2009 Budweiser Shootout at Daytona features revised format

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — 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 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 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.

2009 Budweiser Shootout at Daytona format

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 last year's event.

Souce: NASCAR

Rolex 24: Ganassi Racing aims for fourth straight win

Last year, Chip Ganassi Racing With Felix Sabates became the first team to win the Rolex 24 three consecutive seasons. This year, it's going for four-in-a-row.

The team has two entries in the race. The No. 01 TELMEX/Target Lexus Riley will be driven by Juan Pablo Montoya, Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas. Montoya and Pruett have won the event the last two years.

The No. 02 Target/TELMEX Lexus Riley will be driven by Dario Franchitti, Scott Dixon and Alex Lloyd.

NASCAR drivers set for the 24

A number of NASCAR drivers will test their sports car prowess in the Rolex 24:

• Jimmie Johnson will drive the GAINSCO Auto Insurance Pontiac Riley in the featured Daytona Prototype category. He'll share the cockpit with team regulars Jon Fogarty and Alex Gurney and open-wheel champion Jimmy Vasser. The team finished second overall in last year's race.

• Juan Pablo Montoya goes for the three-peat in the Rolex 24 at Daytona. Montoya, Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas will share the Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Lexus Riley that captured the race in 2007-08. The team also won the 2006 event with Casey Mears.

• Other NASCAR national series competitors who have lined up Rolex 24 at Daytona rides are Mears; Kyle Petty (Orbit Racing BMW/Riley); A.J. Allmendinger (Michael Shank Racing Ford/Riley) and Colin Braun (Michael Shank Racing Ford/Riley).

• NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team owner Roger Penske will enter a Porsche/Riley in the Rolex 24 at Daytona joining fellow NASCAR Sprint Cup owners Chip Ganassi, Felix Sabates and Richard Childress in the field.

Source: NASCAR

New faces in new places

A number of drivers will have new homes this season. Here are a few:

• After a 10-year run with Joe Gibbs Racing that included two series championships, Tony Stewart starts his own team in 2009 – Stewart-Haas Racing. He'll drive the No. 14 Old Spice/Office Depot Chevrolet.

• Joining Stewart at his two-car operation will be Ryan Newman, the 2008 Daytona 500 champion. Newman spent the last seven full seasons driving a Dodge with Penske Racing. This season he'll be in the No. 39 U.S. Army Chevrolet.

• Mark Martin returns for one more shot at an elusive championship. He joins a powerhouse Hendrick Motorsports team that has captured the last three series titles with Jimmie Johnson – and eight NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships in all. Martin will drive the No. 5 Kellogg's/CARQUEST Chevrolet.

• Richard Petty doesn't have a new home, but has a few new partners. Petty Enterprises joined forces with Gillett Evernham Motorsports to form a four-car operation. One of the stable's drivers, though, is new – Reed Sorenson. Previously with Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, Sorenson will drive the No. 43 Dodge this season.

• The same holds true for Dale Earnhardt Inc. and Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. The two companies merged, with drivers Juan Pablo Montoya, Martin Truex Jr. and Aric Almirola under the Earnhardt/Ganassi umbrella.

Source: NASCAR