According to a report from the New York Daily News, “the founder of the Papa John’s pizza chain – who spent years searching for the beloved Camaro he sold to start his business – has finally been reunited with the muscle car.”

“In celebration, the chain is handing out free pizzas Wednesday to all Camaro drivers.”

“‘The Camaro represents what I gave up to start Papa John’s,’ said company founder John Schnatter. ‘Words cannot capture the emotions I am feeling….I never gave up hope that someday I would get that car back.'”

“In 1983, John Schnatter’s father, an Indiana bar owner, was on the verge of bankruptcy. So Schnatter sold his only asset, a black-and-gold striped 1971 Chevy Camaro Z28, for $2,800. As he frequently told the story, he had to turn his back as the buyer drove away, unable to watch his cherished car go. With the proceeds, Schnatter bought some equipment and started selling pizzas out of a broom closet of his dad’s bar, digging their way out of bankruptcy a pie at a time.The pizza chain is now the world’s third largest and is worth $750 million.”

“Even as his buisness took off and he became rich, Schnatter never stopped missing his Camaro. He had no record of who he sold it to and spent years looking for the sports car, even hiring a private eye to search. In May, he turned the hunt into a slick marketing campaign tied to the firm’s 25th anniversary. Schnatter drove a replica of the car across the country and handed out free pizza from Denver to Times Square. He initially offered a $25,000 reward, and upped the ante in June to $250,000,” the story said.