Posted on 02/06/2004 3:39:18 PM PST by NormsRevenge
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- When you boil it all down, the Budweiser Shootout is nothing but a glorified practice among 19 drivers to see who has the best Daytona 500 backup car.
So why is it always so intense?
Why do 22 drivers -- pole winner from 2003 and previous Shootout winners -- go after it so hard?
Well, it's simple. It's a race. There's money on the line. Did we mention it was a race?
"It's like a bar fight, but the car takes the beating," defending Budweiser Shootout winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. said.
Lap 18 of the Shootout and Lap 33 of the Twin 125 he's in (fortunately, he won't make the 500 on time). Seriously, it could be worse; Bodine and Park could have found rides :-)
1 | #19 | Jeremy Mayfield | Dodge | Dodge Dealers/UAW | - | - | - |
2 | #24 | Jeff Gordon | Chevrolet | DuPont | - | - | - |
3 | #42 | Jamie McMurray | Dodge | Havoline | - | - | - |
4 | #23 | Dave Blaney | Dodge | Whelen Engineering | - | - | - |
5 | #29 | Kevin Harvick | Chevrolet | GM Goodwrench | - | - | - |
6 | #5 | Terry Labonte | Chevrolet | Kellogg's | - | - | - |
7 | #6 | Mark Martin | Ford | Viagra | - | - | - |
8 | #01 | Boris Said | Chevrolet | U.S. Army | - | - | - |
9 | #38 | Elliott Sadler | Ford | M&M's | - | - | - |
10 | #91 | Bill Elliott | Dodge | Leukomia & Lymphoma Society | - | - | - |
11 | #2 | Rusty Wallace | Dodge | Miller Lite | - | - | - |
12 | #18 | Bobby Labonte | Chevrolet | Interstate Batteries | - | - | - |
13 | #10 | Mike Skinner | Chevrolet | Valvoline | - | - | - |
14 | #49 | Ken Schrader | Dodge | Schwan's Home Service | - | - | - |
15 | #88 | Dale Jarrett | Ford | UPS | - | - | - |
16 | #12 | Ryan Newman | Dodge | ALLTEL | - | - | - |
17 | #48 | Jimmie Johnson | Chevrolet | Lowe's | - | - | - |
18 | #20 | Tony Stewart | Chevrolet | Home Depot | - | - | - |
19 | #8 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Chevrolet | Budweiser | - | - | - |
Car | Driver | Hometown | Make | Sponsor | Owner |
#01 | Boris Said | Carlsbad, CA | Chevrolet | U.S. Army | Nelson Bowers |
#2 | Rusty Wallace | St. Louis, MO | Dodge | Miller Lite | Roger Penske |
#5 | Terry Labonte | Corpus Christi, TX | Chevrolet | Kellogg's | Rick Hendrick |
#6 | Mark Martin | Batesville, AR | Ford | Oscar Mayer/Team Kraft | Jack Roush |
#8 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Kannapolis, NC | Chevrolet | Budweiser | Teresa Earnhardt |
#10 | Mike Skinner | Susanville, CA | Chevrolet | Valvoline Max Life | James Rocco |
#12 | Ryan Newman | South Bend, IN | Dodge | ALLTEL | Roger Penske |
#18 | Bobby Labonte | Corpus Christi, TX | Chevrolet | Interstate Batteries | Joe Gibbs |
#19 | Jeremy Mayfield | Owensboro, KY | Dodge | Dodge Dealers/UAW | Ray Evernham |
#20 | Tony Stewart | Rushville, IN | Chevrolet | Home Depot | Joe Gibbs |
#23 | Dave Blaney | Hartford, OH | Dodge | Whelen Engineering | Gail Davis |
#24 | Jeff Gordon | Pittsboro, IN | Chevrolet | DuPont | Rick Hendrick |
#29 | Kevin Harvick | Bakersfield, CA | Chevrolet | GM Goodwrench | Richard Childress |
#38 | Elliott Sadler | Emporia, VA | Ford | M&M's | Robert Yates |
#42 | Jamie McMurray | Joplin, MO | Dodge | Havoline | Floyd Ganassi |
#48 | Jimmie Johnson | Los Gatos, CA | Chevrolet | Lowe's | Jeff Gordon |
#49 | Ken Schrader | Fenton, MO | Dodge | Schwan's Home Service | Elizabeth Morgenthau |
#88 | Dale Jarrett | Hickory, NC | Ford | UPS | Robert Yates |
#91 | Bill Elliott | Dawsonville, GA | Dodge | Evernham Motorsports | Ray Evernham Sr. |
I was thinking the same thing. I give it less than 20 laps before we see Skinner backwards.
Ah, yes, that day......
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.