SIDNEY - Leslie Snell, of Chappell, picked up a $2,500 grand prize during the fourth running of The Big Boy Big Wheel Race on Wednesday morning in Sidney.

Snell's racer, Hunter Arterburn, crossed the Sutton Home Gallery Finish Line at the Cheyenne County Community Center first to reclaim the big wheel race title. It was his first win since the race debuted in 2021. Former Big Boy employee Justin Richards, of Sidney, won the previous two races. 

Arterburn's second championship gave 58 people who predicted him to be the race winner a chance at a Rambo Rooster 2.0 e-bike from Pedalers Corner and a gym membership to the new Training Room.

Snell was randomly drawn at Pedalers Corner Victory Lane. She said winning the grand prize was "so cool," because she never wins anything.

"It's really cool," Snell said. "I'm very excited. One of my goals this year has been to ride my bike more and get healthier, so I think maybe this a sign." 

Snell says riding her bike to get healthier has been the most effective method of exercise for her.

Eight other racers joined Arterburn on the 2+ mile course from the Cheyenne County Fairgrounds to The Center. Arterburn faced a delayed start following a stunt that included employees from Best Plumbing, Heating and Cooling tossing whipped cream pies in the faces of his opponents and blasting a pink colored powder cannon in the direction of Sarah Sinnett. 

Racers - including Arterburn, Sinnett, Richards, Tara Gray, Alex Fisher (who skipped a trip to Hawaii to participate), Lindsey Faessler, Cooper White, Brad Sherman and Sean McNulty - battled wind, physical contact, water balloons and speed bumps on the Deadwood Trail to reach the finish line.

Controversy struck the 2024 race when Sinnett, with Team Plummer Insurance, sped through the competition, knocking opponents off the track, on a motorized big wheel she bought just for the sprint to the finish. She became stuck behind the Beans and Steam Broadcast Buggy that allowed Arterburn to seal the victory.

Snell says she picked Arterburn because of his involvement in events across the region.

"(Hunter) makes sports fun, and all the events he attends fun," Snell said. "(He's) a huge supporter of his community and that's one thing. I do a lot of volunteer work."

Nearly 500 people voted for their favorite contestant to win the race. Sinnett collected 28% of the vote, but becomes the first racer to be disqualified in the event's history. Gray, McNulty, Richards and White round out the top five standings.