Busch Smokes Smoke for Bud Shootout Win at Daytona

Photo Credit: Jamie Squire/Getty Images

A race almost three months in the waiting, the 2012 Budweiser Shootout launched the NASCAR Sprint Cup competition with a non-points event. Bringing the new fuel-injected V-8 engines of the world's most premier stock car series to life, the Daytona International Speedway plays host to an annual event that combines the accomplishments of the previous season with a perspective towards the upcoming season. The scheduled 75-lap event brought 25 selected drivers into a Saturday night fight for a purse just over a million dollars as well as the all-important begging rights entering the following Sunday's Daytona 500.

Michael Waltrip Racing's #56 Toyota piloted by Martin Truex Jr led the 25-car field to the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup season's first green flag (although unofficial). After several rule changes designed to eliminate last year's prevalent 'two-car tandem' drafting at restrictor plate races, the first major competition at Daytona International Speedway saw the multi-car packs return as the main method for lapping the 2.5-mile oval. The racing action immediately became anxious as the Budweiser Shootout saw drivers frequently going up to three-wide.

At the front of the Budweiser Shootout early, Truex Jr's pole advantage was nullified by the #88 Chevrolet of Dale Earnhardt Jr surge from a 7th place spot to the lead in the first lap. In addition to Earnhardt Jr, drivers Joey Logano, Jamie McMurray and Kevin Harvick also possessed the top spot across the Daytona start/finish line within only the first 10 laps.

A wild race within 25 cars, the Budweiser Shootout competition would be reduced early by an accident on lap 9. Through turn 2, the #34 Ford of David Ragan and Paul Menard's #27 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet made contact that caused a chain reaction wreck collecting 9 cars. Among the vehicles damaged in the race's first caution was the #11 FedEx Toyota of Denny Hamlin, Jeff Burton's #31 Chevrolet and the #55 Toyota driven by Michael Waltrip. Of the five cautions for the night, three (including the lap 9 altercation) would be for multi-car accidents.

A race divided into two segments (first a 25-lap and second a 50-lap stint), the NASCAR Sprint Cup racers aggressively ran through the initial 25 laps. Showing some considerable speed, the #1 Chevrolet piloted by 2012 Daytona 500 winner Jamie McMurray made the most of his Earnhardt-Childress Racing engine once again at Daytona. With a 10-minute break for teams to tune their cars for the final 50 laps, the race was wide-open for any competition (or situation) to win out.

Photo Credit: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Similar to the first racing segment, the second part of the 2012 Budweiser Shootout would involve rapid lead changes. Coming strong in the first 25 laps, Jeff Gordon's #24 Chevrolet took the lead in the second segment's first lap. The #16 Roush-Fenway Racing Ford of Greg Biffle and AJ Allmendinger, driving the #22 Dodge for the first time in competition for Penske Racing, added their names to the leader board of the event.

Having started alongside Martin Truex Jr on the front row after the Budweiser Shootout qualifying draw Friday, the #18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in the hands of Kyle Busch remained quiet during the event until a wild slide on lap 47. Sent sideways, Kyle Busch showed off some brilliant car control by saving his M&Ms-sponsored race vehicle avoiding major damage and a caution. Through the latter stage of the event, Busch and the #18 Toyota involved deeply in the action of the 2012 Budweiser Shootout.

With a big wreck at lap 9 of the Daytona event, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competitors were once-again to be swept by a major accident in turn 2. When the #9 Ford of Marcos Ambrose tagged Joey Logano's #20 Toyota, the ensuing accident collected several front runners. The #17 Ford of Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick and Dale Earnhardt Jr were all finished for the night following major damage from the wreck.

Photo Credit: Jamie Squire/Getty Images

As the field of the Budweiser Shootout thinned after two major restrictor plate accidents, there was still a considerable pack of NASCAR Sprint Cup cars in position for the 2012 edition of the event. With just a handful of laps remaining, almost every race car remaining stood a chance of taking the 2012 Budweiser Shootout at Daytona but Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch and Tony Stewart appeared to be primed as favourites within 2 laps to go. Entering into turn 3 on lap 73, Kyle Busch was sent sideways once more by an aggressive Jeff Gordon. While Busch chased control in his #18 machine, the contact created a chain reaction that swept up 8 cars. Among the vehicles caught up included Gordon's #24 Chevrolet that flew into the turn 4 wall, was lifted onto its side and sent burrow-rolling down the frontstretch. Landing upside-down, Jeff Gordon carefully climbed out of his Hendrick Motorsports car unhurt. This second-to-last lap wreck also ended the Budweiser Shootout for Jamie Mcmurray, the #48 Chevrolet of Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch Piloting his first race with the Phoenix Racing #51 Chevrolet.

