DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Capsules of the 43 drivers competing in NASCAR's season-opening Daytona 500 (car number in parenthesis):

1. (88) Dale Jarrett, Ford

, three-time Daytona 500 winner and three-time pole winner ... Won from the pole here in 2000 ... Making 17th Daytona 500 start ... Finished 15th in 2004 points with no wins ... Has 31 career wins and is a former series champion ... Drives for Robert Yates Racing.

2. (48) Jimmie Johnson,Chevrolet.Third-place finish in 2003 best in three tries in Daytona 500 ... Started from pole as a rookie in 2002 ... Second in points in 2004 with series-best eight wins, missing championship by eight points ... Won four times in five-race stretch in Chase for the Championship ... Drives for Hendrick Motorsports.<br></br>

3. (15) Michael Waltrip, Chevrolet.Two victories in the last four Daytona 500s ... Won first of Thursday's 150-mile qualifying races driving for powerful Dale Earnhardt Inc. team ... Making 19th start in the 500 ... 20th in points last year with no wins ... Always has high expectations driving for DEI, especially at Daytona and Talladega ... Finished in top five only twice. ... Could be make-or-break year with Tony Eury Jr. crew chief this season.<br></br>

4. (20) Tony Stewart, Chevrolet.Runner-up to Dale Earnhardt Jr. last year, his sixth start at Daytona ... Won second 150-mile qualifying race Thursday ... Sixth in 2004 points with two wins ... 2002 series champion had outstanding season, but not championship caliber ... Was in the Chase, but accident in first playoff race eliminated any chance at second title ... Drives for Joe Gibbs Racing.<br></br>

