Stolen Race Car And Trailer Recovered In Tulsa

BY Melissa Hawkes - NEWS ON 6

TULSA, Oklahoma - Hundreds of drivers are in town for the largest micro sprint racing event in the country, but one racer didn't' think he'd make it onto the track.

Over the weekend the trailer storing driver Quinn Jones' race car was stolen, but Monday, Tulsa Police recovered trailer and race car in a restaurant parking lot.

The trailer was parked at the River Spirit Expo Center, along with hundreds of other trailers, when thieves backed a truck up to it and took off.

They got away with about $35,000 worth of items including the car, the trailer and tools.

Jones wasn't sure if he would ever see his race car again.

"It means more to me than a lot of things in my life, and just to have it back is astounding. It's awesome," said Jones.

An employee at a Lot-A-Burger near Mingo and Marshall spotted the trailer in the restaurant parking lot Monday morning and called Tulsa police.

Corporal Ron Clark with the Tulsa Police said, "They came this morning and saw it and they were complaining about it taking up parking spaces, didn't realize it was stolen."

As soon as officers opened the trailer and saw the $20,000 micro car inside, they knew it was the trailer stolen from Jones' uncle, Jacob Knipmeyer.

"It feels wonderful. My nephew has his car back. He will be able to run it in the A class," Knipmeyer said.

From the car to spare tires almost everything was still in its place, except for about $8,000 worth of heavy-duty tools.

"Not stuff we would typically have in our garage, they are higher valued tools," said Clark.

Knipmeyer said, "The main thing we worried about is still here."

With the trailer back at the Expo Center, Jones can get behind the wheel Wednesday with a new found appreciation for his micro car.

"It's a great car. It's really fast. Hopefully, I can bring back a win with it," he said.

Jones will race inside the Expo Center on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Tulsa Police are monitoring pawn shops across the city. They hope to find the tools and the thieves responsible.