Charities benefit as Leno sells his truck, Acura NSX sets record for VIN 001 vehicle at auction

Among the most exciting moments at Barrett-Jackson’s annual Scottsdale auction are the selling of vehicles to benefit charities, which seems fitting since Tom Barrett and Russ Jackson and their families first got together to stage the Fiesta de los Autos Elegantes, a charity car show that raised money for the Scottsdale art center and library.

Friday night, three vehicles rolled onto the block at Barrett-Jackson for charity — the  VIN 001 2016 Chevrolet COPO Camaro, which was specially created for NHRA Funny Car racer Courtney Ford, a 2000 Ford Harley-Davidson F-150 pickup truck owned since new by entertainer and car collector Jay Leno;, and the VIN 001 2017 Acura NSX.

The  COPO Camaro is one of only 69 that will be produced. With the money going directly to United Way, the NHRA Stock Eliminator-class racer sold for $300,000.

Next up were Leno and his  truck, which sold for $200,000 that goes to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Then came Acura’s new NSX supercar, which Barrett-Jackson front-row regular and frequent charity car top-bidder Rick Hendrick got for his $1.2 million bid, that money going to Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation and Camp Southern Ground.

Hendrick owns several new car dealerships as well as NASCAR racing teams and has an extensive car collection that includes many charity cars he got with winning bids at Barrett-Jackson. After the sale, Acura noted in a news release that the $1.2 million price was the highest ever paid at auction for a VIN 001 vehicle.