The 2008 NASCAR season truly gets under way this weekend as the teams make the trek back to Daytona for the Budweiser Shootout and qualifying for the 50th running of the Daytona 500.

Saturday night, the fastest qualifiers from 2007 will battle for money and glory in the 29th running of the Budweiser Shootout.

This non-points paying all-star race is always a great way to start the season off on the right foot. Past winners include Buddy Baker, Dale Earnhardt, Ken Schrader, Jeff Gordon, and last year’s winner Tony Stewart. In 2006, rookie Denny Hamlin surprised the field when he piloted his Joe Gibbs Racing No.11 Fed-Ex Chevy to the front and won the season opening event, the only rookie to do so.

The race is broken up into two segments; a 20-lap segment, followed by a ten minute break in the action, then concluded with a 50-lap dash to the checkered flag. The field will have to make one stop for fuel as a result of the 13.5 gallon fuel cell.

Coverage of this event begins Thursday with the always entertaining Bud Shootout Selection Show at 8 pm. Drivers will draw for starting positions, and no word on what Budweiser has in store for the drivers this year. Practice for the event will be televised on Friday at 4 pm on SPEED.

The Budweiser Shootout can be seen following the ARCA 200 – which is televised on SPEED – Saturday night at 8 pm on FOX.

The real race starts Sunday, when teams will make their qualifying runs for the Daytona 500. Perhaps one of the most confusing qualifying formats in all of motorsports, teams will make two laps around the 2.5 mile track. Only the top two qualifiers will be locked in position for the 500. The rest of the field will be set after the Gatorade Duels, which are run on Thursday, February 14th.

Qualifying day at Daytona is always tense and can often lead to surprises, good for some and not so good for others. Last year, Robert Yates Racing swept the front row with David Gilliland and Ricky Rudd taking the top two spots. Qualifying will begin at 1 pm, Sunday, February 10th, and can be seen live on FOX. Testing is over and it’s time to head back to the beach.