Beginning with the 2003 Budweiser Shootout the race was formatted into two segments. The first segment is 20 laps after which a 10 minute intermission is held. During the intermission teams may change tires or perform any other action that would be part of a normal pit stop. The second segment is 50 laps that must end in a green-white-checkered finish. Caution laps will count toward the total in both segments so the second segment may extend beyond the scheduled 70-lap total.
In the event of a red flag, crews will be permitted to work on the cars; however, all work must be performed on pit road or Garage Area only. When the race is resumed, all cars must immediately be ready to return to competition.
All re-starts will be double-file re-starts. All lapped cars will re-start at the rear of the field.
The starting positions for the 2005 Budweiser Shootout will be drawn at random.
A $1,087,300 purse is offered for the 2005 Budweiser Shootout. The winner will receive at least $211,500.
Eligibility: A total of 21 drivers are eligible for the 2005 Budweiser Shootout, one less than the 2002 record (22) for the largest field in the history of the event. Twelve gained eligibility based on winning a Bud Pole Award in 2004 while the others are eligible because they are past champions of the Busch Clash/Budweiser Shootout that did not win a Bud Pole Award in 2004 and finished in the top-60 in final NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series point standings. Four drivers will be participating in their first Budweiser Shootout: #16-Greg Biffle, #9-Kasey Kahne, #41-Casey Mears and #25-Brian Vickers. Other drivers: #12-Ryan Newman, #24-Jeff Gordon, #9-Kasey Kahne, #19-Jeremy Mayfield, #01-Joe Nemechek, #48-Jimmie Johnson, #21-Ricky Rudd, #18-Bobby Labonte, #97-Kurt Busch.
Eligible drivers eligible based on being past champions of the Busch Clash/Bud Shootout:
13. #88-Dale Jarrett (winner – 1996, 2000, 2004)
14. #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr. (winner – 2003)
15. #20-Tony Stewart (winner – 2001, 2002*)
16. #6-Mark Martin – (winner – 1999)
17. #2-Rusty Wallace (winner – 1998)
18. #49-Ken Schrader (winner – 1989, 1990)
19. Bill Elliott (winner – 1987), #39 Coors Dodge
20. Terry Labonte (winner – 1985)(no plans to run it as far as I have heard)
21. Geoffrey Bodine (winner – 1992)(entered in the #93 GIC Chevy)(NASCAR Statistical Services), more info at my 2005 Busweiser Shootout page and the entry list a NASCAR.com..(2-9-2005)
