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WASHINGTON, Jan. 11, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Washington's favorite reality show returns! The Hands-On Contest at The Washington Auto Show® will put a handful of lucky Washingtonians in touch with the chance to win a brand new Hyundai Tucson!

The legendary Hands-On Contest, in which show guests must stay in nearly constant physical contact with the prized vehicle for a period of several days, first wowed Washingtonians in 1999 when the match came down to a test of wills between an officer from the army and navy. This year's contest, which will run from Tuesday, Jan. 26 through noon on Sunday, Jan. 31, will feature a host of locals who will compete for the chance to drive home in the all-new, completely redesigned 2016 Tucson SE.

"The Hands-On Contest is a hallmark of The Washington Auto Show that puts the thrill of a new car within arm's reach of Washington," said Kevin Reilly, president of Alexandria Hyundai and board member of the Washington Area New Automobile Dealers Association, producer of The Washington Auto Show. "We are grateful to the Washington Area Hyundai Dealers for sponsoring this contest and giving away this vehicle, allowing us to showcase Hyundai's cutting-edge technology and innovative new models such as the 2016 Tucson SE."

For a chance at competing in the Hands-On Contest, area residents must register through the www.washingtonautoshow.com, no later than January 21, 2016.  They will be asked to provide a short explanation of why they want to win the car. Thirty applicants will be chosen from that pool of registrants to qualify for the next round, from which a final group of 8 to 10 will be screened and selected by The Washington Area New Automobile Dealers Association (WANADA) to participate in the final stage of the competition.

Last year's prize – a brand-new Hyundai Sonata – went to  – 23-year-old Paul Vaughn of Chantilly, Va., who drew the lucky key that unlocked the grand prize after remaining on the car with seven other contestants. Vaughn endured five nights of sleeping with his hand wedged into the spokes of a wheel and survived off of carefully rationed portions of food – namely, his stash of beef jerky.

Up for grabs this year is the 2016 Hyundai Tucson SE, boasting a 164-hp, 2L GDI 4-cylinder engine. With an MSRP of $24,070, the wired vehicle offers a Bluetooth^® hands-free phone system, a 5-inch color touchscreen audio display with rearview camera and keyless entry. Safety features such as electronic stability control, downhill brake control and hillstart assist control have earned the vehicle its top overall vehicle safety score of five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Adminitration (NHTSA). 

Contest rules require that all participants keep their "hands on" the Hyundai for the duration of the contest. Finalists will be positioned around the prize vehicle at random by the judges and must be continuously in physical contact with the vehicle at all times (excluding sanctioned breaks). If a participating contestant does not maintain continuous contact with the vehicle for any reason, including reward challenges, that contestant will be disqualified.

The last person remaining in physical contact with the prize vehicle will win it. In the event that the end of the live contest leaves more than one finalist, a random drawing will be conducted by the sponsors to determine the winner.

Each participating contestant will be responsible for acquiring his or her own food and beverages. Each contestant may bring no other personal property to the contest except for the following: one blanket, one change of clothes and one set of toiletries. Once the contest has begun, no additional personal property will be permitted. A regular break of exactly 15 minutes is scheduled every three hours. (Participants returning late from these breaks will be disqualified.) No electronic devices, reading, writing or drawing materials are allowed, and smoking, alcoholic beverages, offensive language and physical contact between contestants are prohibited. Family, friends and onlookers are encouraged and welcomed, but only contestants are allowed within the confines of the contest space.

The Washington Area New Automobile Dealers Association (WANADA), producer of The Washington Auto Show, will have complete judging and management authorization on behalf of all sponsors.

The contest is open to all legal United States citizens 18 years of age or older. Contestants must be at least 18 years of age by December 31, 2015 to participate. All entrants must have a valid driver's license and proof of insurance. 

No Purchase necessary to win. Void where prohibited. All federal, state, local laws and regulations apply. For complete contest rules or more information about The Washington Auto Show, visit www.washingtonautoshow.com.

The 2016 Washington Auto Show opens to the public from Jan.22 - Jan. 31 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center and is advanced by two Public Policy Preview Days. Produced by WANADA, the Washington Auto Show offers a showcase of more than 700 new vehicles from over 42 domestic and import manufacturers.

If you are a member of the press who has not received an email to register for the 2016 Washington Auto Show events, please register by using this link: www.washingtonautoshow.com/policydays.

SOURCE The Washington Auto Show