Winning a new car is not an everyday event, so you can imagine the level of excitement Barney was feeling when his  Pitch Black Dodge Challenger R/T was delivered today. Especially since this is Barney’s first time as a prize winner — ever.

Another “first” for Barney is owning a sports car. In the past Barney has always opted for more practical transportation. Adding to the excitement is a 375 horsepower 5.7-liter V8 HEMI engine packing some serious muscle under the hood. Certainly a big step over his 160 horsepower 2003 Honda Element.

Barney’s first drive in the Challenger was to visit his mom who works at a preschool nearby.  Who wouldn’t want to show off their brand new car to mom? And mom won’t be the only person to spy Barney behind the wheel of his new prize. Warm summer nights are ideal for cruising up and down Pensacola Beach Blvd and Pensacola Beach offers some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. As a Florida resident, there’s no doubt that Barney’s favorite destination this summer will include numerous drives to the beach.

In anticipation of his prize, the 28 year-old computer technician and independent contractor from Florida is already  browsing eBay Motors for trick mods and accessories. Barney has always been a “car” guy and no stranger around Mopar products. His first upgrade will be a stainless steel exhaust kit that roars louder than a P-51 Mustang.

Speed and power aren’t the only things Barney likes about the Challenger R/T. Being a big guy, the Challenger offers lots of room and comfort – something Barney’s girlfriend can appreciate. Thank goodness Barney didn’t win a Scion iQ.

Excited, shocked, and also very appreciative. Barney expresses his sincere gratitude to eBay Motors and everyone who was involved with getting the keys to the Dodge Challenger into his hands.

From the eBay Motors Team, “Happy motoring, Barney!”

With $1 million prize money up for grabs, pit strategy and winning at least one of the early race segments may be the deciding factor towards capturing the checkered flag in this year’s NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race.

The field will consist of race winners in 2011 and 2012, active Sprint Cup champions and All-Star Race winners from 2002 to 2011, and the top two finishers in Saturday’s Sprint Showdown warm-up. A 23rd and final spot will be awarded to one driver selected via fan voting. The fan favorite, as of today, seems to be Dale Earnhardt Jr.

This year, race officials have added a 5th race segment to make things more interesting. The last race segment will be a 10-lap sprint preceded by a mandatory pit stop.

Saturday schedule (EDT):

7:30 PM – Sprint Showdown which is two segments of 20 laps each; top two finishers transfer to All-Star Race

Approximately 9 PM – Sprint All-Star Race which is 5 race segments consisting of four 20-lap segments and a 10-lap shootout.

Advantage goes to the four segment winners because they get to line up at the front of the field coming to pit lane for the final pit stop before the final shootout (which is mandatory).

“It’s just going to be how everybody sets themselves up for that last pit stop,” said Steve Addington, crew chief for Tony Stewart. “The big key is going to be that segment win, so you can be at the front.”

Many of today’s green cars are stingy on fuel, and speedy on the road. But nobody could have imagined combing fuel-efficiency and brisk acceleration when this Honda N600 was sold new in 1971. The N600 boasted fuel efficiency up to 40 miles per gallon. But when tested by Britain’s Motor magazine, they reported traveling from zero-to-60 mph in a leisurely 19 seconds.

Also, few people would have foreseen that American roadways would be filled with small fuel-efficient cars from Japan. After all, the N600 was Honda’s first import to the U.S. Diminutive N600 sedans and Z600 coupes were sold by side-by-side at Honda motorcycle dealerships. The 36-horsepower minicar was dwarfed by typical American cars at the time. It measures just over 10 feet long, and weighs approximately 1,300 pounds. About 30,000 to 40,000 of the models were sold through 1972. According to web reports, only about 300 or 400 are still operational—making this one for sale on eBay a true collector’s item. The Honda N600 was replaced in 1972 by the first-generation Honda Civic, which has been a top-selling compact car in America for generations.

The N600 featured a number of technological innovations for its day: an all-alloy engine, front power disc brakes, and four-speed all-synchro transmission. But mostly, it’s regarded for its extraordinary packaging. “With only 122.8 inches, Honda couldn’t waste any space and expect passengers to be the least bit comfortable, so they went to front-wheel-drive,” wrote Motor Trend in a 1972 review. “They wrapped the whole engine and transmission unit in one piece with a common crankcase. The compact drive unit, plus the lack of drive shaft and rear end assembly made for maximum space inside. They then put a wheel on each corner and wrapped the affair in a rigid unitized body.” Reducing size and weight continues to be a key fuel efficiency strategy of today’s cars.

Honda used the N600’s small size as the chief selling point of the 1971 television commercial that introduced it to Americans. Because it was the first and only Honda on the road at the time, the ad tagline was simply, “Honda, the new little car that’s already perfect for your town.” Maybe this cute-as-hell Honda N600 is perfect for your driveway as well. It doesn’t take up much room.

