2009 Budwiser Shootout Information

The 2009 Budweiser Shootout at Daytona will have a new format that puts more emphasis on the series’ four manufacturers – and the same star-power appeal that has become a season-opening tradition for the Sprint Cup Series and its fans. The 31st annual season-opening event at Daytona International Speedway will be held on Saturday night, Feb. 7, with a field of 24 cars representing the top teams from Chevy, Dodge, Ford and Toyota that will showcase the close competition in NASCAR’s premier series.

 That lineup will consist of the top six teams from each manufacturer, based on the final 2008 car owner points [NOT driver points]. 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, of 25 and 50 laps. 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 cars and will be allowed to perform functions they would do on a normal pit stop in a regular 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. The Budweiser Shootout – a “non-points” event for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competitors – was first held in 1979, and originally known as the Busch Clash. Dale Earnhardt Jr. won this year’s shootout.(NASCAR)

Montoya out of Bud Shootout if in a Chevy: Chip Ganassi Racing’s #42-Juan Pablo Montoya will not be allowed to use one of Dodge’s spots in the 2009 Budweiser Shooutout if the new Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing team switches to Chevrolet. According to the new rules, the top six teams from each manufacturer from the previous year qualify for the Shootout. When the new rules were announced in August, NASCAR officials said the issue of teams switching manufacturers in the offseason still needed to be worked out. While Earnhardt-Ganassi officials say they have not finalized a manufacturer, NASCAR Vice President of Operations Steve O’Donnell said Saturday morning that the teams will use their points from the previous year but their manufacturer of the current year to determine berths in the preseason event that comes eight days prior to the Daytona 500. “It will be the top six Dodges starting for the ’09 season,” O’Donnell said. “Juan Pablo would be a Chevrolet. Let’s say Juan Pablo fell in #5 at Chevrolet, then Chevrolet [could use him].”

Montoya wouldn’t fall in the top six in Chevrolet, but what would happen with the final Dodge spot? The #42 Ganassi team is the sixth-ranked Dodge team, while the #41 Ganassi team is seventh. Next in line? Robby Gordon. As long as he remains a Dodge. If not him, then Penske Racing’s Sam Hornish would get the spot. “We’ll have six teams with Dodge on the jersey,” Dodge Motorsports’ Mike Delahanty said.
If all teams keep their current manufacturers, the Chevrolet drivers in the Budweiser Shootout will be Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Burton, Kevin Harvick, Casey Mears (as driver of the #07 Richard Childress Racing car), Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
The Fords will be Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth, David Ragan, Jamie McMurray and Travis Kvapil.
The Toyotas will be Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Joey Logano (driving the #20 Joe Gibbs Racing car), Brian Vickers, and David Reutimann. Michael Waltrip leads Dave Blaney by 55 points for the final Toyota spot.
The Dodge teams will be Kasey Kahne, David Stremme (in the #12 Penske Racing car), Kurt Busch, Bobby Labonte, Elliott Sadler and then Montoya if he remains a Dodge.