Come on down! Peru man wins car on 'The Price is Right'

Jun. 16—Caleb Rexroad lined up his shot on the putting green.

His wife, Kayla, hands clasped under her chin, watched from the studio audience. The crowd grew quiet. Someone shouted, "You got this!"

Rexroad drew his putter back and tapped the ball.

"It's a hole in one," host Drew Carey said off screen as the ball approached the hole.

It fell in.

Wide-eyed, Rexroad exhaled deeply and shook Carey's hand.

He had just won a 2023 Kia Soul on "The Price is Right." Rexroad walked over to his new vehicle and hugged it.

"I didn't know what else to do," he said.

This Hoosier is right

If you're fan of the longest running American game show, you might have caught the Peru couple on the June 9 episode.

It's a dream come true for Rexroad who grew up watching "The Price is Right" with his grandma.

Rexroad was one of the first four contestants selected at the beginning of the show.

A behind-the-scenes fact: a cue card with the contestant's name is held up when they're selected, because it's so loud in the studio.

"When you walk in, it's like a dance party," Kayla said. "You just have a good time."

Rexroad hugged his wife when he heard his name called.

"It's hard not to say I was in a state of shock," he said.

After getting outbid on the first couple items, Rexroad made his way on stage after he was the only contestant to not overbid on a balance training system.

His bid? $1.

"I honestly couldn't believe it," Rexroad said. "When they said I got it, gosh, it's so hard to describe. I already felt like I won."

Wearing an orange shirt that said "This Hoosier is Right for The Price is Right," Rexroad turned to the audience and said "Hoosier state baby!" after an introduction with Carey. Rexroad's stepmom made the shirt.

Rexroad played the Hole in One game, where the contestant must place six products in order from least to most expensive. The game premiered on the show on May 9, 1977.

The more items the contestant guesses correctly, the closer they get to putt from.

It's Rexroad's favorite game on the show.

The items Rexroad had to order included a bag of Takis, egg rolls and flax milk.

"Things I will never purchase in my life," he said.

The Peru man correctly ranked the first couple items, moving him about halfway closer to the hole.

Carey demonstrated how the game worked before Rexroad took his turn, sinking a putt of his own.

"Watching Drew Carey do it before me gave me a little extra confidence," Rexroad said.

Getting on the show

The Peru couple are staying in Santa Clara. Kayla is a traveling nurse. They've been on the west coast for a while.

Rexroad looked into getting on "The Price is Right" the week they arrived in California.

Turns out, it's more than just buying a ticket. There's a long application process.

Rexroad did a Zoom interview with producers of the show after filling out an in-depth questionnaire online. They asked him to act excited and energetic during the interview, like he would if on the show.

"I was hooting and hollering in our kitchen," Rexroad said.

Six weeks later, the Rexroads were at Bob Barker Studio in Los Angeles. Caleb was interviewed again on the spot.

Being interviewed and becoming an audience member only means there is a chance you could be selected as a contestant.

"We had no idea we were being picked before," Kayla said.

The episode was recorded on March 28.

Another behind-the-scenes fact: many of the signs and temporary walls are suspended above the studio. They are lowered when needed.

"You look up and there's a bajillion signs," Kayla said.

Spinning the big wheel

Contestants selected to play a game get a shot at the Big Wheel and a chance to compete on Showcase Showdown.

"It's definitely got some weight to it," Rexroad said.

Rexroad's first spin landed on 85 cents. However, someone before him had a higher score. He spun again but went over $1.

"I would have kept the 85 cents if I was first," Rexroad said. "At that point, I didn't even care. I had just won a car. I was happy I just got to spin it."

The Rexroads will receive their new car sometime this fall. They must wait 90 days after the episode aired.

If a contestant does not like the car they win, they can upgrade to a different model. "The Price is Right" will pay the amount the original car is worth with contestants covering the difference.

Caleb and Kayla opted to upgrade their Kia Soul to a Kia Telluride, a mid-size SUV. They plan to start a family in the coming years.

They will pay Indiana taxes on the car.

Part of appearing on "The Price is Right" is keeping it a secret. The Rexroads could not share they won anything until the episode aired last week. They signed nondisclosure agreements.

"To get to relive it with our people is so cool," Rexroad said.

The episode the Rexroads appeared on was the second-to-last "The Price is Right" filmed at Bob Barker Studio, where the game show had been taped since 1972. The show has since moved to a different studio.

Multiple episodes are filmed in a day. That is common practice for game shows, including "Jeopardy!"

Rexroad is not allowed to appear on "The Price is Right" again for 10 years.

Spencer Durham can be reached at 765-454-8598, by email at spencer.durham@kokomotribune.com or on Twitter at @Durham_KT.