Shootout Eligibility Changes for 2013

Feb 19, 12:28 PM EST

NASCAR tweaks Shootout eligibility rules for 2013

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- About 12 hours after the closest finish in Budweiser Shootout history, NASCAR has tweaked eligibility requirements for the exhibition event.

The sanctioning body says next year's field will include 2012 pole winners in the Sprint Cup Series and past Shootout winners who attempt to qualify for at least one race this season. The new rules mirror those used between 1979 and 2008.

That means there will be at least 11 drivers eligible for the 2013 event following Sunday's pole qualifying for next weekend's Daytona 500. The list includes Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Bill Elliott, Jeff Gordon, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Terry Labonte, Mark Martin and Tony Stewart.

The eligibility rules have changed routinely since 2008.

Yep, the original Clash was the brainchild of Monte Roberts, Busch brand manager for A-B.

Guess they finally had enough of random people joking that they were eligible to run the Shootout.

I'm curious about whether Coors and Bud came to an agreement on this or if Bud is out and it will be called the Coors Clash or something. Bud's deal was supposed to run till 2015.

Yea that is a quite likely scenario lol.

The very first Clash in 1979, won by Buddy Baker, had just nine cars.

Until I looked at the results, I did not remember that the late J.D. McDuffie was one of the nine starters in the first ever Clash/Shootout.

In 1978, J.D. won the only pole he earned in 27 seasons of Cup competition, starting first in Dover's Delaware 500 and leading the first 10 laps of that race. Now that is something I truly wish I had been there to see - J.D. starting on the pole and leading those ten laps. I had forgotten.

I'm happy to see the event return to its roots.