Off the Rails: Annual mower giveaway contest rolls through the Panhandle
SIDNEY, Neb. – A summer of smooth mowing is on the horizon for one lucky listener of 987 The Big Boy and Cheyenne County Country, as the stations’ 5th Annual Off the Rails Mower Giveaway sped toward the finish line on Wednesday.
This year’s prize: a brand-new John Deere Z315E ZTrak zero-turn mower, thanks to Sutton Home Gallery, Maddox Motor Company and RV Sales, the Logan County Fair & Rodeo, The Rusty Bucket Pub & Grub and Adams Industries.
The contest challenged listeners to guess how far the mower would travel on a single tank of gas, riding east from Kimball to Sidney on Highway 30. On April 9, radio staff members — joined by the Nebraska State Patrol — set out in a convoy of Maddox Motor Company vehicles, driving the mower in real time while listeners followed along on air, online and via social media.
The result? The mower ran out of fuel 22.9 miles east of Kimball.
Of the hundreds of entries submitted at sponsor locations across the Nebraska Panhandle and northeast Colorado, three contestants came the closest: Ernest Bybee, of Sidney, guessed 22.8 miles, and Navada Harms, of Chappell, and Ron Wall, of Dix, each guessed 23 miles. All three people are now finalists for the grand prize drawing.
The winner of the mower will be announced at 10:45 a.m. Saturday, April 12, during the Spring Expo at the Cheyenne County Fairgrounds. The event will be broadcast live on 987 The Big Boy and on The Big Boy Facebook page.
“This contest just keeps growing,” Morning Show Host Hunter Arterburn said. “It’s wild, a little ridiculous and the kind of small-town fun that makes the Panhandle such a special place to live. Our greatest appreciation to those who signed up and to our sponsors who helped make it possible including Wireless World, Sidney Glass, Adams Autos & Equipment and H&R Block.”
The Off the Rails contest has become an annual tradition, blending quirky entertainment with community support and sponsor involvement, and giving fans a chance to literally go the distance for a big win.
