Petty cars in Shootout?

May be...

I've been wondering about that myself. It must have something to do with the changes in how the Bud Shootout drivers are chosen. He still refuses to allow the Budweiser logos on his cars. At one time, I believe that was a requirement to be in the Shootout (or Busch Clash).

"Also, according to ESPN, Petty insisted that the 43 and 44 cars would not carry a logo for Budweiser, one of the GEM sponsors, in keeping with the Petty tradition of not being associated with alcoholic-beverage sponsors."

I believe it is because he don't run the team anymore. He only retains a minority share, so he has no say in it.

Petty has never run Budweiser decals on his car AND still don't due to his convictions. That's why he never ran in the shootout even when his cars won poles... .Hamlton, Andretti, etc. He always declined.

This year....Coors Light sponsors the pole award so thus the Bud Shootout will not contain Coors Light pole winners. For this year Bud wanted the top 6 cars from each mfg....regardless. #43 AND #44 qualify because they were both in the top 6 for Dodge. The decals ran in 2008 are no longer an issue under the new rules thus the reason of why they are in the Shootout.

The reason why Petty accepted this year...is because Budweiser didn't force him to run their decals in their new agreement with GEM.
Petty has always said he would love to run his car in the Shootouts BUT he didn't want to run Bud or any other beer decals on his car.
That's why and the only why they are in the race. If they made every car in the field have Bud decals....then the #43 and #44 would be pulled out by Richard.

Just an opinion as always.

I believe it had to do with Points, points that where bought or transferred somewhere at sometime!


All the points changes mess a lot of stuff up if you ask me!

How come Richard Petty allowed the 43 and 44 to be in the Bud Shootout this year when he wouldn't in years past?

Because "The King" sold his name..

I think it is because it is now a manufacturer deal. You don't want to represent your manufacturer, then we'll see what your manufacturer does for you, type of thing. If no cars (Dodges) from RPM entered the race, they wouldn't have enough Dodges to fill up the 7 spots.over the raibow