(CCA) Even the Ford Hot Shots competition is becoming part of the Kevin Martin-Glenn Howard rivalry.

A year ago, Howard won the lease on the Ford gas buggies. Now Martin, the Olympic gold-medal-winning skip, is honing his shooting skills and taking a run at the pre-Brier points competition.

Martin scored 27 of a possible 30 points during the preliminary firing at the John Labatt Centre on Friday. And, lo and behold, standing right beside him in the points standing was Ontario third Richard Hart, another 27-pointer.

Howard? He failed to qualify for today’s final eight, which commences at 12:30 p.m. ET today.

The pre-event shotmaking competition requires curlers to execute six shots: Hit-and-stay, draw-the-button, draw-theport, raise, hit-and-roll and double-takeout.  Each shot is awarded points on a scale from 0-5, rating the success of each.

All 48 Brier starters began the competition, whittling the field to eight for today’s action.

http://www.curling.ca/2011/03/05/eight-remain-in-hot-shots-hunt/