DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 4, 2008) – NASCAR Sprint Cup Series racing returns to the track this weekend as the series officially kicks off the 2008 season with the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona. A field of 23 drivers – 18 who won a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series pole in 2007 and five past winners of the event – are poised to participate in the annual preseason, non-points race. A total of nine past winners of this event are in the 2008 field and all but four of the 23 participants have posted a points-race victory on NASCAR’s premier circuit.

Budweiser Shootout Format

• Beginning in 2003, the Budweiser Shootout was formatted into two segments. The first segment is 20 laps followed by a 10-minute intermission. During the intermission teams may change tires or perform any other action that would be part of a normal pit stop. The second segment is 50 laps and must end in a green-white-checkered finish. Caution laps will count toward the total in both segments so the second segment may extend beyond the scheduled 70-lap total.
• The starting positions for the 2008 Budweiser Shootout will be determined by a random draw.

2007 Eligibility

A total of 23 drivers are eligible for the 2008 Budweiser Shootout – which will be the record for the largest field in the history of the event (The previous high was 22 in 2002). There were 18 drivers who gained eligibility by winning a pole in 2007, while five others are eligible because they are past winners of the Budweiser Shootout (and finished in the top 50 in final series point standings). Four drivers will be competing in the event for the first time.Eligible drivers based on 2007 pole award(s):
 
1. Jeff Gordon (7)
2. Ryan Newman (5)
3. Jimmie Johnson (4)
4. Clint Bowyer (2) *
5. Kasey Kahne (2)
6. Kurt Busch
7. Carl Edwards
8. Martin Truex Jr.*
9. Denny Hamlin
10. Greg Biffle
11. Casey Mears
12. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
13. Jamie McMurray
14. J.J. Yeley *
15. Reed Sorenson *
16. David Gilliland
17. Dave Blaney
18. Michael Waltrip
* - First-time participants
 
Drivers eligible based on being past winners of the Shootout (years won in parentheses):
 
19. Tony Stewart (2001, 2002, 2007)
20. Dale Jarrett (1996, 2000, 2004)
21. Mark Martin (1999)
22. Ken Schrader (1989, 1990)
23. Bill Elliott (1987)
 
 
Budweiser Shootout-Daytona 500 Sweep

Five times in the 29-year history of the event, the winner has gone on to win in the Daytona 500: Bobby Allison (1982), Bill Elliott (1987) Dale Jarrett (1996 and 2000) and Jeff Gordon (1997). Consecutive Starts
(2007 Eligible Drivers)Mark Martin    19
Jeff Gordon     14
Dale Jarrett     12
Ken Schrader 10
Bill Elliott         6Budweiser Shootout Tidbits• Eighty-eight drivers have participated in the Budweiser Shootout races, totaling 423 entries; 42 of those drivers have participated in two or less; 28 in only one.
• The number of participants has ranged from a low of seven in 1981 to a high of 22 in 2002.
• The drivers who have participated in the event the most times:

o Bill Elliott (22)
o Mark Martin (20)
o Rusty Wallace (19)
o Ken Schrader (17)
o Geoffrey Bodine (16)
o Ricky Rudd (16)

• Mark Martin has appeared in the most consecutive Shootouts (19 straight events since 1989).
• Sixteen different drivers have won the event, led by Dale Earnhardt with six victories. Dale Jarrett and Tony Stewart are tied for second in Budweiser Shootout victories with three each.
• There have been six multiple winners:

o Tony Stewart has won three of the last seven Budweiser Shootouts (2001, 2002 and 2007).
o Dale Earnhardt won six of the 23 races between 1979 and 2001. His six victories came in 12 Bud Shootout appearances.
o Dale Jarrett won in 1996, 2000 and 2004 while Jeff Gordon won in 1994 and 1997.
o The only other multiple winners: Neil Bonnett (1983 and 1984) and Ken Schrader, (1989 and 1990) and along with Stewart are also the only drivers to win back-to-back races.

• Buddy Baker (1979), Dale Earnhardt (1980), Jeff Gordon (1994), Dale Jarrett (1996) and Denny Hamlin (2006) all won the first Budweiser Shootout in which they competed. Hamlin is the only driver to compete in the event in his official rookie season.
• Dale Earnhardt had an average finish of 2.75 in 12 appearances, the best of any driver.
• Tony Stewart has an average finish of 4.50 in his eight appearances, the best of active drivers.
• Jimmie Johnson has finished in the top 10 in all five of his appearances.
• Ten of the 12 drivers that have participated in 10 or more Budweiser Shootouts have all posted an average finish of better than 10th.
 
