Daytona Beach,FL (Sports Network) - Race fans will now play a bigger role in determining the format for Saturday night's preseason, non-points race at Daytona International Speedway.
Officials from DIS announced on Tuesday that fans will select the starting lineup for The Sprint Unlimited at Daytona. Their three options in determining the order that the drivers will lineup for the scheduled 75-lap race include: number of career wins for each driver (most to least), 2012 Sprint Cup Series final driver point standings or the order when drivers earned their pole position last season (Daytona 500 first place - season-ending race at Homestead-Miami Speedway last place).
Voting for the starting order will take place on the day of the race from 9:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. ET. Fans who are on-site at DIS can take part in the voting, and they can cast their vote through a digital app at one of four Daytona Rewards Stations on the speedway's property or through texting.
On Monday, NASCAR released the preliminary entry list for the race, with 19 of the 22 drivers who are eligible posted on the list. Those eligible include the pole winners during last year's Sprint Cup season or past champions of the Daytona preseason event. A.J. Allmendinger, Bill Elliott and Terry Labonte have eligibility but are not entered.
Last month, officials from NASCAR and Sprint revealed that a fan vote would determine the race format for The Sprint Unlimited -- formerly known as the Budweiser Shootout. Fans can vote on the number of laps in each of the three segments, the type of pit stop a team makes after the first segment and how many cars will be eliminated after the second round.
In addition, fans can vote on the design of the firesuit to be worn by Miss Sprint Cup in Daytona's Victory Lane.
All fans can vote on NASCAR's new mobile app, NASCAR Mobile '13, or at NASCAR.com/SprintUnlimited. The voting window for the race will close on Feb. 13 at 11:59 p.m. ET.
