The 2006 Budweiser Shootout was the first exhibition stock car race of the 2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series season, and the 28th iteration of the event.
At race's end, rookie Denny Hamlin, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing would pass teammate Tony Stewart on the final restart and hold off the field to pull off a stunning victory in the shootout, the first Budweiser Shootout win of his career.
On that same lap in turn 3, Carl Edwards went below the yellow line to avoid Kasey Kahne coming down into him.
After going below the line with 8 to go in segment 1, Carl Edwards was penalized by NASCAR and was sent to the rear of the field for the restart.
On lap 23, the second caution flew when Jeff Gordon's car began smoking from the rear.
On lap 40, Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch went down pit road when Carl Edwards went under the yellow line and underneath Johnson and Busch and made no contact with both of the cars and Edwards went back up the track and lost 3 positions.
With 23 to go, Jamie McMurray took the lead followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Scott Riggs in the next 2 laps during green flag pit stops.
Unfortunately for Stewart, the 3rd and final caution of the race flew when Ryan Newman blew a tire down the backstretch and left debris.
[6] Dale Earnhardt Jr., Tony Stewart, Scott Riggs, and Jimmie Johnson rounded out the top 5 while Matt Kenseth, Mark Martin, Jamie McMurray, Joe Nemechek, and Dale Jarrett rounded out the top 10.