Just when you thought NASCAR couldn't get any more absurd, it has made yet another change to the 2009 Budweiser Shootout. NASCAR announced Friday a revision to the 2009 Budweiser Shootout at Daytona format that provides each manufacturer with a wild card entry, increasing the size of the field from 24 to 28 cars, highlighting the manufacturers’ involvement in NASCAR, and featuring more drivers for fans to support.
The 31st annual season-opening event at Daytona International Speedway will be held on Saturday night, Feb. 7. As was announced last August, the lineup will consist of the top six teams from each manufacturer, based on the final 2008 car owner points. Eligibility is based on owners competing in this event with the same manufacturer as 2008.
The new wrinkle calls for each manufacturer to be able to enter a seventh car, or wild card entry, based on the following criteria:
• Any owner outside of the top six in year end 2008 owners’ points whose driver is a past NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion that attempted to qualify for all of the 2008 events (only one position will be filled per manufacturer and will be based on the most recent past champion per manufacturer).
• If an owner/manufacturer does not have a past champion driver, the next highest eligible owner outside the top six in year end 2008 owners’ points from each manufacturer will be eligible to compete in the event.
As previously announced, the race distance will be increased from 70 laps to 75 (187.5 miles) on the 2.5-mile tri-oval. The race will have two segments. One segment of 25 laps and another 50 lap segment. Both green- and yellow-flag laps will count. Between segments, there will be a 10-minute pit stop at which time teams will pit and may elect to change tires, add fuel and make normal chassis adjustments.
Crews will be permitted to work on the cars and will be allowed to perform functions they would do on a normal pit stop in a regular NASCAR Sprint Cup event. All work must be performed on pit road or in the garage. Changing of springs, shock absorbers or rear-ends will not be permitted.
Starting positions will again be determined by a blind draw, at the annual Budweiser Shootout Draw Party on Thursday night, Feb. 5, on the SPEED stage in the Midway, outside Turn 4.
As of today, cars eligible to compete in the 2009 Budweiser Shootout at Daytona would be as follows:
Chevrolet:
48 - Jimmie Johnson
29 - Kevin Harvick
07 - Casey Mears
31 - Jeff Burton
24 - Jeff Gordon
88 - Dale Earnhardt Jr
Wildcard: #70 which will be #14 with Tony Stewart, past champion
Dodge:
9 - Kasey Kahne
12 - David Stremme
2 - Kurt Busch
43 - Reed Sorenson
19 - Elliott Sadler
7 - Robby Gordon
Wildcard: 10 - A J Allmendinger
Toyota:
11 - Denny Hamlin
20 - Joey Logano
18 - Kyle Busch
83 - Brian Vickers
00 - David Reutimann
55 - Michael Waltrip
Wildcard: 22 (if the team runs)
Ford:
99 - Carl Edwards
16 - Greg Biffle
17 - Matt Kenseth
6 - David Ragan
26 - Jamie McMurray
28 - Travis Kvapil
Wildcard: 38 [the #28 and #38 may be switching numbers with #98-Menard and #96-Labonte]
Once the details are finalized, it will be an exciting show regardless of who is running in the race. After a long, cold, silent off-season I'm ready to hear some engines roar. I still feel that if it's not broken, don't try to fix it. Winning a pole position should still count for something and it's a shame that the honor was taken away.
2 comments:
Is nothing sacred? Even the Shootout is being tampered with now. Yet another NASCAR event is being made a mockery. Still though,I'm ready for racing and wins by Denny.
Thank you Patrick! I think winning a pole position should STILL count for something! If the Coors Light Pole means nothing then stop awarding it. Maybe Coors Light needs to put up the dough for their own exhibition race...ah I may have just hit on a winner! HA HA
Thanks for your support as always Patrick. Denny and I both appreciate it.
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