In the autumn of 1962, the Sun Carnival organization in El Paso, Texas, decided to add the Sun Carnival Jeep Derby, one of only four derby’s held in the US, to it’s late December events calendar (the other ‘derbies’ were held in Las Cruces, Truth or Consequences, and Denver). The grand prize was a brand new 1963 CJ-5 donated by the Willys Manufacturing Company (I think they meant Willys Motors).
September 12, 1962, El Paso Times
Before being presented to the race winner, Carnival manage Bruce Brooks planned to use it by carnival staff to carry tickets between the four branch offices.
December 25, 1962, El Paso Herald-Post
Ted C. Brewer of Roswell, New Mexico, went on to win the Inaugural Sun Carnival Jeep Derby.
January 01, 1963, El Paso Times
The next year, the Sun Carnival volunteers put together another course.
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