The timing worked out too. Brandon had recently been forced to replace his daily driver after his previous vehicle unexpectedly died. He’d just bought a beater when the call came in, which made the idea of taking home a brand-new Yukon Denali Ultimate even harder to believe.

After the excitement of the call and a trip to Pennsylvania to visit 717 Supply headquarters, Brandon decided to take the $80,000 cash option instead of driving home in the custom Yukon. It wasn’t an easy call.

“Unfortunately, I did take the check just to say that with a little bit of sadness, but it just seemed like the right thing to do,” Brandon explained. Rather than splurging, Brandon plans to use much of the money responsibly by paying down debt and putting himself in a better position to buy a home in the future.

That doesn’t mean he won’t enjoy at least a small reward for himself. “Probably get myself just maybe a small gift of some sort, you know, splurge a little bit,” Brandon said.

Even after arriving in Pennsylvania and receiving the oversized $80,000 check from 717 Supply Founder Mike Hysong, Brandon admitted the experience still hadn't fully sunk in. “I was just sitting in the parking lot of the gym for 45 minutes. Like, there’s no way,” he recalled. “This definitely doesn’t feel real on day one.”

That feeling returned when he boarded the connecting flight. “Got on the second flight, when we’re coming down to land, I’m like, I’m shaking. Why am I nervous?” Brandon said.

As for telling family and friends, Brandon said there was plenty of skepticism at first. His dad, who had received a few 717 Supply Corvette posters from Brandon in the past, initially struggled to believe the news. Others questioned whether the whole thing was legitimate. Brandon’s response was simple: head to YouTube and watch the winner videos.

Now, Brandon can officially say he’s part of that club himself. “It’s definitely going to be life-changing,” he said. “It’s definitely one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had.”