The eight starting positions for the $100,000 Budweiser Shootout will be finalized Oct. 26 during the Budweiser Shootout Draw Party at “The Joint,” a multi-purpose entertainment venue inside the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. NHRA announced today the 15 Top Fuel drivers who will participate in the Budweiser Shootout Draw Party, which starts at 7 p.m. (PT) and will be hosted by NHRA announcer Bob Frey and Budweiser personality Katie Daryl.

During the Budweiser Shootout Draw Party, first round pairings for the Shootout will be determined during a series of random drawings. Top qualifier Tony Schumacher, who earned the event’s only automatic starting position by claiming 13 No. 1 qualifying positions during the Shootout season, will face the driver who wins the wild card spot for the No. 8 position in the first round of the Budweiser Shootout.

Six other drivers have been guaranteed a starting spot for the Budweiser Shootout via their final qualifying position during the season series – Brandon Bernstein, “Hot Rod” Fuller, Doug Kalitta, Melanie Troxel, Dave Grubnic and Larry Dixon. As these drivers are introduced during the Draw Party, they will participate in a random drawing to determine their final starting spot from one of the available remaining positions (Nos. 2-7).

Eight drivers are hoping to earn a chance at the $100,000 victory via an open wild card position, which will place that winner into the Budweiser Shootout in the No. 8 starting spot. Cory McClenathan, Morgan Lucas, Hillary Will, David Baca, Doug Herbert, Bob Vandergriff Jr., J.R. Todd, and Clay Millican are the hopefuls in contention for the wild card drawing for the No. 8 starting position. The 22nd annual Budweiser Shootout will be held on Saturday, Oct. 28 during the sixth annual ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, with rounds scheduled for 12:30 p.m., 3:15 p.m. and 5 p.m.