Budweiser Shootout Manufacturer Recap

Manufacturer    Victories          Last Victory - Driver
Chevrolet                16                2007 - Tony Stewart
Ford                        7                 2004 - Dale Jarrett
Buick                       2                1982 - Bobby Allison
Oldsmobile               2                1980 - Dale Earnhardt
Pontiac                    2                2002 - Tony Stewart

Starting Position RecapThe average starting position of the past race winners for the 29 races has been 9.17.By the Numbers: Budweiser Shootout at Daytona

.08 – Margin of victory in seconds by Dale Earnhardt over Sterling Marlin in 1995, the closest margin in Budweiser Shootout history

1 – Laps led by Rusty Wallace (1998), Neil Bonnett (1983-84), Dale Earnhardt (1980) and Dale Jarrett (2004) in the Budweiser Shootouts they won

2 – Consecutive victories by Ken Schrader (1989-90), Neil Bonnett (1983-84) and Tony Stewart (2001-02), most by any drivers

2.75 – Average finish by Dale Earnhardt, best by any driver with multiple starts

3 – Wins by Dale Jarrett and Tony Stewart, the most by any drivers in the field

3 – Winners who started on the pole (Darrell Waltrip, 1981; Bill Elliott, 1987; Ken Schrader, 1989)

4.5 – Average finish by Tony Stewart, best by any active driver with multiple Budweiser Shootout starts

5 – Drivers who have won the event in their first appearance (Buddy Baker, 1979; Dale Earnhardt, 1980; Jeff Gordon, 1994; Dale Jarrett, 1996; Denny Hamlin, 2006)

6 – Career Budweiser Shootout victories by Dale Earnhardt, most by any driver

7 – Number of poles by Jeff Gordon in 2007, most of any driver

18 – Number of different pole winners in 2007

19 – Number of lead changes in 2001, highest number since race began in 1979

19 – Consecutive starts by Mark Martin, most by any driver

19 – Starting position of Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2003, the lowest starting position of a Budweiser Shootout race-winner

22 – Career starts by Bill Elliott, most by any driver

22 – Number of participants in 2002, the largest field in the event’s history

44 – Laps led by Greg Biffle in 2005, the most in a single Budweiser Shootout

70 – Total laps run, up from the 20 run in 1979, the first year of the event

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Starting Line Up by Row
Daytona International Speedway
Budweiser Shootout at Daytona
Provided by NASCAR Statistics - Thu, February 07, 2008 @ 08:19 PM Eastern
Driver	Date	Time	Speed
Track Race Record:
        Pos	Car	Driver	         Team
Row 1:	1	2	Kurt Busch	Miller Lite Dodge
 	2	8	Mark Martin	U.S. ARMY Chevrolet
Row 2:	3	55	Michael Waltrip	NAPA Auto Parts Toyota
 	4	26	Jamie McMurray	Crown Royal / Cask No. 16 Ford
Row 3:	5	38	David Gilliland	freecreditreport.com Ford
 	6	41	Reed Sorenson	Target / Polaroid Dodge
Row 4:	7	88	Dale Earnhardt Jr.	National Guard / Mountain Dew / AMP Energy
 	8	9	Kasey Kahne	Budweiser Dodge
Row 5:	9	1	Martin Truex Jr.	Bass Pro Shops / Tracker Boats Chevrolet
 	10	20	Tony Stewart	The Home Depot Toyota
Row 6:	11	96	J.J. Yeley	DLP HDTV Toyota
 	12	11	Denny Hamlin	FedEx Express Toyota
Row 7:	13	49	Ken Schrader	Qtrax.com Dodge
 	14	21	Bill Elliott	Air Force Ford
Row 8:	15	44	Dale Jarrett	UPS Toyota
 	16	5	Casey Mears	Kellogg's / CARQUEST Chevrolet
Row 9:	17	16	Greg Biffle	3M Ford
 	18	48	Jimmie Johnson	Lowe's Chevrolet
Row 10:	19	22	Dave Blaney	Caterpillar Toyota
 	20	99	Carl Edwards	Office Depot Ford
Row 11:	21	07	Clint Bowyer	Jack Daniel's Chevrolet
 	22	24	Jeff Gordon	DuPont Chevrolet
Row 12:	23	12	Ryan Newman	alltel Dodge
Did Not Qualify:	None.
Manufacturer	Starting Lineup	DNQs	Manufacturer	Starting Lineup	DNQs
Chevrolet	7	0	Ford	5	0
Dodge	5	0	Toyota	6	0

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