STATESVILLE, N.C. -- When the sparks start flying in NASCAR's season-opening Budweiser Shootout, John Andretti will be in the middle of the action for Front Row Motorsports with Yates Racing. The racing veteran will drive the No. 34 Window World Cares Ford Fusion in Saturday's winner-take-all exhibition.

Front Row announced this week that Andretti will drive the team's No. 34 Ford Fusion in the Feb. 14 Daytona 500. His 1997 win at the Coke Zero 400 makes him eligible to also run the Shootout.

"It's just fun to be in it," Andretti said of the exhibition race. "You hate for any race to go on and not be in it. So if you're going to be there, you should be in it, having fun and not watching other people have fun. And the Budweiser Shootout is definitely a fun race. It's the first race of the NASCAR season and leads up to the 'Great American Race.' It's a good warm-up for the drivers, for the team and for the pit crew.

"And, you know, there's always bragging rights on the line. Like they say, finishing second in the Bud Shootout is not a good point's day - because there are no points. There's only one spot to finish in, and everybody drives it that way. It obviously creates a lot of excitement. I don't have a lot of hair, but it's a time to let your hair down and have fun. There's very little to lose and a lot to gain."

After driving a full schedule last year between Front Row Motorsports and an Indianapolis 500 entry for Richard Petty Motorsports, Andretti is looking forward to a part-time schedule in 2010.

"I'm more relaxed because I can go to Daytona and not be looking at California and everything that's coming up next," Andretti said. "I'm not thinking about anything but Daytona."

The Budweiser Shootout gets under way on Saturday at 8 p.m. (ET) on FOX.