The criteria for Budweiser Shootout eligibility is as wacky as ever in 2011, with the days of the pole-winning drivers making up the field for Daytona International Speedway's exhibition race long gone.
If you wanted to get into the Bud Shootout field this year, here's what you had to do: 1) Made the Chase last year or 2) Ever won a Sprint Cup title or 3) Won the Bud Shootout before or 4) Won any points race at Daytona before or 5) Been the Sprint Cup Rookie of the Year in the past 10 years.
Got it? If not, maybe this list will help clear things up. Here is the list of drivers eligible for the Bud Shootout in 2011 (in alphabetical order):
- Greg Biffle
- Clint Bowyer
- Jeff Burton
- Kurt Busch
- Kyle Busch
- Kevin Conway
- Derrike Cope
- Dale Earnhardt Jr.
- Carl Edwards
- Jeff Gordon
- Denny Hamlin
- Kevin Harvick
- Jimmie Johnson
- Kasey Kahne
- Matt Kenseth
- Bobby Labonte
- Joey Logano
- Mark Martin
- Jamie McMurray
- Juan Pablo Montoya
- Ryan Newman
- Regan Smith
- Tony Stewart
- Michael Waltrip
Among the drivers missing from this list are names such as Brad Keselowski (coincidentally sponsored by Budweiser rival Miller), Martin Truex Jr., AJ Allmendinger and David Reutimann. Pretty much everyone else is in the field.
The qualifying draw will be held later tonight at 8 p.m.