“When a winning customer tells you they are going to have to have a smile surgically removed from their face, you know you have a satisfied customer!” said Caprice Caster, director of events & promotions with Automotive Parts Associates (APA), in reference to the group’s recent Exotic Driving Experience Weekend. In January, three winners of the Professionals’ Choice Scratch & Win promotion and their guests had a memorable time driving Lamborghinis and Ferraris at the Disney Speedway in Orlando, FL.

The winners were Craig Callahan from John’s Auto Repair in Hightstown, NJ; Ron Vaughn from Vaughn’s Mr. Muffler in Dubuque, IA; and Alfred Wilkins from Wonder Auto & Tire in Riverview, NB.

APA shareholders conducted the Scratch & Win sweepstakes at more than 200 locations across the U.S. and Canada. Each time a product was purchased from one of the sponsoring manufacturers, the installer received a scratch ticket. Thousands of dollars in instant-winning gift cards were distributed and several thousand completed scratch cards were returned for the grand-prize drawing — the ­Exotic Driving Experience Weekend.

Winners and their guests were flown into Orlando and put up at the Grand Floridian Resort. On Friday night, they enjoyed a steak and seafood dinner followed by a cruise on the Grand One Yacht with dessert and a fireworks show. On Saturday morning, the group headed to the track where they selected from a menu of exotic cars. Each participant chose two cars and took them out for 16 laps.

Afterward, guests were given spending cash and park passes to enjoy the rest of the weekend at their leisure. Dan Freeman, president and CEO of APA said, “This approach for the Scratch & Win promotion has given six people once-in-a-lifetime experiences. It will last a lot longer than giving them basic cash prizes.”

For more information, visit www.professionalschoice.com.