Bud Shootout field confirmed
Twenty one drivers from the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series, including five former champions and current series title holder Jimmie Johnson, will compete next Saturday in the first on-track event of the year, the 29th annual Budweiser Shootout at Daytona
Only drivers who have won the event in the past and those who earned pole positions during the 2006 season are eligible to take part in the seventy lap event that will take place on Saturday night at the 2.5-mile oval.
Between the drivers eligible as former winner of the Shootout are Dale Earnhardt Jr, Mark Martin, Ken Schrader, Bill Elliott and former Cup champion Tony Stewart, who has won the event twice.
1999 champion Dale Jarrett, who is also eligible as a three-time winner of the Shootout, will lead Toyota into its debut season in NASCAR's top division, taking part in the event which awards prize money, but no points for the Nextel Cup.
Hendrick drivers Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Kyle Busch will also take part of the event as pole winners from last season.
Evernham's Kasey Kahne and Penske's Kurt Busch both earned six poles last year and are expected to be among the favorites to take their first victory in the shootout next weekend driving Dodge Chargers.
Last year's Rookie of the Year, Joe Gibbs driver Denny Hamlin, starts the season hoping to repeat as the Shootout winner, after taking victory in the event at his first attempt last year.
He drove his No. 11 FedEx Chevrolet first across the finish line, in what was only his eighth Nextel Cup start after qualifying on pole for a race at Phoenix in 2005.
The Budweiser Shootout has a unique format. It splits into two races, the first of them a 20-lap sprint which is followed by a 10-minute pause, where normal pitstop adjustments to the car are allowed.
After that come the last 50 laps to complete 175 miles of racing to determine the first winner of the season. The race will give out US $1.1 million in prize money.
The Budweiser Shootout starts at 8:30 pm US Eastern time on Saturday (1:30 am GMT Sunday).
Eligible drivers for the Budweiser Shootout: Greg Biffle
Jeff Burton
Kurt Busch
Kyle Busch
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Bill Elliott
David Gilliland
Jeff Gordon
Denny Hamlin
Kevin Harvick
Dale Jarrett
Jimmie Johnson
Kasey Kahne
Mark Martin
Ryan Newman
Scott Riggs
Elliott Sadler
Boris Said
Ken Schrader
Tony Stewart
Brian Vickers
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