Bud Light Street Beat Delivers Volvo V50 At Vail Village

What could better give enthusiasts enjoyment than jam-packed music - from reggae, blues, rock n roll and more. And Bud Light Street Beat Concert Series could give that enjoyment. Imagine a free concert at the heart of Vail Village. And imagine a free 2007 Volvo V50 as a grand prize to a lucky Eagle, Summit or Lake County resident. How could one wish for more?

Aside from the new Volvo V50, lucky registered town guests were also given return trip in the Volvo Vail Grand Prize Guest Giveaway Vacation with deluxe accommodations. Additional prizes were also raffled weekly.

The 2006-2007 Bud Light Street Beat series, sponsored by Budweiser, started on November 29, 2006 and ended on April 11, 2007 with local favorite Funkalicious. All Bud Light Street Beat performances, except the March 21 show, took place at Checkpoint Charlie which is located on the west end of Vail Village. The Countrywide American Ski Classic Street Beat on March 21 was held in Golden Peak finish stadium as part of the Ski Classic festivities.

The eight finalists in the running for the new Volvo V50 seemed reserved - almost cowed onstage. Even after the group was trimmed to four, they only flaunted a few smiles. But when Tracy Escobedo's key opened the door of the new Volvo, he yelled 'yeaaaah' and threw his hands in the air. The crowd bellowed in unison with him. "I had no idea it would be me," Escobedo said after winning. "I only missed one, but once you get up there, it's a big surprise."

The Volvo V50 is the station wagon or the estate version of the Volvo S40 small family car. The Swedish wagon, which uses the Volvo P1 platform, is equipped a powerful engine that produces 340 horsepower. The said engine debuted at the 2004 Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA) tradeshow in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The V50s interior features soft "theatre" lighting of various sections, and a translucent "iced aqua" center stack. The wagon is also equipped with a bunch of safety features that include "Volvo Intelligent Vehicle Architecture." The new estate from the Swedish automaker is a proof of its revolutionary changes that evolve with time. The wagon use refined technology that is far better than that of Volvo 780 parts.

Another variant of the wagon is called the T5 AWD. It features four-wheel drive and a straight-5 2.5-litre petrol engine mated to a light-pressure turbocharger. Its valvetrain, a DOHC design with variable camshaft timing, has four valves per cylinder. The engine is capable of producing 220 bhp and 320 Nm of torque.

Since contestants in the local drawing could enter once per Street Beat event, Escobedo had accumulated ten chances for his name to be drawn. But the key to open the door of the V50 came down to pure luck. "My boss was down in the crowd, and he said I should drive the car to Vegas," Escobedo said. "I live right here in the village, so it's nice to just walk out one day and come back with a car."

At one point in the contest, when several called names in a row did not emerge, announcer and Vail Valley Foundation Vice President of Communications John Dakin lamented that "summer will be here soon." "I've never had that much trouble giving away a car," Dakin quipped. "I was about to announce that I'll take it."

Dakin counts this year's Street Beat concert series as a success, and looks forward to next year's festivities. "I think it gets better and better each year," he said. "It's a great deal for locals and a real amenity for people who just happen to be in town, walk down the street and end up in the middle of a fantastic party."

All the contestants received a custom gift bag from Vail, not much consolation, but finalist Patrick Benway, of Vail, took it in stride. "Hey, it doesn't matter, it was fun - it's nice to have a local event that creates camaraderie," Benway said. "I'm happy for the guy - although I would look good in Volvo."