Kurt Busch will lead the 23-car field to the green flag in the 30th Annual Budweiser Shootout at Daytona this Saturday night. Busch won the top starting spot through a random draw that took place at the Speed Channel stage at Daytona International Speedway on Thursday night. Mark Martin will join Busch on the front row as he drew the second-place starting position. The 23 drivers eligible for the Budweiser Shootout participated in the annual Draw Party on Thursday night to determine the starting lineup for the race. Each driver selected a Budweiser bottle containing a numbered flag. The number indicated the driver’s starting position. Busch was the sixth driver to select a bottle and although he is excited about starting from the top spot on Saturday night, he said it only matters where he finishes.
“I drew the number two starting spot because I didn’t want to start up front, ” Martin joked after making his selection. “I like starting in the back and passing everybody. But we were just talking about how much different it is from 1982. I just feel like it’s a privilege to be in this race. ” The 30th Budweiser Shootout is scheduled for an 8:30 p. m. EST start this Saturday. FOX will provide live television coverage of the event beginning with their pre-race show that will start at 8 p. m. EST. Starting Lineup Kurt Busch Mark Martin Michael Waltrip Jamie McMurray David Gilliland Reed Sorenson Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Kasey Kahne Martin Truex, Jr. Tony Stewart J. J. Yeley Denny Hamlin Ken Schrader Bill Elliott Dale Jarrett Casey Mears Greg Biffle Jimmie Johnson Dave Blaney Carl Edwards Clint Bowyer Jeff Gordon Ryan Newman
| 
|