New Format For The Budweiser Shootout

NASCAR’s pre-season showcase from Daytona International Speedway that featured the previous Sprint Cup season’s pole winners and past winners of the shootout has seen its eligibility requirements change starting next season.

The Budweiser Shootout will now feature the top six teams from each manufacturer in the final owner points. The move seems to be designed to put the emphasis on the manufacturers.

The race distance will also be increased from 70 laps to 75 laps. There will be two segments of 25 and 50 laps, with yellow flag laps included. There will also be a 10 minute break between the segments.

From a logical perspective, the reason for the change does make sense, though. After all, Budweiser used to sponsor the pole award, so there was a link. But, with Coors now sponsoring the pole, the two are no longer connected, and probably shouldn’t be linked.

Sorenson To GEM In 2009

Gillett Evernham Motorsports has announced that Reed Sorenson has signed a multi-year contract to drive for the team next season.

GEM said that a sponsor and number announcement would be coming soon. No word on plans for Chip Ganassi Racing’s No. 41 Target Dodge, currently driven by Sorenson. Also, no word on what will happen to Patrick Carpentier, driver of GEM’s No. 10 Dodge.

Sorenson will become a teammate to Kasey Kahne and Elliott Salder.

GEM’s CEO Tom Reddin said:

[Sorenson] is a highly marketable young driver who knows how to win races, and has a long career full of promise ahead of him.

Chip Ganassi said:

After much internal discussion over the last few months we agreed that parting ways with Reed was the right decision for all of us. The business side of sports is never easy and this was just a business decision that was made on both our parts. We wish Reed nothing but the best.

Hopefully this will be a positive change for Sorenson, who reportedly lost favor with the team after missing a sponsorship appearance. Some also questioned his dedication.

Moving over to GEM can be a fresh start for Sorenson, who drove for CGRWFS his entire Sprint Cup career.

Some have question Ganassi’s dedication to his NASCAR program, as his attention sometimes seems to be more focused on his Indy Racing League team.

Perhaps an owner who is focused on Cup may be better for Sorenson.