Montoya out of Bud Shootout if in a Chevy

Juan Montoya may get screwed by switch to Chevy but at least now he will be in a car capable of winning races, unlike his Dodge which he has had to carry

Chip Ganassi Racing’s #42-Juan Pablo Montoya will not be allowed to use one of Dodge’s spots in the 2009 Budweiser Shootout if the new Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing team switches to Chevrolet. According to the new rules, the top six teams from each manufacturer from the previous year qualify for the Shootout. When the new rules were announced in August, NASCAR officials said the issue of teams switching manufacturers in the offseason still needed to be worked out.

While Earnhardt-Ganassi officials say they have not finalized a manufacturer, NASCAR Vice President of Operations Steve O’Donnell said Saturday morning that the teams will use their points from the previous year but their manufacturer of the current year to determine berths in the preseason event that comes eight days prior to the Daytona 500. “It will be the top six Dodges starting for the ’09 season," O’Donnell said. “Juan Pablo would be a Chevrolet. Let’s say Juan Pablo fell in #5 at Chevrolet, then Chevrolet could use him."

Montoya wouldn't fall in the top six in Chevrolet, but what would happen with the final Dodge spot? The #42 Ganassi team is the sixth-ranked Dodge team, while the #41 Ganassi team is seventh. Next in line? Robby Gordon. As long as he remains a Dodge. If not him, then Penske Racing's Sam Hornish would get the spot. “We’ll have six teams with Dodge on the jersey," Dodge Motorsports’ Mike Delahanty said.

If all teams keep their current manufacturers, the Chevrolet drivers in the Budweiser Shootout will be Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Burton, Kevin Harvick, Casey Mears (as driver of the #07 Richard Childress Racing car), Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

The Fords will be Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth, David Ragan, Jamie McMurray and Travis Kvapil.

The Toyotas will be Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Joey Logano (driving the #20 Joe Gibbs Racing car), Brian Vickers, and David Reutimann. Michael Waltrip leads Dave Blaney by 55 points for the final Toyota spot.

The Dodge teams will be Kasey Kahne, David Stremme (in the #12 Penske Racing car), Kurt Busch, Bobby Labonte, Elliott Sadler and then Montoya if he remains a Dodge. SceneDaily