| NASCAR has done it again. After promising to slow | | | | circuits, with a 10-minute interlude and pit stop. |
| the pace of change, Brian France has authorized yet | | | | What happens when a team switches manufactures |
| another shift in the way we know racing, completely | | | | - as Joe Gibbs Racing did from Chevrolet to Toyota |
| revising a popular, non-points exhibition race. | | | | this year - has not been answered. Nor has other |
| The Budweiser Shootout, formerly called the Busch | | | | potential problems, e.g., Tony Stewart and Ryan |
| Clash (through 1997), kicks off the NASCAR season | | | | Newman switching to Chevrolets next season (Haas |
| every February. As a prelude to the Daytona 500, it | | | | CNC Racing drivers are out of the top six in owner |
| has grown in popularity since its inception in '79. The | | | | points among Chevys). Michael Waltrip, Travis Kvapil, |
| free-for-all 'sprint' used to be by invitation only, | | | | David Stremme and David Reutimann are currently |
| primarily for Bud Pole winners from the preceding | | | | eligible for the '09 Shootout, Stewart and Newman |
| year. Past winners were also eligible as long as they | | | | are not. Joey Logano, who will drive Stewart's No. 20 |
| finished among the top-50 in the previous season's | | | | Toyota in '09, is now eligible, though he has yet to |
| point standings - a gimme' for most drivers. The | | | | compete in a Cup race. |
| 70-lap event has been run in 20- and 50-lappers on | | | | Logano, 18, is also underage, but that is a minor |
| Daytona's 2.5-mile superspeedway, with an | | | | problem for image-indifferent Anheuser-Busch. |
| "intermission" during the interval. | | | | An underdog racer such as Joe Nemechek, the pole |
| With Coors Brewing now sponsoring NASCAR's pole | | | | winner at Talladega this season for Furniture Row |
| awards rather than Anheuser-Busch, the Shootout will | | | | Racing, can kiss his '09 entry good-bye. Same for |
| go with a new format next year. Officials from | | | | Paul Menard and rookie Patrick Carpentier, both pole |
| Budweiser requested the change - we're talking rival | | | | winners in '08. |
| beer companies here - refusing to acknowledge this | | | | Driver comments thus far have been mixed. The |
| year's Coors Light Pole Award winners in a race they | | | | newly eligible are among those in favor of the |
| pour lots of money into. Instead of inviting this year's | | | | changes. Some of the competitors not affected are |
| pole winners, all four manufacturers involved in the | | | | fine with the new arrangement, but would prefer a |
| Sprint Cup Series will be in direct competition. The top | | | | shorter version that resembles a true sprint rather |
| six teams using Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford and Toyota | | | | than a middle distance run. |
| will form the '09 lineup based on owner, not driver | | | | NASCAR's competition department has its hands full |
| points. The 24-car race will last an additional five laps | | | | at the moment. |
| in segments of 25 and 50, including yellow-flag | | | | |