Carbone, a resident of Long Island and account director at Adelhardt Construction in New York City, entered the sweepstakes earlier in the year at 12:30 a.m. during the Speed Channel's broadcast of the Jan. 30-31 Rolex 24 at Daytona. He was the first of 11 winners announced for the season-long sweepstakes promotion.
Speed channel viewers were shown a 'Watch and Win' code word several times throughout the season's broadcast schedule and prompted to log onto a website for entering the contest.
A winner was chosen following each of the first 11 races to receive a trip to the finale at Miller Motorsports Park near Salt Lake City, complete with airfare, hotel accommodations, all- access credentials and a chance to spend the day with Dempsey Racing personnel plus a chance to win the grand-prize: A one-off 2010 Pirelli Dempsey Racing Edition Mazda RX-8 R3 by Foose Design.
Carbone was presented the keys prior to the Utah 250's start.
"This is unbelievable, a great experience," says Carbone, a former drag racer who now competes in go karts in addition to racing simulations.
"Drawing number two, I didn't think I was going to win, but you never know. Just like going to the racetrack, you never know what's going to happen. A friend of mine said we should strip it and come back and race it with you guys," he adds.
"Now, I've got to find a way to get it back home. You know, you don't count your chickens. If I have to fly back here and drive it back, I'll do it," notes Carbone.
This year's sweepstakes is the second consecutive season that Pirelli and the other sponsors collaborated with Foose Design to offer a race fan a Foose customized vehicle. Last year, Bruce Winn of Hubbard, Ore. won a Pirelli Edition Ford Flex presented by Chip Foose himself at the Rolex Series season finale."'Watch and Win 2009' was a home run last year, one that required the best partners in the automotive and motorsport business to facilitate such a collaboration," says Tom Gravalos, Pirelli's vice president of marketing, motorsports and original equipment. Adds Gravalos: "Fast cars, cool designs and a promotional opportunity for the consumer as well as for the brands – how do you go wrong with that?"
"This sweepstakes was extremely popular last season and we are delighted to be able to again offer another Foose-designed vehicle to a Grand-Am fan in 2010," says Kevin Hindson, the racing circuit's vice president of marketing and communications. "This sweepstakes adds to the fun and excitement."
The Foose-customized prize car has a racing theme design based on the No. 40 Dempsey Racing Mazda RX-8 co-driven in the 2010 Series by Joe Foster and Patrick Dempsey. The team's drivers were on- hand when the grand prize was awarded to Carbone.
For more information, visit www.us.pirelli.com.
