DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The Budweiser Shootout at Daytona will have a new format that places the emphasis on the four manufacturers in NASCAR's Sprint Cup series.
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The 31st annual season-opening event at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 7 will have a field of 24 cars representing the top six teams from Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford and Toyota. It will be based on the 2008 final car owner points.
The Shootout, a non-points event, was originally known as the Busch Clash and first held in 1979. Over the years, it has been a showcase for the previous year's pole winners and previous winners.
Under the new format announced Tuesday, the race distance will be increased from 70 laps to 75 (187 miles) on the 2.5-mile Daytona trioval. The race will consist of segments of 25 and 50 laps, with both green- and yellow-flag laps counting toward the total.
There will be a 10-minute intermission between segments. Teams can pit or go to the garage and may elect to change tires, add fuel and make normal chassis adjustments. Changing of springs, shock absorbers or rear-ends will not be permitted.
Starting positions will be determined by a blind draw, held Feb. 5 at the speedway.
