Martin Koschik of Highland, NY, a technician at J and J Automotive in Rhinebeck, NY, 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 of which 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, over 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 #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.
About MAHLE MAHLE is a leading international development partner and supplier to the automotive industry as well as a pioneer for the mobility of the future. The group’s product portfolio addresses all the crucial issues relating to the powertrain and air conditioning technology—both for drives with combustion engines and for e-mobility. In 2017, the group generated sales of approximately EUR 12.8 billion with around 78,000 employees and is represented in more than 30 countries with 170 production locations.About MAHLE Aftermarket MAHLE Aftermarket, the business unit specializing in spare parts, uses the expertise from the series production of original equipment in its automotive aftermarket product range. The business unit supplies trade, workshop, and engine repair partners with products
in original equipment quality; they range from engine parts and filters to engine peripheral components and engine cooling components. The product portfolio is supplemented by workshop equipment developed by the MAHLE Service Solutions division as well as comprehensive services, and customized training programs. The full extent of this expertise is found in the brands MAHLE ORIGINAL, BEHR, CLEVITE, IZUMI, KNECHT FILTER and METAL LEVE. MAHLE Aftermarket is represented with around 1,600 employees at 25 locations and other sales offices worldwide, including numerous logistics centers and regional offices. In 2017, the business unit achieved a global sales volume of EUR 956 million.
About MAHLE Service Solutions MAHLE Aftermarket Inc., Service Solutions division specializes in the development, manufacturing and distribution of automotive services, tools and maintenance equipment, including vehicle diagnostics, air conditioning service, fluid exchange and nitrogen tire inflation systems. Formerly known as RTI Technologies, MAHLE Service Solutions continues its legacy of building shop equipment for the most stringent OEM and aftermarket needs. Along with this expertise, MAHLE Service Solutions combines the know-how of MAHLE Behr with automotive thermal management and MAHLE Powertrain with automotive test systems. Each of these three entities has more than 25 years of R&D and technology deployment experience providing advanced solutions for OE manufacturers.
In addition to the high-quality products offered through its Service Solutions division, MAHLE Aftermarket provides a comprehensive and well-developed service network to ensure quick and professional technical support and training for repair shops. For more information about MAHLE Aftermarket Service Solutions, visit www.servicesolutions.mahle.com.
About Petty's Garage In June 2008 Petty's Garage, a Level Cross, N.C.-based company, was born to begin restorations on racecar chassis from owner Richard Petty's private collection. Petty's Garage is currently bringing "The King's" winning tradition to a wide variety of high-performance automobiles from production-based Richard Petty Signature Series to custom builds and restorations. Petty's Garage is a high performance speed shop focused on spectacular performance automobiles.
