RICHMOND, Va. — On Tuesday, CarMax unveiled the grand prize winner in its "Tweet Yourself to a New Ride" contest it conducted on popular social networking site Twitter. Winning $25,000 to put toward a used-vehicle purchase from CarMax was Stephanie Beck, who hails from Pensacola, Fla.

To participate in the contest — which lasted eight weeks — consumers simply visited the CarMax Web site to obtain the specific phrase for them to tweet on the social networking site, and this would then automatically enroll them into the contest.  

Eight randomly selected separate entries were also given $250 gas cards.

"The CarMax Twitter contest was a great way to connect with thousands of consumers while promoting our brand and sharing our story with car shoppers nationwide," stated Joe Kunkel, senior vice president of marketing and strategy. "We congratulate Stephanie for winning and thank everyone who participated in this innovative contest."

Sharing her reaction to winning, Beck said: "I was so excited to win the Grand Prize that my husband had to remind me to breathe. The CarMax Twitter contest was so easy and fun.

"I can hardly wait for my CarMax shopping trip," she continued. "I'm a fan for life!"