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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Getting a late night phone call late from a teenage son is not a cherished moment for most parents, but then again, most offspring aren't phoning to inform mom and dad that they had just won a brand new car.

"The first thing I thought is he wrapped my truck around a telephone poll," said Robert Beaulieu, who was at home when his 18-year-old – and very excited -- son RJ phoned at around 11:30 p.m. March 6, to inform his parents that he had just rolled the rim on his extra-large, double-double Tim Hortons coffee and found that he was the winner of a brand new Toyota Venza. The Venza is a new four-door, crossover vehicle that retails for approximately $30,000-$35,000, depending on the features it offers.

RJ Beaulieu said he was so excited upon learning he had won a car in the Tim Hortons roll-up-the-rim-to-win contest March 6, that he call up his parents Annetta and Robert right away. -Mike W. Bryant/NNSL photo

RJ, a Grade 12 student at Sir John Franklin high school, said his date with rolled-rim destiny began earlier that evening at the Tim Hortons drive-through. He was driving his father's truck with his girlfriend Courtney at his side when he bought his coffee, of which he purchases around 12 a week.

He got a call from his sister to come pick her up so he finished his coffee and peeked under the rim as the longstanding Tim Hortons contest advises.

"I rolled it up and rolled it down again, and said, 'I got to call my parents about this,'" said RJ.

"I said, 'I got good news and bad news. The good news is you can sell the Jeep. The bad news is I won at Timmies.'"

The Jeep RJ is referring to is a hand-me-down from his mother.

His mother Annetta said when he called, she was sure he had to be lying.

"I made him come home and show me," she said.

Greg Barton, co-owner of Yellowknife's Tim Hortons, said not only is the Toyota Venza the first-ever car won at his coffee shop, it'll be the first Venza given out this year, leaving 34 left to be won at Tim Hortons outlets across North America. He said "it's about time" that a car has been won in Yellowknife.

"We're the busiest store in Canada for about two years now," said Barton.

Annetta said Thursday that Canada Post told her the winning tab had made its way to the Tim Hortons head office in Oakville, Ont. All that's left is for her husband to answer a skill-testing question and the car will be shipped up to Yellowknife free of charge.

She said due to contest rules, Robert will claim the car on RJ's behalf because winners must be at least 19 years of age.

RJ said he plans to keep the car.

-- with files from Tim Edwards