Once the accident scene was cleaned up, NASCAR issued a green-white-checkered restart to the field of 10 lead lap cars. Tony Stewart led the group to the final green flag of the 2012 Budweiser Shootout and was immediately placed under attack by the multi-car drafting trains. On the final lap, 2011 Watkins Glen winner Marcos Ambrose received credit for the lead. However, it would be a fight between Tony Stewart and Kyle Busch off the final corner on the final lap that would settle the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona. Skillfully holding onto the #18 Toyota from near accidents twice, Kyle Busch placed himself along the passenger side of Stewart's #14 Chevrolet en route to the checkered flag. To the line, Busch ended a fantastic Saturday night performance by inching Tony Stewart by a 0.013-second margin (The closest ever in the Budweiser Shootout event's history). Behind Tony Stewart, Marcos Ambrose, Brad Keselowski and Denny Hamlin rounded out the top-5 for the Budweiser Shootout.

With 13 of the 25 cars classified as running at the end of the Budweiser Shootout, question now exist on whether the return to large drafting packs could be done in a safe manner for the Gatorade Duel 150s or the Daytona 500 race. What may come into play is the Budweiser Shootout differs from the Daytona 500 as a non-points sprint event where there was little to lose by taking chances. The Daytona 500 is a far more methodical event that is prepared to run February 26th as the official beginning of the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup season.


2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup
Budweiser Shootout
Daytona International Speedway
Race Results


Position        |   Car No.      | Driver                 | Sponsor/Car Make

1	18	Kyle Busch	M&M's Toyota
2	14	Tony Stewart	Mobil 1 / Office Depot Chevrolet
3	9	Marcos Ambrose	Stanley Ford
4	2	Brad Keselowski	Miller Lite Dodge
5	11	Denny Hamlin	FedEx Express Toyota
6	16	Greg Biffle	3M Ford
7	39	Ryan Newman	WIX Filters Chevrolet
8	15	Clint Bowyer	5-hour Energy Toyota
9	99	Carl Edwards	Fastenal Ford
10	42	Juan Pablo Montoya	Target Chevrolet
11	31	Jeff Burton	CAT Chevrolet
12	22	AJ Allmendinger	Shell Pennzoil Dodge
13	5	Kasey Kahne	Farmers Insurance Chevrolet
14	48	Jimmie Johnson	Lowe's Chevrolet
15	24	Jeff Gordon	Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet
16	1	Jamie McMurray	Bass Pro Shops / Tracker Boats Chevrolet
17	51	Kurt Busch	Tag Heuer Avant-Garde Chevrolet
18	20	Joey Logano	The Home Depot Toyota
19	56	Martin Truex Jr.	NAPA Auto Parts Toyota
20	88	Dale Earnhardt Jr.	National Guard / Diet Mtn. Dew Chevrolet
21	17	Matt Kenseth	Best Buy Ford
22	29	Kevin Harvick	Budweiser Chevrolet
23	27	Paul Menard	Menards / Peak Chevrolet
24	34	David Ragan	MHP / Power Pak Pudding Ford
25	55	Michael Waltrip	Aaron's Toyota

Truex Jr Drafts the Right Bottle for Bud Shootout Pole

Jerry Markland/Getty Images for NASCAR

 

Unofficially the first NASCAR Sprint Cup race of the season, the 2012 Budweiser Shootout, the world's top stock car racing stars are unleashed on the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway a weekend ahead of the prestigious Daytona 500. Open to the drivers who clinched a top-25 finishing position in the overall Sprint Cup Series driver standings last season, past winners of Daytona Cup Series events who are still ineligible through points are also granted entrance into the 34th running of the Budweiser Shootout. Started as a 20-lap sprint event in 1979, the Budweiser Shootout's 2012 edition will consist of 75 laps divided by two segments (a 25-lap and 50-lap part) for the ultimate Saturday night spectacle under the lights of the Daytona oval.

