2013 Bud Shootout to return to pole winner eligibility

[Drew39]

From NASCAR.com

Shootout eligibility returns to its roots for 2013
Pole winners from 2012 and past event winners will make the fiield next year

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- NASCAR released Sunday the eligibility requirements for the 2013 Shootout at Daytona, an announcement that signals a return to the fan-favorite preseason event's roots.

Next season's field will consist of 2012 Coors Light Pole winners and past Shootout winners who have attempted to qualify for at least one race during the 2012 season.

Eligibility rules for next season's annual non-points race mirror those from 1979-2008, and puts greater emphasis on each weekend's Sprint Cup Series qualifying session.

"Fans have expressed their desire to see this event return to its original eligibility rules," said Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR senior vice president of racing operations. "We listened and decided it would be best to return to the eligibility rules of years past, adding further meaning to pole qualifying for each Sprint Cup race."

This announcement comes prior to 2012's first qualifying session, adding intrigue to an already important event. Today's fastest qualifier, in addition to winning the pole for next Sunday's 54th annual Daytona 500, will also earn a spot in next year's Shootout. Two Daytona 500 starting positions will be locked in after today's qualifying session. The fastest two cars in qualifying will sit on the front row for The Great American Race.

Saturday night, Kyle Busch won his first Shootout at Daytona, locking up a spot in next year's field. Busch passed defending series champion Tony Stewart in the tri-oval, edging the three-time titlist by a margin of victory of .013 seconds -- the closest in Shootout history.

Last season, 18 different drivers won a pole.

:thumbup1:

 

[SaidHead60]

It would seem kind of weird seeing all of last years' Coors Light pole winners compete in the Bud Shootout, wouldn't you think? And the only way this could be possible if it would be called the Coors Light Shootout.

 

[RogerD83]

OLD SCHOOL! Now thats racing!

 

[FloridaFan88]

Fantastic. Now winning the pole is meaningful again.

 

[Markfan]

It should have never went away from being related to poles.

 

[John Gregorio]

It should have never went away from being related to poles.

Budweiser wanted to separate themselves from Coors Light.

 

[celticfang]

What's wrong exactly with having it to be pole winners and going back to the Clash naming, the Coors Light Clash?

 

[The Captain]

For it to be named The Coors Light anything Budweiser would have to drop their sponsorship. I don't see them randomly severing a long relationship with Daytona and the Shootout over a rules change.

 

[Drew39]

An addendum on Jayski says it will just be called "The Shootout", so maybe Budweiser won't be title sponsor next year

 

[celticfang]

Busch did though, giving up the Clash name (which soudned better to be honest)

 

[ModSquadRacing]

Very glad to hear this. I hate to say it, but it had become a joke with the eligibility rules changing almost every year to include more drivers and big-name drivers that wernt going to be locked in. It was like NASCAR would look at the list of big-name drivers that wernt locked in, and then find an accomplishment of theirs to add to the eligibility list so they would be in. It was like "Lets see, Kyle Busch isnt in, what can we do here...oh he won the July 400, so we'll add that". It had just gotten to the point where they might as well just run the top 35 every year.

Now that they've gone back to how it should be, I just hope they keep it that way.

 

[DB2403]

Awesome news!

 

[nascarfreak88]

Damn you beat me to it! haha

I like it this way. This gives you a reason to win the pole. And its not some exhibition race with some random drivers now too.

 

[The Captain]

Busch did though, giving up the Clash name (which soudned better to be honest)

Busch=Anheuser-Busch=Maker of Budweiser

 

[celticfang]

Even so, Busch Clash sounded better than Bud Shootout to me. Yes, I'm nostalgic.

 

[IDrag]

Finally it returns to it's proper format.

 

[4WideRacing]

I'm really excited that they brought back the old eligibility rules! I don't see why Budweiser would give up their sponsorship though.

 

[Markfan]

Budweiser wanted to separate themselves from Coors Light.

I know, but the formats post-2008 were still terrible, especially the one from 2009.

 

[flyer2359]

I'm glad to see them go back to the old rule book for this. Now the pole will mean something and the requirements for the Shootout will be consistent again.

 

[B.McKeever]

Rename it.

"The Shootout @ Daytona"

This would eliminate any conflicts with sponsors in the future. Budweiser probably had different contracts and when they lost the pole award contract, they still had the shootout contract. Bet it was up this year and they just decided not to renew it. Their eligibility started to become ridiculous. It was "Top 7 from each make" or something one year. (Dodge didn't even have enough teams to do this!) Then it went to the Top 12 + ROTY + Past Winners, this year it was the Top 25 + Winners. It was beginning to become hard to follow.

For one, I am very pleased they are going back to this. It makes winning poles worth something again. It was always nice to pole winners get a chance to "shine."

Now, get rid of the "fan vote" in the All-Star race! Make eligibility like this - 15 most recent race winners. (Duplicates move back the cutoff.) Add the 2 most recent All-Star race winners. (Not already in race.) Add the 2 most recent Cup Champions. (Not already in show. If none available, change it to All-Star race winners.) Finally, divide the "Showdown" into two races. Dub them the "All Star Qualifiers." Put a maximum of 30 entries per race and ONLY transfer the winner from each 25-lap "Qualifier Race" to the All Star.

15 most recent race winners.
2 most recent All Star winners not in field.
2 most recent Cup Champions not in field.
1 winner from each of the two "All Star Qualifiers."

That leaves 21 teams in the All Star event. Make it a 30 lap race with a random inverse (like a pill draw so no one can beat the system.) Then, make it a 30 lap shootout complete with a green-flag pitstop requirement.