5. (8) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet.NASCA start ... Now full time in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series ... Drafted by Bill Davis Racing to drive the 500 ... Made the race on speed in time trials, then third in qualifying race.<br></br>8. (37) Kevin Lepage,Dodge.Raced his way into his fifth Daytona start with third in 150-mile qualifying race ... Best 500 finish 13th in 1999 ... Ran 17 races for three different teams in 2004 and failed to finish in 10 of them.9. (12) Ryan Newman,Dodge.Best finish in three Daytonas was seventh as rookie in 2002. 43rd and 31st after that ... Seventh in points in 2004 with two wins and nine poles, but failed to finish nine events and had three runs of 30th or worse in the Chase ... Drives for Penske Racing South.10. (1) Martin Truex Jr.,Chevrolet,making first Daytona 500 start ... Reigning Busch Series champion and will return to that series in 2005, as well as driving up to seven Cup races for Dale Earnhardt Inc. ... Made a couple of spot Cup starts for DEI and replaced the injured Dale Earnhardt Jr. at New Hampshire while Earnhardt was recovering from burns.11. (21) Ricky Rudd,Ford.27 starts, 10 Top 10s at Daytona, third in 1981, but last top five was fourth in 2001 ... 24th in points last year with no wins ... 32nd in points six races into the season and things didn't get any better until he reunited with crew chief Fatback McSwain in August ... Top 20 in each of the final nine events ... Drives for Wood Brothers Racing.12. (10) Scott Riggs,Chevrolet.Started 36th and finished 34th last year in first Daytona ... 29th in points with no wins as rookie in 2004 ... Best finish was fifth in June ... Drives for MB2/MBV Motorsports.13. (97) Kurt Busch, Ford,defending Nextel Cup champion. Best finishes in four Daytonas second and fourth ... Three wins, one pole, 10 top fives and 21 top 10s last season ... Seventh of 10 drivers to qualify for the Chase, then moved into favorite mode by winning the first playoff race ... Gave car owner Jack Roush his second consecutive Cup title.14. (17) Matt Kenseth, Ford,ninth last year was best in five Daytonas ... 2003 series champion finished eighth in points with two wins in 2004, in consecutive races following the 500 ... Drives for Roush Racing.15. (24) Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet,four-time series champion and two-time Daytona 500 winner in 12 tries ... Last 500 win in 1999. ... Third in 2004 points with five wins, finishing just 16 points behind champion Kurt Busch and eight behind Hendrick Motorsports temmate Jimmie Johnson. ... Among favorites for title in 2005.16. (22) Scott Wimmer, Dodge.Third in last year's Daytona 500, his first ... 27th in points with no wins ... In final year of contract with Bill Davis Racing.17. (42) Jamie McMurray, Dodge.31st and 36th in two Daytonas ... Just missed the Chase and finished 11th in points last year ... Didn't win a race, but eight Top 10s in final 10 ... Drives for Chip Ganassi Racing.18. (40) Sterling Marlin, Dodge.Two-time Daytona 500 winner making 24th start ... Daytona victories came in 1994 and 1995 ... Best finish since is fifth in 1997. ... 21st in points last season with no wins ... Hasn't been able to regain form that saw him contending for the 2002 championship before a serious neck injury ... Drives for Chip Ganassi Racing.19. (5) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet,19-year-old brother of defending Nextel Cup champion Kurt Busch ... Making first Daytona 500 start ... Gained valuable seat time driving the championship-winning Hendrick Motorsports entry in the Busch Series, finishing second in points with five wins. ... Six Cup starts in 2004. ... Takes over No. 5 from veteran Terry Labonte with new crew chief Alan Gustafson.20. (18) Bobby Labonte, Chevrolet.Two top 10 finishes in 12 Daytona 500, including second in 1998 ... Former series champion coming off disappointing season, finishing 12th in points with no wins ... Drives for Joe Gibbs Racing.21. (00) Kenny Wallace, Chevrolet,drove his way into ninth Daytona 500 start with no room to spare, passing Kerry Earnhardt in final yards for 10th-place finish in 150-mile qualifying race ... Driving for Michael Waltrip after missing last year's 500 ... Best finish 16th in 2003 race ... Younger brother of Cup star Rusty Wallace.22. (32) Bobby Hamilton Jr., Chevrolet.Started 28th and finished 42nd last year in first Daytona 500 ... Had a falling-out with Busch Series team at midseason and turned his attention to Nextel Cup, taking over PPI Motorsports seat from Ricky Craven ... Son of Craftsman Truck Series champion Bobby Hamilton ... Has started 17 Cup events, with a best finish of 11th.23. (16) Greg Biffle, Ford.Started from pole and finished 12th last year in second Daytona 500 ... 17th in points and only full-time Roush Racing driver not to make the Chase for the Championship in 2004 ... Had two wins, including season finale at Homestead ... Also ran the full Busch Series schedule, winning five times and finishing third in points.24. (19) Jeremy Mayfield, Dodge.Four top 10 finishes in 11 Daytona 500s, including third in 1998 ... 