Smith Not So Lucky in Random Draw for Bud Shootout Starting Position

February 11, 2011

Luck wasn't on Regan Smith's side Friday during the random starting position draw for Saturday night's non-points Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway.

The Furniture Row Racing driver, who will be competing in his first Budweiser Shootout, drew the 24th and last starting position for the 75-lap, 187.5-mile race at the famed superspeedway. He qualified for the invitational race based on his status as a former Sprint Cup rookie of the year.

"Hopefully this means we got our bad luck out of the way before the race even starts," said Smith during the one-hour special on SPEED. "As Jeff Gordon said earlier it really doesn't matter where you start in this race. We just have to stay in the lead draft and move to the front in our Furniture Row Chevrolet."

The Budweiser Shootout will be conducted in two segments of 25 and 50 laps with a 10-minute break between segments. The event is a precursor to the Daytona 500 (Feb. 20).

Speaking of the Daytona 500, Saturday will also mark the first practice day for the Daytona 500 Sprint Cup cars. And on Sunday, the Cup cars will take part in Pole Day, which locks in the front row for the Daytona 500 and determines the starting positions for Thursday's (Feb. 17) qualifying races.

Weekend Television Schedule From Daytona

Saturday, Feb. 12
SPEED
Cup Practices
9 - 11 a.m. MT
Noon - 1:45 p.m. MT

FOX
Budweiser Shootout
6 p.m. MT

Sunday, Feb. 13
FOX
Pole Day
11 a.m. MT