Bud Shootout 2012: Kyle Busch's Exhibition Win a Perfect Intro to NASCAR Season

The 2012 Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway may have only been an exhibition without any implications on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series point standings whatsoever, but don't tell that to the 25 drivers who partook in the race.

Or to the fans who saw Kyle Busch cross the finish line first at the 75-lap sprint.

Or to the mechanics and crews that have to do the repairs on the 21 cars that sustained damage from the race, including Busch's.

In fact, the Bud Shootout had just about everything that motor sports fans, casual and diehard alike, could hope for—cagey competition amongst the drivers, multiple pileups and collisions and (best of all) a thrilling finish that saw Busch edge Tony Stewart by mere inches across the finish line after two overtime laps.

And all of that in well under half the time it'll take these same drivers to complete the Daytona 500 this coming Sunday, albeit in different cars.

So, if the Bud Shootout were indeed a preview of the "Great American Race" then what can we expect when the engines get to revving at Daytona this coming weekend?

Well, plenty of exciting and heated competition for one, along with some chippy driving (collisions and damage included) and a photo finish.

That certainly wouldn't be a bad way for NASCAR to kick off the 2012 season. If nothing else, it'd be a fitting follow-up to what was one of the sport's most intriguing campaigns ever just last year.

Follow @J0shMart1n