NASCAR: Tony Stewart Captures Third Budweiser Shootout

Photo courtsey: daytona500.com

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Tony Stewart kicked off the 2007 NASCAR season by taking the checkered flag under the lights in the 29th annual Budweiser Shootout - his 10th win overall at the Daytona International Speedway.

Stewart slipped past Kyle Busch on Lap 63 and then held off the surprising David Gilliland and third-place finisher Kurt Busch to win the All-Star non-points event that features the previous season's pole winners and past Budweiser Shootout champions.

"We were really good," said Stewart, driver of the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 20 Home Depot Chevrolet. "Speed-wise, we're unbelievable."

With only eight laps to go, Stewart got Kyle Busch loose and took the lead.

"Kyle did an awesome job," Stewart said. "I don't know how many guys could have saved that car&he did an awesome job of catching it."

Gilliland, entering his first full season in NEXTEL Cup and making his first Shootout appearance, felt like he earned some respect in the Budweiser Shootout that will help him through the remaining races at Daytona.

"It felt really good," Gilliland said. "You know, our main deal going into tonight was just to get some experience and try and earn some respect running with these guys. I feel like we accomplished that&we made some friends out there."

Hendrick Motorsports' Jeff Gordon, driver of the No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet, started in the 11th position, but suffered mechanical problems after 31 laps and finished 21st.

Ryan Newman, driver of the No. 12 Alltel Dodge, also made an early exit with mechanical problems and finished 20th.

Toyota made their first appearance in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series with Brian Vickers and Dale Jarrett.

Vickers finished eighth in the No. 83 Toyota while Jarrett in the No. 44 Toyota finished 18th.

Budweiser Shootout Post-Race Quotes

Tony Stewart, driver of the No. 20 Home Depot Chevrolet

LET'S START WITH THAT PASS FOR THE LEAD

"I was wondering if two and four tires were going to be a factor. We finally got Kyle (Busch) to where we could give him a big push into (Turn) 1 and that was with a tailwind so that was where the least amount of downforce was. We went in there and got him lose getting in and then we caught him and got him loose again. So I don't know what he's mad at me about. I did my job and did what I could do to win this race. This race is to see who can win. It's not about just sitting there and riding in line. Before that, I kept making sure that I was running a line that he knew I wasn't going to do anything until the end there, but with less than 10 laps to go there, you've got to make your move."

LAST YEAR THE BOTTOM WAS THE PLACE TO BE BUT THIS YEAR IT LOOKED LIKE YOU COULD PASS ON THE HIGH SIDE JUST AS WELL:

"Yeah, we worked hard yesterday and got it decent there toward the end of the night in the practice session. I'm just really happy. Zippy and all the guys and this Chevy is just awesome. It's the same car we've always run here and it's just always been fast."

HOW DOES THIS CAR STACK UP TO YOUR DAYTONA 500 CHEVY?

"The other one is better, believe it or not. Everybody says that. Nobody brings their best car to the Shootout. Everybody in the field has a car that they are going to qualify tomorrow for the Daytona 500 that's a little bit better than the ones we ran tonight."

Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the No. 8 Budweiser Chevrolet, finished 14th

WHAT HAPPENED OUT THERE ON THAT LAST LAP?

"I got into the back of Elliott (Sadler) trying to help him. It was my mistake. It got him sideways and bumped him a little bit too early. He wasn't up on the straightaway yet. I'll take the blame for that one. I was trying to do all we could there, but we didn't really have what we needed tonight. We'll definitely have a better car for the 500. This ain't no indication on how good we are for that. I just hate it for Evernham who builds them cars and come down here and race and I tore it up for him so I'm sorry about that.

"It was self-explanatory if you watch the tape. I got into the back of Elliott trying to bump-draft and he wasn't up on the straightaway yet. So I got into it too early and wrecked him and wrecked both of the cars. I'm sorry about that. We were just back there doing what we could do and I was trying to help a friend of mine and I just overdid it."

"It was my fault. I was really trying hard to help push Elliott (Sadler) and I got into him too soon. It was my mistake, and I apologize and take all the blame for all of the cars that got wrecked."

Kevin Harvick, No. 29 Shell Monte Carlo, Finished 5th

"It was a lot of fun. It was eventful at times, but that's what this race is all about. Our Shell / Pennzoil Chevrolet was pretty good. It drove really good and handled really well and I wasn't really not very excited about coming into the race speed-wise, but man, it came alive in the race and I'm looking forward to the 500."

Kyle Busch, No. 5 Kellogg's Chevrolet, Finished 7th:

"It's just a tough break for the Carquest / Kellogg's Chevrolet. These guys gave me an awesome car. It's definitely fun out there. I had a blast racing with these guys. Stewart was the man there for a while pushing me and helping me and keeping me up there. I guess he got tired of reading Carquest or something and decided to get me out of the way. But that's racing. We'll take our lumps with that and go on into the 150's and the 500."

Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet, Finished 4th:

ON HOW AGGRESSIVE EVERYONE WAS IN THE FIRST SECTION:

"The reason everyone was so aggressive early was because it seemed like it took about 10 laps to get any position then as soon as the tires built up some temp in them, it was like the front tires were on ice. Frustrating, but a couple of guys got it right in clean air which is why it was so aggressive early and then got kind of boring. We got some good ideas on what to do in the 500. We changed this car up a ton and it still barely made a difference. We have a new package to work with this tire this coming week."

Mark Martin, NO. 01 U.S. Army Chevrolet, Finished 6th

"I am just thrilled to be with this U.S. Army Team. I love working with these guys and to run good is a bonus. The car was so fast through the corners. We didn't have a ton of help out there, but if they can make our primary car run that good on Sunday we can be a contender in the 500. We almost had a big wreck with Boris (Said) there at the end with five to go and we went to the back and I thought that was it, but we could just roll through the corners so well that we just started passing cars without much help."

Kurt Busch, No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge

COMMENTS ON HIS PERFORMANCE IN THE BUD SHOOTOUT

"We had a good car, just running the gold car for Miller Lite in the shootout to commemorate their victories in the World Beer Cup. That was a lot of fun. I keep building my restrictor plate resume and my feel out there with the other drivers and the team is doing the same thing. I feel like we get closer each time. I don't know what I need right now to beat the No. 20 and the No. 5, but we're very, very close and this Dodge was superior tonight."

DID YOU GET ANY BUMPS AND SCRAPES OUT THERE, AND IS THAT JUST THE NATURE OF THE BUD SHOOTOUT?

"It was just a great Saturday night shootout, and that is part of the whole deal. Double file restarts, I think the fans love that. We had a great time running out front when we did, and I feel like we are getting closer and getting in position to drive the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge into victory lane."

COMMENTS ON TONY STEWART'S MOVE ON KYLE BUSCH

"I was shuffled at that point, I think I was about ninth or 10th, but I knew exactly what happened. It's just a matter of Tony waiting for the right opportunity. He did have a good car tonight, as well as my little brother, and the two were the two strongest cars. The No. 38 showed up late, but he did talk about the problems that he did have earlier, and then there were just a bunch of cars that were top five cars, just a matter of filtering through. So for us we were able to come up there at the end, but Tony is going to come up there at the end and do what he needed to do to win, and if Kyle was in the same position I think he would have done the same thing. Nothing really got started there, except a guy wanting to win the shootout."

David Gilliland, driver of the No. 38 M&M's Ford, Finished 2nd

"It's awesome. I'm really proud to bring the M&M's Ford Fusion home to a second-place finish. We needed this. Like I said, it's all about momentum and getting this thing started. I can't thank Todd Parrott and all the guys enough. We had a real good race car at first and then I got into someone and knocked the right-front fender in and, boy, that changed everything. The boys came in and fixed it and after that last pit stop they said it was go time and we were able to go. Man, it's a dream come true. My first race here at Daytona. It's something I've dreamed of doing my whole life and to come out here and bring home a second-place finish for all the folks at M&M's and Robert Yates Racing, this is just a tribute to all the hard work they did over the winter."

CAN YOU PUT THIS INTO WORDS?

"No, it's just a lot of excitement. I'm just very proud to bring home the M&M's Ford Fusion with a great finish. The main thing is to try and get this thing started off with a little momentum and I really, really feel like we have a great chance coming in here. Todd Parrott and all the guys in the shop worked their tails off all winter. I think the two tests and coming out like this shows how very hard they've worked. Robert Yates Racing is back and I'm just proud to be a part of it."

CAN YOU SUM THIS UP?

"I've always dreamed about racing here at Daytona and to be able to come and do it - my first race ever and bring home a second-place finish is a dream come true. Like I said, I'm just real proud of all the guys at the shop and real proud of myself to be able to bring home the M&M's Ford Fusion to a good finish. I'm just proud to be part of this organization and Robert Yates Racing. When I came here in the middle of the year last year people were kind of doubting the team and I think everybody is gonna be surprised this year. I think everybody has worked really hard and with Mars stepping up with Snickers and sponsoring our team car, the teams are working closer than ever. I'm just really proud of all the guys and it's a pleasure to be a part of it."

WHAT CAN HELP YOU FOR NEXT WEEK?

"This was my first race here and I learned so much about where to be and where not to be and how hard to go at the beginning and what happens at the end of a run. That experience that I just got you can't buy. I'm very, very thankful that we were able to get the pole at Talladega. Todd Parrott, this was all part of his plan. He's a champion and I'm just proud to be a part of it."

COULD YOU HAVE MADE ANY KIND OF MOVE ON TONY AT THE END?

"With me being a rookie, it's kind of hard to get people to work with me. Throughout the night I tried different moves and kind of got left out to dry. Unless the opportunity came and it was just a perfect opportunity, I was gonna ride and bring home a good, solid finish."

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