"Jeep Stick in the Mud" Champion Dishes Dirt on His Win at the State Fair of Texas - VIDEO ENHANCED STORY

• More than 100 "mud-slingers" get down, dirty and covered in mud on opening day of the Fair

• Homero Perez wins all-new four-door 2007 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited after digging up sticks buried beneath 14,000 gallons of mud

Dallas - October 2, 2006: More than 100 fairgoers kicked off the State Fair of Texas on Friday by diving into and digging through a giant pool filled with more than 14,000 gallons of mud during the “Jeep Stick in the Mud” challenge. After surviving three rounds of play and frantically uncovering hundreds of sticks in the knee-deep mud, Homero Perez of Garland, Texas, was awarded an all-new four-door 2007 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited for earning the highest score and simultaneously proving he wasn’t a stick-in-the-mud.

CLICK HERE to watch video of the event.

"It felt great to get out there and wade through all that mud," said Perez. "I’m the type of person who's always up for an adventure, and I can't wait to hit the road and explore in my new Jeep Wrangler Unlimited."

CLICK HERE to see Homero Perez, talk about winning a new Jeep.

Perez was chosen at random to compete in the "Jeep Stick in the Mud" challenge from nearly 2,600 entries received from 48 states and the District of Columbia. Of those, 120 consumers were invited to the State Fair of Texas to prove they were not a "stick-in-the-mud" by participating in the challenge.

CLICK HERE for sound bite video of Ashley McCray, another
contestant in the event.

The event, which celebrated the launch of the newest Jeep vehicle not afraid of getting dirty, literally brought the phrase "stick-in-the-mud" to life by asking consumers to race through a giant pool filled with enough mud to cover nine regulation basketball courts to look for hidden sticks worth a variety of points.

In keeping with the theme of the first-ever four-door Jeep Wrangler (the 4x4x4 Wrangler Unlimited), the contest was based on multiples of four with three rounds of competition — qualifying, semi-final and final. The individuals who earned the most points in each round advanced until there were only four participants competing in the final round.

"The Jeep brand has been built on its 'go anywhere, do anything' capability," said John Plecha, Director – Jeep Marketing & Global Communications. "As the all-new Jeep Wrangler Unlimited begins arriving in dealer showrooms across the country, we thought nothing would be more appropriate than to invite consumers to this year’s State Fair of Texas to do what Jeep vehicles love to do best — get muddy."

The three runners-up, Robert Dombrowski, Shang Potter and Clinton Todd Frank, were each awarded a Jeep Adventure Prize Package.

About the Jeep Brand The Jeep brand's 65-year history of legendary capability has made it synonymous with freedom, adventure, mastery and authenticity. In 2006, the Jeep brand continues to deliver on its promise to provide rugged, versatile, innovative four-wheel drive vehicles with the recently introduced Jeep Wrangler, four-door Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, Jeep Compass and Jeep Patriot.

This expansion of the Jeep brand grows its showroom from three to seven sport-utility vehicles following last year's introduction of the Jeep Commander. The other two Jeep vehicles are the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Jeep Liberty.

All-new 2007 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Featuring a one-of-a-kind, four-door open-air design, the all-new 2007 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited expands the Jeep experience to new dimensions. With room for five adult passengers — a Wrangler first — the Unlimited offers even more comfort and space, even more versatility, even more open-air options, even more off-road capability, even more on-road refinement, even more power and fuel efficiency, and even more convenience and safety features.

With a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $20,410 (two-wheel drive) and $22,410 (four-wheel drive), including $660 for destination, the all-new 2007 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited features a 116-inch wheelbase, achieved by adding 20.6 inches to the standard all-new 2007 Wrangler's 95.4-inch wheelbase. The additional length allows for a larger rear seat that features three seating positions, as well as more hip room, leg room and shoulder room. In addition, Wrangler Unlimited offers nearly triple the rear cargo space.