Arnolds Park, IA (KICD) — We have an official time that the Iowa Great Lakes Rotary Car fell through the ice this year. When the decades old raffle contest began, participants would guess the DAY it happened, but in recent years the entry form was changed so individuals purchasing their ticket would guess a TIME OF DAY.

After two weeks of bitterly cold weather that made good ice, the car – which is just a shell – no engine, electronics, tanks, or seats – was pulled out on its high visability spot on Smith’s Bay Winter Games Weekend. And then temperatures increased to above freezing.
The car sank Thursday – February 8th – which is the earliest date anyone can remember.

Divers and a tow truck pulled the car out Saturday afternoon. An onboard clock that stops when it’s submerged shows that the vehicle hit the water at precisely 9:30 am.