Split-window Bugs are rare, and finding one that’s never been restored is unheard of. This European ’52 reportedly came out of a Belgian museum twelve years ago, which helps explain its unmolested state. The faded blue paint looks great against the dull chrome, and its glass and floor mats are original. In addition to fun and funky trafficators, the car sports quirky add-on rear reflectors and brake lights, per Belgian regulations.

Unlike most cars, Beetles have a reputation for not deteriorating under the stress of long storage, and it sounds like this one left the museum no worse for wear. The seller says, “everything on the car works” and calls it “a pleasure to drive.” Recent service items include a N.O.S. muffler, new correct tires and new battery. Tool roll, jack and English owner’s manual are included, along with the original French owner’s manual and dealer case.

Just 32 1938-1952 Volkswagen Beetles sold on eBay Motors in the past three years, with the best examples averaging $17k, compared with 4,834 later Beetles sold during the same period (and an average high of $10k). See the listing for this one here.

Want to own a piece of drag racing history? Here’s your chance. The “Silver Dollar” was one of the last Chevrolet-powered A/Gas Supercharged drag cars. Known for its unusually high stance, it was responsible for NHRA rules limiting gasser’s height. It competed up and down the west coast from the early ’60s until its retirement in 1965. It then spent 42 years in a California barn.

“Truly a time capsule,” says the seller. Ready to scream down the track in historic or vintage classes. But it’s probably best if you’re a taller racer, as the builder, Mike Bamber, was 6’2” and located the gas pedal on the passenger’s side of the cab.

The engine the pickup used in competition is missing, but it has been fitted with a setup similar to what it had in 1965: 283-ci block, Larry Bowers GMC 6-71 supercharger, Hilborn injection and Corvette valve covers. Originally the block was bored and stroked to 340 ci, but this one is punched out to 355 ci. Still present are the B&M Hydro Stick transmission, Oldsmobile Positraction rear, leaf springs, lettering and blue Plexiglas windows from the gasser’s racing heyday.

The seller’s research discovered the car appeared 15 times in magazines since its reintroduction, including the cover story of Hot Rod Deluxe in August 2010. NHRA 50^th Anniversary Event in Pomona, CA honored the gasser in 2010.

In the past year, 26 1941 Willys cars sold on eBay Motors. Good to excellent examples averaged from $37k to $65k. Many are modern gassers and street rods, or interpretations of vintage racers—not the real deal like this one. Click here to see the auction listing.

EPA emissions mandates killed the muscle cars of the 1970s. But those smog rules didn’t say anything about trucks. That was a loophole Dodge couldn’t ignore. They jumped on the opportunity to make a muscle truck, jamming a 360-ci police-spec mill into a short-bed D150 in 1978. With that, the Li’l Red Express was born.

The seller says this truck has been fully restored and is in near show condition. The original 360 is long gone, replaced by a 380-ci Mopar Performance crate engine that makes 380 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque. Other performance goodies include headers, a Holley carburetor, and manual exhaust dumps “for that NASCAR sound.”

Everything on this truck looks great, including the paint, engine compartment, bed wood, and interior. The seller says the chassis was renewed as well, and new tires were fitted. Even the A/C blows cold.

These things had no emissions equipment, and they made over 225 net horsepower in 1978 – and while that may not seem like much today, remember that the hottest Corvette that year, the L82, only made 220. The Express wasn’t cheap at over $7k new, but it was pretty popular, with over 2,100 sold in 1978.

These trucks were only built for two years – 1978 and 1979 – before the gas crisis slowed sales and production was canceled. They’re a relatively rare sight today, and prices for excellent examples can break into the mid-$20k range.

See this one’s listing here.

Original Minis are a lot of fun to flog, even in stock configuration. So this bright red 1967 Austin Mini, with all its aftermarket performance enhancements, should be a total blast to drive. According to the seller, a past owner built the car so his wife could join in on track day fun. Turns out she didn’t like it, and the Mini eventually moved on. Now it waits for your bid, if I don’t get to it first.

Go fast parts include an alloy intake manifold, Weber sidedraft carb, header, exhaust system, oil cooler and suspension components. Added safety bits include front disc brakes, roll cage, harnesses and racing seats. Be sure to know where to get replacement 10-inch tiny tires before you’ve left all the tread on the turns, as they can be hard to find. A 160 mph speedometer is installed and the seller says he’s pushed it up to 130.

Over 150 photos are included in the listing, providing a virtual walk-around and reason to drool. The embedded video shows the car zipping through streets and parking lots around Las Vegas. It gives an opportunity to listen to the exhaust through upshifts and tires chirping around corners.

