The Shootout – The Field is Frozen at the Moment of Caution

White Flag Lap

According to the NASCAR Race Mom poll, the majority of the fans were not too happy with the changes made to the Budweiser Shootout this year. Only twelve percent of the voters in the NRM poll believed that it was time for changes in the shootout format. The remainder of the participants in the poll were evenly split (43.5%) between the notions, “Why break tradition” and “It is what it is.”

Rookies Joey Logano and Scott Speed were not allowed to showcase their skills, good or bad. They were wrecked out of Friday night's event at the Daytona International Speedway in less than five laps. The rookies were innocent victims of the first caution of the night that involve almost the entire twenty-eight car field.

"It sucks," Logano said after leaving the infield care center. "It's too early. I felt like we had a decent car for the first couple laps. I was just trying to get a feel for it before we went up there and mixed it up with everyone."

Another newcomer, A.J. Allmendinger turned in an uneventful but impressive run. Starting eighteenth, and avoiding multiple wrecks, Allmendinger brought his Gillett Evernham Motorsports Dodge to the finish line in fifth place.

I could not be more satisfied with my driver pick for the race, the #26 Crown Royal / Irwin car of Jamie McMurray. Well, I guess that is not quite true; a win would have been huge. However, as it is, McMurray, new Crew Chief Wingo and the entire Roush Fenway Racing team put on an impressive charge to the front from mid-pack. McMurray’s second place finish is his highest finish ever in the Shootout.

Jamie McMurray was leading at the white flag. The exciting “green, white, checkered” finish found Kevin Harvick’s car drafting past McMurray’s for the lead. Moments after that lead change, Jimmie Johnson and Casey Mears touched off a wreck, behind the leaders, that brought out the eighth caution of the evening and froze the field. This gave Harvick the victory in the non-points season opener.

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photo & video from NASCAR site

Who Will You Be Watching In The Shootout?

The Budweiser Shootout will have the largest field in its thirty-one-year history tonight. Right off the line, rookies Logano and Speed will be on my radar, but not because I feel that they will be in the running. Rather, their entry in the Shootout seems unwarranted and given their recent racing modes*, they could negatively influence the outcome of this important first race of the NASCAR season. (*Logano’s last lap at the Toyota All-Star Showdown and Speed’s ARCA season finale)

If they had to qualify their way in, I would feel more charitable towards their participation. It should be interesting to see how well each driver adjusts to the “big time” and interacts with their fellow Cup drivers. Since my son has raced against both gentleman, I clandestinely hope that they will raise to this remarkable opportunity.

Now my driver for this race has to be Jamie McMurray. Driver McMurray will start the race right in the middle of the pack. While he did not have such a great run at Daytona last year, McMurray finished out the 2008 season on a hot streak with three podium finishes. Further, the last six 2008 races found the #26 in the top-ten five times and the top-five three times. Momentum can be central on team performance.

Additionally, the return of Crew Chief Donnie Wingo, who has more than fifteen years of NASCAR experience, makes good sense to me. Driver and Crew Chief already have history and a respect for each other. McMurray and Wingo worked together at Ganassi.

"Donnie and I have been friends for years," said McMurray. "Even when he wasn't my crew chief, I would still call and talk to him - not just about racing - but anything. He is one of the hardest workers I know, so to be able to have him come over to Roush Fenway and be a part of this No. 26 Crown Royal / IRWIN Industrial Tools team is really exciting.

Lastly, Jamie McMurray has a good history at the Daytona International Speedway. He won the Pepsi 400 there on July 7, 2007. In twelve starts, McMurray has one win, two top-five, and three top-ten finishes.

Okay, now you know who I will be cheering on. Who is your favorite Budweiser Shootout driver?

The 2009 Shootout Format - Good or Bad?

NASCAR arrives at Daytona International Speedway this week for Saturday night’s annual preseason classic, the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona. There will be a new format for the Budweiser Shootout. In past years, the field was composed of pole winners from the prior season plus former champions. The smaller, “invitation-only” field will now consists of twenty-eight (28) cars; the top six teams of each manufacturer from the previous year, and four "wild cards." The starting lineup will be determined by a random draw.

From the beginning in 1979 until last year, the drivers themselves qualified as eligible for the Budweiser Shootout, not the teams. If an eligible driver for the upcoming Shootout switched teams in the off-season, the driver, not the team, was eligible for the race and that driver competed in the race with his new team.

Unlike previous formats, this year, the entry receives the berth, not the driver. If a driver finishes in the top six of his manufacturer, then departs his team at seasons' end, the driver who replaces him races in the event. For example, Tony Stewart would have been eligible had he stayed with Joe Gibbs Racing's #20 team, but he instead left to start his own team, and his replacement, Joey Logano, will drive the #20 in his place. In addition, each of the four manufacturers receives one "wild card" berth for a car/driver not already qualified, to bring the grand total to 28 cars.

Many race fans are of the opinion that this “wild card” entry was crafted so that driver Tony Stewart, who will be driving a Chevrolet rather than a Toyota in 2009, by virtue of the wild card rule, will be allowed to compete in the Budweiser Shootout. Others blame the change of sponsors; from Budweiser to Coors.

Is this new “Wild Card” format fair? I guess it would depend on which of the drivers you ask. Tony Stewart has to be pleased. However, drivers who earned a pole position in 2008, like Ryan Newman (Phoenix), Joe Nemechek (Talladega), Patrick Carpentier (New Hampshire) and Paul Menard (Daytona) but will not be in the Shootout due to the format changes are probably not too happy.

Express your opinion. Cast your vote in the “2009 Shootout Changes, Good or Bad” poll posted in the sidebar to the right.