DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Kurt Busch won the exhibition Budweiser Shootout on Saturday night when Denny Hamlin was disqualified for going below the out-of-bounds line at Daytona International Speedway.
The first NASCAR race on Daytona's new pavement created sizzling fast speeds – cars went over 206 mph at one point in the race – and created packs of two cars all around the oval.
That made a four-car breakaway in the final few laps, with Ryan Newman leading Hamlin around the oval with Busch and Daytona 500 winner Jamie McMurray trailing close behind. Nobody else could catch the four cars, which stayed in line in preparation for the frenzied finish.
Newman, as the leader, said he knew he was "a sitting duck" as he waited for Hamlin's attempted pass. It came as they closed in on the checkered flag, when Hamlin dove low and eventually under the yellow line that circles the bottom of the track.
Busch then skirted around Newman at the top of the track, pulling McMurray with him.
Hamlin actually crossed the finish line first, but was black-flagged and fell to 12th in the final standings.
Busch became the first Dodge driver to win the unofficial start of the season, while McMurray was awarded second and Newman settled for third.
Hamlin understood NASCAR's ruling.
"That yellow line's there to protect us and the fans in the stands' safety. I just chose to take the safer route," he said. "Winning a Shootout's not worth sending (Newman) through the grandstands, and for me, as fast as what we're running, if I get into his left rear, that car will go airborne.
"It's a tough position. I probably should have gone high to avoid that whole thing."