Have a FaceBook, Twitter, or other social networking account?

Link them to your fanatic account!

Add An Account

TAKE ME TO...
NASCAR Sprint-Cup Series
CUP: Aero Package Passes Muster
The Budweiser Shootout was the first race with NASCAR’s new, larger restrictor plate...
Tom Jensen  |  Posted February 07, 2010   Daytona Beach, FL
Saturday nights Bud Shootout at Daytona featured a new aerodynamic package that included a larger restrictor plate, a 'shark fin' behind the rear window and new end plates on the wings. (Photo: LAT Photographic)
A larger restrictor plate.

Shark fins on the rear window.

Different end plates on the rear wing.

And most of all, a new freedom for the drivers, who were told to police themselves.

Add it all up and what do you get?

A Budweiser Shootout that was entertaining but in reality not a whole lot different than previous races. It even had the same winner as last year, Kevin Harvick, who held off Kasey Kahne and Jamie McMurray for the victory.

Saturday night’s Shootout at Daytona International Speedway may have featured a new aerodynamic package for the NASCAR Sprint Cup competitors, but the basic format of the race ensured it would be pretty much business as usual: With no points on the line, drivers could afford to be more aggressive than they will be in the Daytona 500 next week.

And there were several incidents under the lights at DIS: Contact between Mark Martin and Kurt Busch on Lap 32 sent the Penske Dodge on a wild ride, plowing the infield grass along the frontstretch. On Lap 70, Ryan Newman turned Michael Waltrip into the wall.

The biggest wreck, though, came on the race’s penultimate lap, as Greg Biffle appeared to have a tire going down as he was tapped from behind by Jeff Gordon headed off into Turn 3, triggering an eight-car scrum.

All told, though, the five cautions were down from eight last year and up only slightly from the four that were waved during the 2008 Bud Shootout. So what fans witnessed Saturday night probably didn’t appear a whole lot different. From the driver’s perspective, though, they seemed to enjoy the new package.

“I could run the top, bottom or middle,” said Harvick, who won the 2007 Daytona 500 as well as last year’s Shootout. “Didn't have to be picky about who I followed. I could go wherever I want. That's nice from a driver standpoint to have options like that. Lets you be pretty aggressive. Obviously tonight is an aggressive style race that's pretty forward thinking. There's not a whole lot of 'whatever the consequences are' thinking. So it's all about whatever it takes to go forward.”

Those who finished behind Harvick seemed pretty satisfied as well.

“I thought it was really competitive,” said Kahne, who finished second in his first race since Richard Petty Motorsports switched to Ford. “ … When it went green, I was two to three wide for 75 laps. I thought throughout most of the race there was action, at least where I was, and I felt like I was in the mix and had runs going. I just felt like there was a lot going on and it was exciting. I thought it was a little more than usual and I was happy with it.”

“It wasn’t nearly as crazy as I thought it would be,” said Denny Hamlin, who finished fifth and was one of three Joe Gibbs Racing Toyotas in the top seven. “We are running so fast and handling is such an issue that everyone was being fairly cautious with each other and that was good.”

“I thought the race was good,” added eight-place finisher Brian Vickers. “With the new rules, I thought there was a little more throttle response. I felt like if you got shuffled back or got in a bad spot, it was easier to recover. Not by a lot — we’re talking pretty minimal.”

With the different package in place, hopes are high for an exciting Daytona 500 next weekend, especially because the new, larger restrictor plate allows cars to slingshot more aggressively in the draft. “The racing is not dramatically different, but it is in that way because we never were able to get runs without having two guys hooked up, you were never able to get those runs before,” said third-place finisher McMurray. “I like the package they have. I think it's going to put on a great show Sunday.”

Tom Jensen is the Editor in Chief for SPEEDtv.com, the former Executive Editor of NASCAR Scene and a contributing Editor for TruckSeries.com. He is the author of Cheating: The Bad Things Good NASCAR Nextel Cup Racers Do In Pursuit of SPEED, and has appeared on television and radio shows to discuss NASCAR racing. Jensen is the past President of the National Motorsports Press Association. Jensen is the 1997 National Motorsports Press Association Writer of the Year and has won numerous national and state awards for news reporting, columns and feature writing. The Answer Man is back at SPEEDtv.com! Tom Jensen answers your questions during every race week and looks forward to hearing from you - please e-mail it to

Play! SPEED Fantasy Racing Cup Edition - Spring Series
tom_jensen's avatar

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tom Jensen

MORE BY THIS AUTHOR
Advertising | Jobs | Feedback | FAQ | Terms of Use | NEW Privacy Policy | Ad Choices | Site Map
Fox Sports | FUEL TV | FX Network | National Geographic | IGN | AskMen
The Motor Sports Authority, SPEED and associated logos are registered trademarks of Speed Channel Inc.
All Rights Reserved © Speed Channel, Inc. 2012

All external links will open in a new browser window. SPEED.com does not endorse external sites.