He was first and his competitor was off the track, trying to get his car back on. Then the competitor’s car was back on the track, bumping his car off to take the win and the $100,000 Corvette modeled after the Mach 5. Castleton State College student Ryan Bailey ended up coming in second during the race at the “Speed Racer” premiere.

“I really did (think I was going to win) until the last lap,” Bailey said, adding “I’m not too worried about it.”

Even though he missed out on the big car, he eventually talked one of the contest hosts into giving him a miniature toy Mach 5. Although he wanted the little car he raced on the track – he was told he couldn’t have because kids wanted to play the game afterward.

And after winning an all-expense-paid trip to Los Angeles for a world premiere of the new movie “Speed Racer,” who would be too upset at missing out on the Corvette?

During the weekend of April 25, Bailey was enjoying a five-star hotel stay with free transportation and a chance to attend the first showing of the new Warner Bros. movie.

Bailey said he enjoyed the movie, which was made for kids but had a lot of adult humor.

“The animation was out of this world,” Bailey said.

Oh, and he got to walk down the red carpet with all the stars from “Speed Racer” and attend the after party with them.

“They don’t really like people who aren’t celebrities,” Bailey said, saying he didn’t get to personally meet any of the celebrities. “I’m kinda shy and I was in shock.”

When first called about the contest, he was “iffy” about giving his information to the contest officials, especially since he only entered the contest once when an individual could enter up to 10 times.

“I thought it was a hoax,” he said until he realized “there was no way they got my phone number unless it was the real thing.”

After going from swimming on the rooftop of his California hotel to the rain of New Hampshire, Bailey said the worst part about the trip was coming home.

“It was amazing, out of this world,” he said. “I’ve definitely never done anything like that.