NASCAR opts to shake up qualification for Shootout

NASCAR has made some changes to the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway. The new criteria, announced Wednesday, are based upon the following qualifications, plus a driver must have competed in the Sprint Cup Series within the past two seasons:

Drivers who qualified for the 2009 Chase for the Sprint Cup;

Past Cup series champions;

Past Budweiser Shootout winners;

Past Daytona 500 and Coke Zero 400 champions;

The reigning rookie of the year.

In the past, spots in the field had been reserved for the previous season's pole winners, plus former winners of the event who were not otherwise already qualified.

The season-opening event on Feb. 6 will launch Speedweeks, with green flag set for 8:10p.m. The distance will continue to be 75 laps, consisting of 25- and 50-lap segments.

Drivers eligible for the 2010 Budweiser Shootout include:

2009 Chase Drivers: Jimmie Johnson; Mark Martin; Jeff Gordon; Kurt Busch; Denny Hamlin; Tony Stewart; Greg Biffle; Juan Pablo Montoya; Ryan Newman; Kasey Kahne; Carl Edwards; Brian Vickers.

Others (criteria filled in parentheses): John Andretti (Coke Zero 400); Jeff Burton (Coke Zero 400); Kyle Busch (Coke Zero 400); Derrike Cope (Daytona 500); Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Daytona 500, Coke Zero 400, Budweiser Shootout); Bill Elliott (Series champion, Daytona 500, Coke Zero 400, Budweiser Shootout); Kevin Harvick (Daytona 500, Budweiser Shootout); Matt Kenseth (Series champion, Daytona 500); Bobby Labonte (Series champion); Terry Labonte (Series champion, Budweiser Shootout); Joey Logano (reigning rookie of the year); Sterling Marlin (Daytona 500, Coke Zero 400); Jamie McMurray (Coke Zero 400); Ken Schrader (Budweiser Shootout); Michael Waltrip (Daytona 500, Coke Zero 400).