| For more than 30 years now the Budweiser shootout | | | | Jeff Gordon (1997), Bill Elliott (1987), and Bobby |
| represents the unofficial beginning of the Sprint Cup | | | | Allison (1982) |
| Season. As the robin represents the beginning of | | | | If a driver is under the age of 21, they are not |
| spring, so too does the Budweiser Shootout | | | | allowed to wear a Budweiser decal, they must wear |
| represent the new season for NASCAR! This eagerly | | | | an Anheuser-busch corporate logo pole Award |
| anticipated non point's race returns in 2009 to the | | | | sticker. |
| Daytona International Speedway. | | | | Denny Hamlin was the first rookie to win the |
| Qualification: | | | | Budweiser shootout, in the 2006 race |
| The race consist of an exclusive club of only 28 | | | | Busch Clash winners: |
| drivers representing the top six teams of each | | | | 1979 Buddy Baker - $50,000 |
| manufacturer from the previous season Bud Pole | | | | 1980 Dale Earnhardt - $50,000 |
| Award. Starting in 2009, only the top six teams | | | | 1981 Darrell Waltrip - $61,500 |
| based on Owner points earned the previous year | | | | 1982 Bobby Allison - $50,000 |
| qualify. One must note that now the race car | | | | 1983 Neil Bonnett - $50,500 |
| receives the berth, not the driver, so any driver | | | | 1984 Neil Bonnett - $50,000 |
| changing from one of the top 6 teams to elsewhere | | | | 1985 Terry Labonte - $65,000 |
| will no longer qualify. | | | | 1986 Dale Earnhardt - $75,000 |
| * Prior to 2009 any drivers who won a pole position | | | | 1987 Bill Elliott - $75,000 |
| during the year was eligible for the Shootout, but this | | | | 1988 Dale Earnhardt - $75,000 |
| qualification standard changed in 2009. | | | | 1989 Ken Schrader - $75,000 |
| Format: | | | | 1990 Ken Schrader - $95,000 |
| Held at the Daytona International speedway this race | | | | 1991 Dale Earnhardt - $60,000 |
| consist of two stages, the first stage consist of 25 | | | | 1992 Geoff Bodine - $39,000 |
| laps (prior to 2009 it was 20 laps.) Then there is a 10 | | | | 1993 Dale Earnhardt - $60,000 |
| minute intermission. After the intermission the race | | | | 1994 Jeff Gordon - $54,000 |
| concludes with a final 50 laps. While no pitting is | | | | 1995 Dale Earnhardt - $57,000 |
| required in the final 50 laps the regulate gas tank size | | | | 1996 Dale Jarrett - $62,500 |
| almost assures teams that they will have to pit | | | | 1997 Jeff Gordon - $54,000 |
| during the final 50 laps. | | | | Bud Shootout winners: |
| The winning driver receives a large cash purse (2008 | | | | 1998 Rusty Wallace - $100,882 |
| winner Dale Earnhart received $215 000) instead of | | | | 1999 Mark Martin - $108,000 |
| the typical driver points. This reward system is to | | | | 2000 Dale Jarrett - $115,000 |
| encourage drivers to forgo typical race tactics and | | | | 2001 Tony Stewart - $202,722 |
| be more aggressive with their driving. While it is seen | | | | 2002 Tony Stewart- $200,955 |
| by many drivers and teams as a final dress rehearsal | | | | 2003 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. - $205,000 |
| before the start of the season, the cash award is | | | | 2004 Dale Jarrett - $213,000 |
| more then enough to encourage an entertaining race. | | | | 2005 Jimmie Johnson - $219,945 |
| Interesting facts about the Budweiser Shootout | | | | 2006 Denny Hamlin - $213,380 |
| Five times the winner of the has gone on to win the | | | | 2007 Tony Stewart - $215,000 |
| Daytona 500. they are: Dale Jarrett (2000 and 1996), | | | | 2008 Dale Earnhardt Jr. |