Busch wins by a nose; Hamlin goes below the yellow line

Denny Hamlin looked to have made the winning pass when he pulled out from behind race leader Ryan Newman and made inside pass for the race lead exiting turn four on the last lap.  But Newman came down the track to block, sending Hamlin below the yellow line, thus per NASCAR’s rules, Hamlin advanced his position and was disqualified for going below the out-of-bounds line.

“That yellow line is there to protect us and the fans in the stands safety and I just chose to take the safer route. A win in the Shootout is not worth sending the 39  through the grandstands. For me, as fast as we’re running, if I get into his left rear, that car will go airborne. For me, it was a tough position.” Hamlin said.

Hamlin was black-flagged and dropped to 12^th position, the last car on the lead lap.

[media-credit name=”David Yeazell” align=”alignright” width=”201″][/media-credit]Kurt Busch and Jamie McMurray also made their move to the outside while Newman and Hamlin where fighting for the lead and Busch crossed the finish line a nose ahead to win Saturday nights Budweiser Shootout.

“I knew the 11 was going to split away from the 39.  I was hoping he would do it soon enough.  It worked out in our favor at the end because McMurray stayed with us.  For Shell/Pennzoil to believe in Penske and me, this is unbelievable to deliver them a victory in this 22 car.” Busch said.

This was Busch’s first shootout win in eight tries.

“What an amazing win.  To get to victory lane for Shell/Pennzoil is incredible.  This Dodge Charger was fast and I have to thank my “teammate” Jamie McMurray so much.  What an unbelievable experience, this two-car draft.” Busch said.

Carl Edwards and Dale Earnhardt Jr. spun out after contact from Edwards on lap 27.  Juan Montoya, Regan Smith and Joey Logano were also involved.

“We were all just battling for position.  We were at least three-wide and I had my car up against Dale Jr.’s as best I could and the 78 was on the outside.  I was in the middle and I don’t think he knew my nose was in there.  I was probably hidden by the 88 and he just kept coming down.” Edwards said.

“We were hooked in the rear, the right rear quarter panel and I was watching it and you know, when I saw this gold car coming at me and I thought I had it saved for a second but it’s hard to drive them that fast when they’re out of control. But it was fun. The racing might look kind of crazy but it was pretty fun.” Earnhardt said.

On lap 48, Michael Waltrip gets loose after “bump draft” contact from Tony Stewart.  Waltrip went into the outside wall and then slid down through the grass.

In lap 36, Mark Martin and Kyle Busch spun after “bump draft” contact from by Martin.

“It just went around on him. We were perfect-latched and nothing was different. So I don’t know if our tires being colder or, I don’t know why that happened. I have no answers. I’m sorry. I was doing the same thing everybody else was doing. It’s just a bad deal. I hate that.” Martin said.

2011 Unofficial Race Results

Budweiser Shootout, Daytona International Speedway

February 12, 2011 | Exhibition