CANTON, Ohio — Mark “Rick” Wheeler said he entered The Timken Co. Automotive and Heavy-Duty Aftermarket “Win the Bike” sweepstakes “just for fun.” This past Friday, Jan. 29, Rick found out just how much fun this contest could be when, at the company’s global headquarters, he received a check for $17,999, the actual cash value of a Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic motorcycle. 
Above: Leaders from The Timken Co.’s Automotive and Heavy-Duty Aftermarket team presented Rick Wheeler (second from left) with a check for the actual cash value of a Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic, the grand prize in the 2009 “Where You Turn for Easy Ridin’” Sweepstakes. Presenters included (from left) Mike Peace, national sales manager; Tom Tecklenburg, director; and J. Barry Harris, manager – global products and marketing.
Wheeler’s entry in the online contest (www.winthebike.com) was among more than 70,000 submissions the company received in 2009.
“I found out I won via cell phone when I was in a home-improvement store,” said Wheeler, a self-employed home-remodeling contractor from Charlotte, N.C. “I couldn’t start jumping around, so I grabbed a seat on a pallet of fertilizer. Nothing like this has ever happened to me, and with the downturn in the economy, it couldn’t have come at a better time.”
Tom Tecklenburg, director – Timken automotive and heavy-duty aftermarket, presented the check to Rick and then accompanied him on a tour of the nearby Timken Technology Center to show him more about Timken products and innovation.
“Throughout this promotion, we’ve educated online visitors about the many ways our full line of bearings and seals accommodate a wide range of applications. From automotive, heavy-duty, agriculture and motorcycle, through medium-duty, construction and marine products, users count on Timken for uncompromised quality, consistency and reliability,” said Tecklenburg. “Our online virtual bike traveled throughout North America after departing from Canton, Ohio, stopping at trade shows and event venues from Daytona Beach to Toronto to Las Vegas and back to Canton. We thought it fitting for Rick to see where everything started.”
Wheeler, a history buff, was most surprised at learning that Henry Timken’s 1898 patent of a tapered roller bearing was designed for a hub unit bearing. Although not known as a hub unit bearing at that time, the design reflects the innovation of the company, which continues to the present.
The contest Web site – www.winthebike.com – will remain live through April 2010. Additional information regarding Timken aftermarket products is available within the “Industry Solutions” tab at www.timken.com.
