2009 Budweiser Shootout
Harvick took his first Sprint Cup Series victory since the 2007 Nextel All-Star Challenge, and Richard Childress Racing's had its first Budweiser Shootout win since the 1995 edition.
Eight cautions were issued during the race, which saw an event-record 23 lead changes among 14 drivers, and attracted 8.3 million television viewers.
The 2009 Budweiser Shootout was the first of two exhibition stock car races of the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series,[1] and the event's 31st annual edition.
The race, designed to promote Busch Beer, invites the fastest NASCAR drivers from the previous season to compete.
[10] There were 28 cars eligible to enter the race, including the top six teams from each of the series' four manufacturers (Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, and Toyota) based on owners' points from the 2008 season.
[2] Kyle Busch led the first practice session, held in clear and cool weather, with a 47.009 seconds lap, more than 0.070 seconds faster than the second-placed Jimmie Johnson, who was recovering from a cut finger he sustained on his left hand while altering his racing uniform with a kitchen knife at the 2009 24 Hours of Daytona endurance race.
[13][14] Matt Kenseth was third fastest, ahead of Reed Sorenson, A. J. Allmendinger and Earnhardt Jr. Carl Edwards was seventh, still within one second of Kyle Busch's time.
[15] Paul Menard was traveling through the first curve during the second practice session when his right-rear tire deflated, leading him to spin sideways.
[18] Edwards swerved to avoid hitting debris that detached from David Reutimann's car at high speed.
[19] Menard chose the pole position, ahead of Elliott Sadler, Sorenson, Speed and Denny Hamlin in second through fifth.
[20] Stewart drew sixth place, Brian Vickers seventh, Labonte eighth, Earnhardt ninth, and Kyle Busch tenth.
Johnson, Reutimann, Burton, Casey Mears, Kenseth, Biffle, Kevin Harvick, and Jeff Gordon chose the final eight starting positions.
"[22] The 75-lap race began on February 7 at 8:10 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (UTC−05:00), and was televised live in the United States on Fox.
[24] Commentary was provided by lap-by-lap analyst Mike Joy, with analysis from three-time Cup Series champion Darrell Waltrip, and former crew chief Larry McReynolds.
[25] L. Ronald Durham, pastor of Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church in Daytona Beach, began pre-race ceremonies with an invocation.
Vocalist Catina Mack from Orlando performed the national anthem, and country music singer Dierks Bentley commanded the drivers to start their engines.
[26] During the pace laps, Burton fell to the rear of the field because he changed his car's engine,[1] and Logano did the same for missing the mandatory pre-race drivers' meeting due to him participating in the track's ARCA Re/Max Series race, which ended later than scheduled.
He and Kurt Busch were first and second as the field began lap 13, but Stewart and Kahne moved into the top two places exiting the first turn.
[28] Harvick slowed after being driven into the right-hand wall, removing his front left fender, and fell five seconds behind the pack.
[28] That lap, Jeff Gordon dropped behind in the middle lane, and Vickers hit the back of his car.
Gordon clipped Biffle's rear and left sides, sending him into Johnson's path and collecting Mears, Burton, and Allmendinger; a third caution was issued, during which most of the leaders, including McMurray, made pit stops for fuel and tires.
One lap later, Sorenson's engine failed, ending his race, and bringing out a fourth caution due to oil on the track.
[1] Earnhardt's teammate Jeff Gordon helped him to pass Kyle Busch for the lead for the second time at the lap-41 restart.
A fifth caution was issued five laps later after a three-car crash involving Reutimann, Stremme, and Sadler entering the first turn.
McMurray got loose in front of Johnson and Kyle Busch exiting turn four, but retained the lead.
[2][28] This gave Harvick the victory, his first in the Cup Series since another exhibition event 71 races prior, the 2007 Nextel All-Star Challenge.
"[34] Stewart, who finished third in his first race as a team owner,[5] was satisfied with the result with his new crew chief Darian Grubb: "It really put me at ease I guess the whole night.
"[29] Some drivers and crew chiefs raised concerns during and after the event about the Car of Tomorrow's handling on Daytona International Speedway's variable track surface.
[36][37] Kyle Busch argued the car was unsuitable for the circuit due to balance issues,[36] and Labonte said it was "pretty erratic" and its handling was not to his liking.
[36] Todd Parrott, Labonte's crew chief, believed there were few handling changes from previous editions of the event, and Reutimann concurred.
