used the remainder of the money to start Papa John's out of the back of his dad's tavern. He later turned the pizza business into a national chain.
He later paid a $25,000 finder fee to relocate the car, and in 2009, he got it back for $250,000. The car is used for promotions for the pizza chain.
It was the third car that was stolen during Dream Cruise weekend, WXYZ reports. A 1966 Corvette was stolen Saturday afternoon from Birmingham, and a black, 1966 Chevelle was stolen overnight from the Kingsley Inn on Woodward in Bloomfield Hills.
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