Marion Man Wins Alfa Romeo In Luck Of The Draw

MARION, IA — Holiday spoiler alert: If there's not a 2017 Alfa Romeo in your driveway, you probably didn't win the $40,000 vehicle in a contest held at Cedar Rapids area Hy-Vee stores. But a Marion man did take home the keys and the 2017 Motor Trend Car of the Year.

Ben Bailey was the winner of the Alfa Romeo Giulia in a random drawing held Tuesday. In the contest, ten weekly winners each had a chance at a key that would start the vehicle. The contestants, chosen among shoppers who used a Fuel Saver + Perks card at one of the area Hy-Vee stores, took turns picking a key from a bucket in the order of the week in which they won the drawing.

Bailey, the week eight winner, got his shot at a key after seven others failed to start the vehicle, and with only three keys remaining, his odds of winning improved to 33 percent.

But during introductions of the contestants, emcee Justin Roberts of WMT Radio commented that when Bailey's kids arrived at the store, they were sure their dad wouldn't be the winner.

Yet when he got behind the wheel and his key turned over the engine, they squealed in delight.
"Are you kidding me?" Ben Bailey said when the car started. "This is ridiculous.... I never win anything."

He said he was surprised even to be notified that he would be among the finalists trying for the vehicle. But the family went to the Cedar Rapids store in their Toyota minivan to give it a shot.

Roberts asked if it would be Ben or his wife driving the car.

"She's been telling me it's hers the whole time," Ben Bailey said.

With 280 horsepower and a turbo engine that can go from 0 to 60 in 5.1 seconds, that's quite an upgrade from a minivan.

Perks of the prize

Jeff Dolan, general manager of Zimmerman Alfa Romeo Fiat of Davenport, said the winner receives four-year, 50,000-mile roadside assistance with towing. The first oil change will be paid for by Alfa Romeo.

He said Hy-Vee paid for the car, sales tax, dock fee and title. The winner only had to buy the license plates and pay the government taxes on the winning.

"Whoever's going to win this car is getting one beautiful machine," Dolan said before the drawing.

Photo by John Sciulli/Getty Images for Spotlight Cinema Networks/Getty News