Settled by 25 special bottles of Budweiser beer, the starting lineup was drawn by the participating drivers of the non-points race. Unlike the pressures of qualifying for a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event (a sensation that will certainly affect drivers during Sunday's qualifying for the Daytona 500), the Budweiser Shootout draw was a more leisure occasion where fans were reacquainted with their favourite NASCAR drivers. From the massive cheers for Dale Earnhardt Jr to the more colourful choir of cheers and boos for Kyle Busch, the 2012 Budweiser Shootout field was slowly set with many top starting spots selected early. One of the early drivers, Kyle Busch, drew a front-row 2nd place spot for the Saturday night event.

When the draw concluded, Martin Truex Jr left the ceremony with the Budweiser Shootout 2012. A field being led by a pair of Toyota Camrys (Truex Jr's #56 NAPA car for Michael Waltrip Racing and Busch's #18 M&Ms machine owned by Joe Gibbs Racing), the Japanese-derived auto brand has yet to win the Budweiser Shootout. Behind the all-Toyota front row, Brad Keselowski's #2 Miller Lite Dodge will start from the 3rd place position with Jamie McMurray joining on the second row for this Daytona race. With David Ragan starting 5th in the 2012 Budweiser Shootout, the top-5 drivers for this event are all non-winners of the Daytona non-points race.

Parting with the Penske Racing team in a highly eventful departure in the off-season, the defending winner of the Budwieser Shootout Kurt Busch drew a 6th place spot. The older Busch will be driving a Chevrolet in Sprint Cup competition for the first time for Phoenix Racing. Kurt Busch's former car, the #22 Penske Racing Dodge, will be driven by AJ Allmendinger in his maiden race for Penske Racing.  

 

Other former winners of the Budweiser Shootout will be starting the Saturday night with the additional challenge of a deep race position. Coming off his third championship season in 2011, two-time Shootout winner Tony Stewart will start his #14 Chevrolet from the 15th position. Starting 18th will be the 2005 Budweiser Shootout winner and five-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson. Johnson's #48 Chevrolet may easily have the support of new Hendrick Motosports teammate Kasey Kahne placed just one spot behind. Budweiser Shootout victor in 2009 and 2010, Kevin Harvick will start his #29 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet in 22nd spot. The race's title sponsor is also worn on the body panels of Harvick's Chevrolet. Fortunately for Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick, the Daytona International Speedway is a renowned restrictor plate track providing the speed for drivers to realistically launch their charge to the front.

The 2012 Budweiser Shootout is set to start at 8:10 PM Eastern time and will be televised on Fox in the United States as well as TSN2 in Canada.



2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup
Daytona International Speedway
Budweiser Shootout
Starting Lineup

 

1. 56 Martin Truex Jr NAPA Auto Parts Toyota
2. 18 Kyle Busch M&M's Toyota
3. 2 Brad Keselowski Miller Lite Dodge
4. 1 Jamie McMurray Bass Pro Shops / Tracker Boats Chevrolet
5. 34 David Ragan MHP / Power Pak Pudding Ford
6. 51 Kurt Busch Tag Heuer Avant / Garde Chevrolet
7. 16 Greg Biffle 3M Ford
8. 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr National Guard / Diet Mountain Dew Chevrolet
9. 22 AJ Allmendinger Shell Pennzoil Dodge
10. 20 Joey Logano The Home Depot Toyota
11. 99 Carl Edwards Fastenal Ford
12. 31 Jeff Burton CAT Chevrolet
13. 39 Ryan Newman WIX Filters Chevrolet
14. 24 Jeff Gordon Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet
15. 14 Tony Stewart Mobil 1 / Office Depot Chevrolet
16. 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Express Toyota
17. 15 Clint Bowyer 5-hour Energy Toyota
18. 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe's Chevrolet
19. 5 Kasey Kahne Farmers Insurance Chevrolet
20. 55 Michael Waltrip Aaron's Toyota
21. 9 Marcos Ambrose Stanley Ford
22. 29 Kevin Harvick Budweiser Chevrolet
23. 17 Matt Kenseth Best Buy Ford
24. 27 Paul Menard Menards / Peak Chevrolet
25. 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Target Chevrolet

