NASCAR adds four "wild card" spots to Bud Shootout lineup

Daytona Beach, FL (Sports Network) - NASCAR announced Friday a revision to the 2009 Budweiser Shootout at Daytona format that provides each manufacturer with a "wild card" entry, increasing the size of the field from 24 to 28 cars.

In August, NASCAR revamped the eligibility for the Budweiser Shootout, with the lineup consisting of the top six teams from each manufacturer, based on the final 2008 Sprint Cup Series owner points. Eligibility is based on owners competing in this event with the same manufacturer as last year.

However, the new revision allows each manufacturer to enter a seventh car, or wild card entry, based on a couple of circumstances.

Any owner outside of the top six in 2008 owners' points whose driver is a past Cup champion that attempted to qualify for all of last year's races becomes eligible for the event.

If an owner/manufacturer does not have a past champion driver, the next highest eligible owner outside of the top six in owners' points from each manufacturer will then become eligible.

Tony Stewart, a two-time Cup champion and three-time winner of the Budweiser Shootout, was originally not eligible for this year's pre-season, non-points event at Daytona International Speedway. Stewart switched from Toyota to Chevrolet, as he moved from Joe Gibbs Racing to the newly formed Stewart-Haas Racing, a team he co-owns.

The change now puts Stewart in the lineup as a wild card. He won his series titles in 2002 and '05. Stewart also recorded victories in the Budweiser Shootout in 2001, '02 and '07.

Bobby Labonte, the 2000 Cup champion, will likely be in the field as a wild card after taking over owner points from the Yates Racing No.38 team and driver David Gilliland. Labonte is now behind the wheel of the No.96 Ford for Yates/Hall of Fame Racing after driving the famed No.43 Dodge for Petty Enterprises from 2006-08.

This year's Budweiser Shootout, scheduled for Saturday, February 7, will be increased from 70 laps to 75 at Daytona, and it will have two segments of 25 and 50 laps. Both green-and-yellow-flag laps will count.

Between segments, there will be a 10-minute pit stop at which time teams will pit and may elect to change tires, add fuel and make normal chassis adjustments. Crews will be permitted to work on cars and will be allowed to perform functions they would do on a normal pit stop in a regular Cup event. All work must be performed on pit road or in the garage. Changing of springs, shock absorbers or rear-ends will not be permitted.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. won last year's race.

Tentative lineup for the 2009 Budweiser Shootout at Daytona:

Jimmie Johnson No.48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Kevin Harvick No.29 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

Casey Mears No.07 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

Jeff Burton No.31 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

Jeff Gordon No.24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. No.88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Tony Stewart No.14 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet (wild card)

Kasey Kahne No.9 Gillett Evernham Motorsports/Petty Dodge

David Stremme No.12 Penske Racing South Dodge

Kurt Busch No.2 Penske Racing South Dodge