This Saturday night, the NASCAR season will get underway with the running of the Budweiser Shootout at the Daytona International Speedway. Last season, NASCAR introduced new criteria to include some of the top drivers in NASCAR to participate in the Budweiser Shootout. In previous years, it would be the pole winners from the previous seasons and past winners of the race. Now that Coors Light is sponsor the Pole Award, NASCAR has implemented new criteria to include the top drivers in NASCAR for this race:
- The 12 drivers that qualified for last year’s Chase for the Sprint Cup
- Past Sprint Cup Series Champions
- Past Budweiser Shootout Champions
- Past Daytona points race winners
- The reigning Raybestos Rookie of the Year
The Budweiser Shootout runs in two segments, the first at 25 laps followed by a 50 lap sprint to the finish. Following the first segment, a 10 minute pit stop gives teams to opportunity to make normal adjustments to the car (wedge, track bar, tires, gas). During these stop, all changes must be made in the pit area or garage, teams may not change shocks, springs or rear ends.
Also, a friendly reminder, Daytona 500 qualifying will begin prior to the Budweiser Shootout at 1:05pm. Here is a list of drivers that are eligable to drive in this year’s Budweiser Shootout:
John Andretti (July past-race winner)
Greg Biffle (2009 Chase)
Geoff Bodine (Daytona 500, Shootout winner)
Jeff Burton (July race winner)
Kurt Busch (2009 Chase)
Kyle Busch (July race winner)
Derrick Cope (Daytona 500 winner SERIOUSLY)
Dale Earnhardt Jr (Daytona 500 winner, July race winner, Shootout winner)
Carl Edwards (2009 Chase)
Bill Elliot (Series Champion, Daytona 500 & July race winner, Shootout winner)
Jeff Gordon (2009 Chase)
Denny Hamlin (2009 Chase)
Kevin Harvick (Daytona 500 winner, Shootout winner)
Jimmie Johnson (2009 Chase)
Kasey Kahne (2009 Chase)
Matt Kenseth (Series Champion, Daytona 500 winner)
Bobby Labonte (Series Champion)
Terry Labonte (Series Champion, Shootout winner)
Joey Logano (reigning Raybestos Rookie of the Year)
Sterling Marlin (Daytona 500 winner, Shootout winner)
Mark Martin (2009 Chase)
Jamie McMurray (July race winner)
Juan Pablo Montoya (2009 Chase)
Ryan Newman (2009 Chase)
Ken Schrader (Shootout winner)
Tony Stewart (2009 Chase)
Brian Vickers (2009 Chase)
Michael Waltrip (Daytona 500 winner)
