Luck of the draw: Clarkston man wins truck, trailer and $20,000 in Maverik sweepstakes

Loyalty potentially pays. If you drive to one of the nine Maverik gas stations in Spokane or anywhere in the Intermountain West, perhaps you’ll be rewarded with a new automobile and much more. That’s what recently happened to Johnathan Holguin.

The limitations for Holguin’s old minivan with high mileage were so severe that he only drove it to work and a Maverik gas station in Lewiston. Traveling to the latter not only provided fuel for his short journeys, but it also enabled Holguin and his wife, Jodie, to enjoy a much wider radius.

Thanks to Holguin’s loyalty, the Clarkston-based cable installer won Maverik Adventure’s First Stops 2020 Grand Sweepstakes “The Thirst for Adventure,” which yielded a Ford F-350 pickup, a 32-foot travel trailer and $20,000.

“The truck, the whole package, is absolutely gorgeous,” Holguin said while calling from his Clarkston home. “It’s beautiful. It’s a 350 diesel, and it’s loaded. I’ve been so overwhelmed by this. Our minivan is at the end of its life expectancy. I was stressing out about buying a new car, and this fell into my lap.”

Holguin’s good fortune was all due to his loyalty to Maverik. “There’s no doubt about that,” Holguin said. “I’ve had my Maverik discount card for a while. Any time I need gas, I go to Maverik.”

Holguin, 42, also indulges in the Maverik menu. Items include breakfast tacos (chorizo and egg and pulled pork and egg), salads such as the chicken club and wraps, like the chicken turkey and bacon.

“I’m a burrito guy,” Holguin said. “You can’t go wrong with the breakfast options at Maverik.”

Last month, Holguin placed all of his points in the First Stops Sweepstakes. The luck of the draw placed him into the finals in Salt Lake City just before Christmas. His good fortune continued.

“There were four of us, and we drew out of a hat and I won,” Holguin said. “It was unbelievable.”

An all-expense paid trip to the Super Bowl in Tampa, Florida, with tickets was part of the package. However, due to the coronavirus, the Holguins will not attend the big game, which is a bit of a drag due to who might represent the National Football Conference.

“I’m a Green Bay Packers fan, and they’re the top seed, so it would have been fun to see them if they made it,” Holguin said. “But I’m fine with how it turned out.”

The Holguins received a check for $20,000 in lieu of the Super Bowl experience. “We won’t be able to go to that game, but that’s all right,” Holguin said. “I can’t complain.”

The Holguins, who are using some of their windfall to stock up their trailer, are planning to hit the road at some point to Durango, Colorado. “That’s where we want to go,” Holguin said. “I’m a big hunter, so that would be cool going to Durango. I love hiking and doing anything outdoors. I can’t wait to go on the road for trips.”

Perhaps the Holguins will embark on the 106-mile jaunt to Spokane. “That’s possible,” Holguin said. “We haven’t come up to Spokane in a while due to our driving situation. We didn’t want to push it beyond our valley. Now that we have a vehicle we can rely on, maybe we can make the trip up to Spokane. We’re thrilled with this life-changing event.”

There are plenty of Maveriks in Spokane, and there are a number of contests slated for 2021. Folks can enter Maverik Adventure’s First Stops “Boundless” sweepstakes Jan. 27 through Nov. 16. One winner will receive the grand prize of a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, a 2021 Polaris RZR with a trailer and a Coca-Cola swag bag.

Three runners-up will win one year of Coca-Cola products (a $500 value), a $500 Maverik gift card and a Coca-Cola swag bag. Guests can win through entering Trail Points through their Maverik loyalty account, and bonus entries will be awarded for purchasing select Coca-Cola products at Maverik stores.

To begin earning Trail Points to use for future Maverik sweepstakes, customers can join the Adventure Club by downloading Maverik’s digital app. For more information, visit maverik.com/rewards/#steps.

Even with a pandemic, Maverik had 13 sweepstakes during 2020 and awarded 59 adventure-themed prizes totaling $376,091.

“I’m living proof that you can win,” Holguin said. “I’ve never won anything remotely like this. I’m going to put my points in again this year and see what happens. It was so great winning since we needed this truck.”