Earnhardt wins Budweiser Shootout

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Feb. 9 (UPI) -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. won Saturday night's 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup debut event, the Budweiser Shootout, at Daytona Beach, Fla.

Earnhardt, now driving for Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet driver, edged runner-up Tony Stewart by 0.137 seconds. He led 47 of 70 laps, the most ever, while winning the race for the second time.

Following a practice accident between pole sitter Kurt Busch and Stewart, which forced Busch into his backup car, Michael Waltrip took over the pole position for the start of the race.

David Gilliland and Mark Martin took turns leading the race over the early laps before Earnhardt took over.

At the end of the first 20 laps, Earnhardt was leading Dave Blaney and Reed Sorenson. After the 20-lap mark, a 10-minute break gave the teams a chance to adjust their cars and set up for the final 50-lap run.