Sun Carnival Jeep Derby in El Paso, Texas

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).

Clipping from El Paso Times - Newspapers.com — 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.

Clipping from El Paso Herald-Post - Newspapers.com — December 25, 1962, El Paso Herald-Post

Ted C. Brewer of Roswell, New Mexico, went on to win the Inaugural Sun Carnival Jeep Derby.

1963-01-01-elpaso-times-derby-jeep-winner-lores — January 01, 1963, El Paso Times

The next year, the Sun Carnival volunteers put together another course.

1963-12-22-elpaso-times-2nd-annual-jeep-derby-lores — December 22, 1963, El Paso Times

Ted C. Brewer was unable to defend his crown, placing third, as a 17 year-old by the name of Alan Beyer came in first (dang kids).

1963-12-30-elpaso-herald-post-2nd-annual-jeep-derby-winners-lores — December 30, 1963, El Paso Herald-Post

One more pic of the young Alan Beyer along with his parents:

I could locate no articles on a 1964 Jeep Sun Carnival derby, so it's not clear to me what happened to it or how much longer it was held.

5 Comments

Barney GoodwinSeptember 15, 2020 at 11:34 AM
I'm curious about the rims in the last picture. They sure look larger than 16". Optical illusion?
Barney GoodwinSeptember 15, 2020 at 11:35 AM
Picture titled Jeep Winner
1. David EilersSeptember 15, 2020 at 4:57 PM
  It looks like the tires may have been painted or white walled, giving the illusion of larger rims? That's my guess. I can see what you mean.
BingoSeptember 15, 2020 at 2:34 PM
Small event/Or the fix is in. Two of those names placed in both year's contest
1. David EilersSeptember 15, 2020 at 4:59 PM
  Bingo: It wasn't a huge event and I suspect most folks who entered didn't have a ton of experience racing, but that's just a guess.