Kurt Busch's Charger Raids NASCAR Victory at 2011 Budweiser Shootout

Photo Credit: Jerry Markland/ Getty Images for NASCAR

With the Daytona 500 still 8 days away, the 2.5 oval called Daytona International Speedway awakes the beachfront Florida town through the roar of stock car engines during the festival called 2011 Daytona Speedweeks. An annual event since 1979, the Budweiser Shootout (originally referred to as the Busch Clash) allows a selected group of drivers and teams from NASCAR Sprint Cup Series to compete in a non-points invitational race. Starting as an event rewarding pole winners of the Cup series, the 2011 edition is open to NASCAR Sprint Cup champions, Chase contenders, winners of the Daytona Cup races and series rookie of the year honourees. With the winner taking a more than $200,000 portion of race's purse, the 2011 Budweiser Shootout pay day is quite impressive based on a relatively short of 75-lap distance (187.5 miles).

Starting with a 25-lap opening segment, the Hendrick Motorsports #88 Chevrolet Impala of Dale Earnhardt Jr led the field to green after drawing the 2011 Budweiser Shootout pole position. Without leading the first lap, Earnhardt Jr was quickly overhauled by Tony Stewart's #14 Chevrolet. The combination of the new Daytona International Speedway pavement and the small revisions to this year's Sprint Cup stock car began to shape up a very unique style of racing. Instead of competitors merged in larger drafting lines, the strategy for the 2011 Budweiser Shootout was for drivers to pair up in tractor-trailer style racing. Availing an increase in the number of passing opportunities, 12 lead changes through the first 25-lap segment saw Dale Earnahrdt Jr, Kyle Busch and Jeff Burton madly dicing for the early lead. Despite of higher race speeds of the NASCAR Sprint Cup cars (averaging 196.587 miles per hours in the one segment), the first 25 laps were incident-free.

Photo Credit: John Harrelson/ Getty Images for NASCAR

After a 10-minute intermission, the enthusiasm for the Budweiser Shootout's second 50-lap segment was fueled through by the first segment's competition. Without even tire issues being presented after the cars appeared on pit road for pit stops, drivers raved on the new surface and the brand of Sprint Cup racing that has been created. However, while the first 25 laps flew like clockwork, the mood of the Budweiser Shootout's second stage would show change early.

On lap 29 of 75, the Daytona superstretch would play host to the end of the rather tranquil stock car dance with a 6-car wreck. Started when Dale Earnhardt Jr lifted after pushing the #18 Toyota of Kyle Busch, Earnhardt's car entered into a close pack with the #78 Chevrolet of Regan Smith and Carl Edwards' #99 Ford. Gaining a momentum advantage on the superstretch, Edwards prepared to slide between Smith and Earnhardt. Not only was the passing space very limited for the #99 Ford, the spot naturally closed up. As Carl Edwards continued to move forward, he made contact with Earnhardt Jr who then caught Regan Smith in the cross reaction crash. The #20 Toyota of Joey Logano, Juan Pablo Montoya's #42 Chevrolet and the #97 Toyota of Kevin Conway also suffered race-ending damage.

While the two-car dances appeared to be playing big benefits through both segments of the Budweiser Shootout, two cautions in the second segment showed how this technique can go wrong. On lap 37, the #5 Chevrolet of Mark Martin and the #18 Toyota of Kyle Busch were grouped together but Martin pushed Busch hard through turn 1 spinning around the Toyota. Making damaging contact with each other and the Daytona wall, both cars were forced to retire. A similar accident also occurred 12 laps after in turn 4 with Michael Waltrip's #15 Toyota coming on the worst end of bump-drafting from Tony Stewart.      

After leading for a race-leading 12 lap continuous stint, Ryan Newman's #39 Chevrolet was out front receiving a valuable push from the #11 Toyota of Denny Hamlin. Challenging the pairing was a second tractor-trailer group containing the #22 Dodge of Kurt Busch and 2010 Daytona 500 winner Jamie McMurray driving the #1 Chevrolet.