Eight 1967 Mk I Minis sold on eBay Motors in the past year. Good examples average near $12k and excellent condition ones average almost $18k. Click here to see the auction listing.

The famous driver, racing-team boss and car designer from Texas who created the Shelby Cobra sports car died Thursday night at Baylor Hospital in Dallas. Before Shelby’s passing, he had survived a heart transplant in 1990, a kidney transplant in 1996, and seven marriages. The cause of death was not disclosed but Shelby had been in failing health for some time. He was 89.

“My name is Carroll Shelby and performance is my business,” Shelby said in an early commercial for the Cobra.

Carroll H. Shelby made his mark as a racing driver in the 1950s and later as a developer and manufacturer of some of the most memorable cars on the road and track in the 1960s. He is best known as father of the Cobra, which combined small, light British sports cars with Ford V8 engines of ever increasing size. Today, Cobras are among the most sought-after cars by collectors.

He founded Carroll Shelby International, a publicly held company involved in a number of automotive and related pursuits. His licensing arm has agreements with companies including Mattel, Sony, Ford and Electronic Arts. His car unit, Shelby American, produces performance parts and a line of muscle cars including the Shelby GT500 Super Snake, Shelby GT350 and Shelby GTS.

Carroll Shelby is remembered for his vision, his charitable conscience, and most important his love of having a good time.  To thousands of “chiliheads” he will be remembered as the father of The International Chili Society and the pioneer who organized the first World’s Championship Chili Cookoff.

What began as a publicity stunt in 1967 to sell what Carroll referred to as “ten thousand acres of rocks” in south Texas, evolved into one of the biggest parties in Texas.  The idea of holding a chili cookoff on the porch of an old saloon became the world’s biggest chili-cooking competition. Everyone had so much fun at the first chili cookoff, it was decided to have another!

Carroll’s desire to raise money with chili cookoffs was prompted when he suffered heart problems and became aware of so many people in need of funds for transplants.  2012 marks the 47th celebration of Carroll’s idea to make the popular event and the nearly 200 pre-qualifying annual cookoffs, a benefit for charity.

While waiting for his heart transplant in 1990, Shelby created the Carroll Shelby Children’s Foundation. The Carroll Shelby Children’s Foundation is dedicated towards paying medical bills of children who have heart disease and can’t afford treatment. A portion of proceeds from the sale of his Cobras goes into that fund in addition to the charitable money from the chili cooking competitions.

Friday’s announcement from Carroll Shelby International, Inc.:

“We are all deeply saddened, and feel a tremendous sense of loss for Carroll’s family, ourselves and the entire automotive industry,” said Joe Conway, president of Carroll Shelby International, Inc. and board member.  “There has been no one like Carroll Shelby and never will be.  However, we promised Carroll we would carry on, and he put the team, the products and the vision in place to do just that.”

Image credit: Shelby American

This Dodge looks like your typical mid-1960s 440, but it’s packing something very special under the hood – a Max Wedge 426-ci V8. That makes this pedestrian-looking Mopar good for mid-12 second quarter-mile passes, if not faster. And that’s assuming the engine is still stock.

Developed for Super Stock drag racing in the 1960s, the Max Wedge 426 was essentially a built-up 413 with special high-performance parts, a larger bore, and more compression. With dual carbs, these cars were rated at 415 hp with 11.0:1 compression and 425 hp with 12.5:1 compression, and they cleaned up Super Stock drag racing in 1964 and 1965. This package was the direct precursor to the 426 Hemi, which went on to dominate drag strips across America.

The seller states that he bought this car as a replica, but after some number hunting on the mechanical components, he now believes it could be the real deal. Very few of these were made in ’64, so if you’re a serious buyer, be sure to see the car for yourself and check out the numbers before you bid.

It’s said to have its original exhaust manifolds, and there is apparently no rust in the body. The push-button TorqueFlite automatic is said to function well, and the interior is described as all original and in excellent condition. If it’s a replica, it’ll be a lot of fun. And if it’s the real thing, it’ll have some good appreciation potential in the future. See the listing here.

Can’t make it to Monterey for the ALMS race event at Laguna Seca this weekend? Don’t drive yourself into a frenzy trying to figure out a last-minute way to get close to the action. Go to ebay.com/racing and get unparalleled access to live and behind-the-scenes happenings at the track this weekend all from the comfort of your couch! Ebay.com/racing is a social media microsite that includes an extreme real-time Twitter feed and conversation hub, along with a live leaderboard, official photos and video from event participants, fan tweets and photos, a Twitter-powered voting module for cheering on drivers, and much more. Join the Twitter convo with #ebayracing—or as we like to call it, the world’s fastest hashtag.