As the US is getting ready for the start of the 2010 NASCAR season of February 14, all eyes now turned to the non-points precursor of the Daytona 500, the Budweiser Shootout. Now in its 32nd edition, the shootout promises to bring, thanks to the changes announced today by NASCAR, more excitement than ever before.
The Shootout takes place this weekend, on February 6, at the same Daytona track. It will be a 75 laps/187.5 miles race and will include, as NASCAR already announced in December last year, "a collection of the sport’s top drivers and top performers at Daytona."
Simply put, NASCAR has modified the criteria on which a driver can enter the event, allowing entries for drivers who have competed in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series during the past two seasons.
This means the Shootout is opened to the 12 drivers who took part in last year's Chase, to past Sprint Cup and Budweiser Shootout champions, to former Daytona 500 and Coke Zero 400 champions, as well as to the current Raybestos Rookie of the Year.
Among those attending this year's Shootout will be Jimmie Johnson, Mark Martin, Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch, Denny Hamlin, Tony Stewart, Greg Biffle, Juan Pablo Montoya, Ryan Newman, Kasey Kahne, Carl Edwards and Brian Vickers. The newest face in NASCAR, Danica Patrick, will only attend the Media Day this Thursday.
Additionally, NASCAR has tweaked the rules of the Shootout. The format of the race itself will remain the same. The Shooutout will be divided in two segments, a first 25 laps and a second 50-lap sprint for the win, with a 10 minutes pit stop in between. During the stop, crews must do all the work on pit road or in the garage and they are not allowed to change springs, shocks or rear-ends.
Unlike in previous years, when qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series opening race was held in the Sunday following the Budweiser Shootout, this year, due to the Super Bowl XLIV being held Sunday, the qualifying has been pushed to 1:05 p.m. ET Saturday before the Budweiser Shootout.
Additionally, NASCAR has tweaked the rules of the Shootout. The format of the race itself will remain the same. The Shooutout will be divided in two segments, a first 25 laps and a second 50-lap sprint for the win, with a 10 minutes pit stop in between. During the stop, crews must do all the work on pit road or in the garage and they are not allowed to change springs, shocks or rear-ends.
Unlike in previous years, when qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series opening race was held in the Sunday following the Budweiser Shootout, this year, due to the Super Bowl XLIV being held Sunday, the qualifying has been pushed to 1:05 p.m. ET Saturday before the Budweiser Shootout.
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