2010 Budweiser Shootout

The race, designed to promote Busch Beer, invites the fastest NASCAR drivers from the previous season to compete.

[2] Kevin Harvick remained at his home in North Carolina to recover from symptoms of flu, and Jeff Burton and Clint Bowyer drove his car for the practice sessions.

Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Newman, Kasey Kahne, Joey Logano and Bowyer rounded out the top ten fastest drivers in the session and were six-tenths of a second within Burton's time.

[14] Denny Hamlin got into the rear of Martin in the first turn towards the end of the session, beginning a chain-reaction accident involving cars driven by Bowyer, Logano, Greg Biffle and Brian Vickers.

Vickers, Burton, Juan Pablo Montoya, Carl Edwards and Logano rounded out the session's top ten fastest drivers.

Stewart drove to his garage in the middle of the session and had his radiator changed because debris went through it, and Johnson stopped his car after a completing one lap after the earlier accident.

Edwards drew the pole position, with Harvick in second (which was chosen by his crew chief Gil Martin).

Waltrip, who drew fifteenth, was followed by Johnson, Kyle Busch, Derrike Cope, Kahne and Montoya for the first twenty spots.

"[17] The 2010 Budweiser Shootout was the first exhibition race of the season, and was televised live in the United States by Fox, which began at 8:10 EST.

[18] Reverend L. Ronald Durham of the Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, Daytona began pre-race ceremonies with an invocation.