Penske Racing's Sam Hornish Jr. won't get Budweiser Shootout slot
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Even though some last-minute deals are taking place to lock drivers into the first five races of the NASCAR Sprint Cup season, any new developments will not impact the field for the Budweiser Shootout on Saturday, NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp said today.
However, Penske Racing officials confirmed Tuesday night that Sam Hornish Jr. would end up having the 2008 owners points of the Bill Davis Racing No. 22 car and will be locked into the field for the first five events. The former BDR team was 31st in the points last year.
Being 31st instead of 38th in owners points moved Hornish from eighth to sixth among the current Dodge drivers, and the top six plus a seventh “wild card” were eligible for the Budweiser Shootout.
But NASCAR has already set the field for the Budweiser Shootout, and there will be no changes, Tharp said. Richard Petty Motorsports’ AJ Allmendinger remains in the field as the seventh Dodge.
Bill Davis sold his team in December but retained the rights to the points. NASCAR does not allow teams to buy points outright but allows an offseason transfer to another car as long as the original owner has at least a minimal ownership stake in the car.
