It’s not every day that someone hands you the keys to a car and says it’s yours, but that’s exactly what happened to Deb and Kip McLean at the Goodguys Rod & Custom Association’s 3^rd Spring Nationals earlier this month. After being selected from a drawing to win the car, the couple picked the winning key that started a custom ‘65 Ford Galaxie. Now if that’s not a perfect way to start your 2012 show and race season, what is?

The McLeans were like many others who stopped by the 94.5 KOOL FM booth at a Goodguys event and entered to win the ‘65 Galaxie. The only difference is that they actually won it!

Their winning entry was cast last fall at the 14^th Southwest Nationals event, but it wasn’t until the award ceremony at the 3^rd Spring Nationals held March 9^th through the 11^th, that the McLeans learned of their fate.

After being among 17 people chosen from the various entries to choose a key that could start the vehicle, Kip found that his key was the one that turned the car over.

“Wow – this is pretty neat,” Kip McLean told Goodguys upon choosing the winning key. “I started getting pretty tense as the people before me wound up not having the right keys. When my key started the car there was only three of us left in the running! My hands were shaking so bad I had to use both of them to turn on the ignition.”

The ‘65 Galaxie the McLeans won was built by Drew Bros Customs in Chandler, Arizona and gets its power from an Edelbrock-equipped Ford 390cui V8 with a Griffin radiator. The car also features a Baer big brake kit, Grant steering wheel, Flowmaster exhaust and BOSS wheels. The Galaxie is finished off in a custom white and black PPG paint scheme.

While the McLeans plan to show off their new car to family and friends initially, they have plans to return to the show that changed their fortune, the Southwest Nationals in Scottsdale, Arizona, this coming fall.

Congratulations goes out to the McLeans and we look forward to seeing the Galaxie at Goodguys shows in the future.