Martin Koschik of Highland, New York, a technician at J and J Automotive in Rhinebeck, New York, was the grand-prize winner of the MAHLE “Drive With the Original” promotion. The Grand Prize of a resto-mod Petty’s Garage 1968 Camaro RS was awarded on the first day of this year’s Automotive Aftermarket Product Expo (AAPEX) in Las Vegas.
The “Original” himself, Richard Petty, was on-hand to present each of the finalists with the opportunity to draw a key from his signature Charlie One Horse cowboy hat. One key unlocked the doors of the resto-mod, 625 HP Camaro RS.
“I never imagined a scenario where my key would actually turn when I put it in the lock. I put the key in, and when it turned, I knew instantly that my life had changed forever,” said Koschik right after winning the Petty’s Garage MAHLE Camaro. “When it got down to just me and one other finalist to see whose key would unlock the door, I thought, ’Holy Cow!’ I actually asked if I didn’t win, could I just keep the key I had picked! It was just so exciting to be a part of such a special event, and I just want to thank everyone at MAHLE for making this possible.”
“Everyone at MAHLE Aftermarket congratulates Martin for being the grand prize winner of the Petty’s Garage MAHLE Camaro. He won an awesome car,” said Jon Douglas, president, MAHLE Aftermarket North America. “We also want to thank the other three finalists, as well as the thousands of other technicians around the country, for entering the 2018 ‘Drive With the Original’ promotion and placing their trust in the MAHLE brand.”
The four finalists were randomly selected from the nearly 70,000 entries submitted since the launch of the promotion last December. The four finalists each received a trip to Las Vegas to participate in the special grand prize ceremony held at the MAHLE Aftermarket booth on the opening day of AAPEX 2018.
Koschik joined J and J Automotive, a shop that does general repair on both domestic and imported cars, three years ago after having been a computer repairman for IBM. When he returned to the shop after winning the Camaro, Koschik says the reaction of his fellow technicians was unusual. “They just ignored me, acted like nothing had happened. Of course, it was just a joke!”
In addition, more than 1,000 instant win prizes were available in the promotion, including Richard Petty Driving Experiences, autographed Richard Petty signature Charlie One Horse cowboy hats and autographed No. 43 die-cast model cars.
For more information about MAHLE Aftermarket and its brands, visit www.mahle-aftermarket.com or contact your local sales representative.