On the final lap, Kurt Busch attempted to close alongside the Newman/Hamlin pack on the outside through the superstretch but ran out of momentum allowing for what appeared to be just two more corners for the #39 of Ryan Newman to sail to victory. Coming down the final race stretch from the fourth corner, Newman's victory would be foiled not by the #22 or #1 cars but by his drafting partner the #11 Toyota of Denny Hamlin. Using slingshot acceleration, Hamlin's Toyota dived low on Newman's Chevrolet passing coming to the checkered flag. By breaking the drafting partnership, both the #39 as well as #11 cars were vulnerable to the paired by vehicles of Kurt Busch and Jamie McMurray. At the line, Denny Hamlin's #11 Toyota crossed ahead of a fast-charging Kurt Busch but it was evident Hamlin advanced his position by dropping below the yellow line (a no-no for NASCAR superspeedway racing). Admitting that he had to drop below the yellow line or risk running into Ryan Newman, Hamlin's foul allowed the #22 Penske Racing Dodge of Kurt Busch to be recognized as the 2011 Budweiser Shootout winner. Jamie McMurray, Ryan Newman, Jimmie Johnson and Greg Biffle rounded out the Daytona race's top-5 unofficially kicking off the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup season.

Photo Credit: Nick Laham/ Getty Images

The only Dodge Charger in the 2011 edition of the Daytona International Speedway event, the #22 won in its first outing with the newly-acquired Shell/Pennzoil sponsorship. With Kurt Busch triumphing at the end, 28 lead changes among 9 drivers made this one of the most competitive Budweiser Shootout races on record.


2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup
Budweiser Shootout
Race Results

Pos #  | Car # | Driver  | Sponsor | Car Make

1. 22 Kurt Busch Shell / Pennzoil Dodge
2. 1 Jamie McMurray Bass Pro Shops / Tracker Boats Chevrolet
3. 39 Ryan Newman Wix Filters Chevrolet
4. 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe's / Kobalt Tools Chevrolet
5. 16 Greg Biffle 3M Ford
6. 24 Jeff Gordon Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet
7. 29 Kevin Harvick Budweiser Chevrolet
8. 31 Jeff Burton Caterpillar Chevrolet
9. 33 Clint Bowyer Cheerios / Hamburger Helper Chevrolet
10. 47 Bobby Labonte Reese Towpower / Highland Toyota
11. 14 Tony Stewart Mobil 1 / Office Depot Chevrolet
12. 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Express Toyota
13. 17 Matt Kenseth Crown Royal Black Ford
14. 64 Derrike Cope Sta-Bil Toyota
15. 15 Michael Waltrip NAPA Auto Parts Toyota
16. 18 Kyle Busch M&M's Toyota
17. 5 Mark Martin GoDaddy.com Chevrolet
18. 20 Joey Logano Home Depot Toyota
19. 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. National Guard / AMP Energy Chevrolet
20. 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Target Chevrolet
21. 99 Carl Edwards Scotts ez Seed Ford
22. 78 Regan Smith Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet
23. 97 Kevin Conway Extenze Toyota
24. 4 Kasey Kahne Red Bull Toyota

Major Events During 2010 Speedweeks at Daytona

Photo Credit: Todd Warshaw/Getty Images for NASCAR

Last week, it was the tires of Grand Am sports cars warming up the Daytona International Speedway for 2010 through the 3.56 mile road course. This week, Daytona's more recognized 2.5 superspeedway oval becomes the focus for Hershey's Milk & Milkshakes Speedweeks, a medley of stock car races which will start with ARCA's Lucas Oil Stick Mist 200 and end with the Daytona 500.

The following list is the TV stations as well as the scheduled time starts of major events during the Hershey's Milk and Milkshakes Speedweeks:

February 6th

NASCAR Sprint Cup: Daytona 500 Qualifying Day (Resolving top 2 starting spots and Duel 150 fields)- Fox/ 1:05PM

ARCA Racing Series Presented by REMAX and Menards: Lucas Oil Stick Mist 200- Speed/4:30PM

NASCAR Sprint Cup: Budweiser Shootout- FOX(TSN2 in Canada)/8PM



February 11th

NASCAR Sprint Cup: Gatorade Duel 150 Races- Speed(TSN in Canada)/2PM

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series: Qualifying- Speed/6:10PM


February 12th

NASCAR Nationwide Series: Qualifying- ESPN/3:10PM

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series: Nextera Energy Resources 250- Speed/8PM (Pre-race show starts at 7:30PM)


February 13th

NASCAR Nationwide Series: Drive4COPD 300- ESPN2(TSN2 in Canada)/1:15PM (Pre-race show starts at noon)


February 14th

NASCAR Sprint Cup: Daytona 500- Fox(TSN in Canada)/1PM (Pre-race show starts at noon)

All times are Eastern