10th in points last year after barely making 10-man, 10-race playoff ... Drives for Evernham Motorsports.25. (77) Travis Kvapil, Dodge,making first Daytona 500 ... Ran three Cup races last season ... Regular in the Craftsman Truck Series, eighth in points with two wins ... Gave Toyota its first truck victory at Michigan ... Takes over Penske Racing South for Brendan Gaughan, who was released after last season.26. (43) Jeff Green, Dodge,making fourth Daytona 500 start with best finish of 19th in 2002 ... Started from pole in 2003 but finished 39th ... Drives for Petty Enterprises and was 30th in points with no wins last season ... Petty team will run Ray Evernham-built engines this season in bid for more horsepower.27. (99) Carl Edwards, Ford,in first Daytona 500 ... Heir apparent to Mark Martin's ride at Roush Racing, but was bumped up when Jeff Burton left for Richard Childress Racing late last season ... Spent most of 2004 in the Craftsman Truck Series, where he finished fourth in points with three wins. ... Had 13 Cup starts, five top 10s. ... Not eligible for rookie of the year because he ran too many races last season.28. (25) Brian Vickers, Chevrolet.Started 35th and finished 39th last year in Daytona debut ... After winning Busch Series championship in 2003, was 25th in points with no wins last year in a rocky rookie season in Cup. ... Lost car owner and best friend Ricky Hendrick in October plane crash ... Drives for Hendrick Motorsports.29. (41) Casey Mears, Dodge.27th and 14th in two Daytonas ... Most improved Cup driver last season ... 22nd in points, and won two poles, including one at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where his uncle, Rick, won four Indy 500s ... Moved up 13 spots in points from 2003 to 2004 ... Drives for Chip Ganassi Racing.30. (29) Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet,making fourth Daytona 500 start ... Fourth last two years ... Replacement for the late Dale Earnhardt at Richard Childress Racing finished disappointing 14th in points and failed to win in 2004.31. (49) Ken Schrader, Dodge.Ten Top 10 Daytonas, including second in 1989. 42nd and 40th in last two ... 31st in points last year with no wins ... Lone Top 10 came in the season's sixth race at Bristol, where he finished sixth. No higher than 16th after that ... Races in dirt late models and sprint cars whenever he has free time ... Drives for BAM Racing.32. (6) Mark Martin, Ford,starting final full season in Nextel Cup ... Seven top 10s in 20 Daytona 500s, including best of third in 1995 ... Started eighth but finished 43rd last year ... Sentimental favorite to win points championship after four second-place finishes .. Was fourth in points last year with one victory ... Drives for Roush Racing.33. (45) Kyle Petty, Dodge.Only two top 10s in 23 Daytonas, including sixth in 1992 and seventh in 1999 ... 33rd in points with no wins and no Top 10s ... Leader of Petty Enterprises.34. (01) Joe Nemechek, Chevrolet.Sixth last year was first top 10 in 10 Daytona ... 19th in points last season with one win ... Landed in the No. 01 Chevrolet after Jerry Nadeau was seriously injured in a wreck ... Won back-to-back poles late in the season ... Top 10 in six of the final 10 races ... Drives for MB2/MBV Motorsports.35. (0) Mike Bliss, Chevrolet,making first Daytona 500 start ... Regular in the Busch Series last season, winning once and finishing fifth in points ... Replaced Ward Burton near the end of the season at Haas CNC Racing ... Had two top-10 finishes in four starts.36. (2) Rusty Wallace, Dodge.Trying for his first Daytona 500 win in 23rd and likely last try ... Eight Top 10s, including third in 2001 ... 16th in points last year and ended 105-race winless streak with victory in spring Martinsville race ... 1989 series champion ninth on all-time win list with 55 ... Drives for and part owner of Penske Racing South.37. (9) Kasey Kahne, Dodge,2004's top rookie ... Started 27th and finished 41st last year in first Daytona 500 ... 13th in points with no wins, but came close with five seconds ... Barely missed qualifying for the Chase ... Drives for Evernham Motorsports.38. (07) Dave Blaney, Chevrolet,making sixth Daytona start ... Best finish 15th last year ... Joining teammates Jeff Burton and Kevin Harvick at Richard Childress Racing ... Driving first car to carry hard-liquor full-time sponsorship since NASCAR lifted a self-imposed spirits ban in November.39. (38) Elliott Sadler, Ford,one of up and coming stars of NASCAR ... Two top 10s in six Daytonas, second in 2002 and seventh last year ... Breakout 2004, ninth in points, wins at Texas and California ... Never dropped lower than 10th in points all season and only one DNF ... Teammate of Dale Jarrett at Robert Yates Racing.40. (11) Jason Leffler, Chevrolet.Started 15th and finished 34th in 2001, only previous Daytona ... Returning to Cup in a third Joe Gibbs Racing entry, joining teammates Bobby Labonte and Tony Stewart ... Ran 27 of the 34 Busch Series races, finishing 12th in points with one victory.41. (36) Boris Said, Chevrolet,road racing specialist in first Daytona ... Joined new MB2/MBSutton Motorsports and plans to run 10 to 12 races in 2005 ... Ran three Cup races last season.42. (14) John Andretti, Ford.Back in full-time ride after making just nine starts in 2004 ... Joined ppc Racing at end of last season ... Best finish in 11 Daytona 500 starts is 13th in 2004 ... Nephew of retired Daytona 500 and Indianapolis 500 winner Mario Andretti.43. (4) Mike Wallace, Chevrolet,finished 16th in 150-mile qualifier, earning a spot in the race along with brothers Rusty and Kenny. ... Sunday will be his eighth Daytona 500 start and first since 2003. ... Finished sixth in 2001. ... Driving for Morgan-McClure Motorsports. ... Ran 10 Cup races for three teams in 2004, including three for Morgan-McClure.