DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Picking a favorite at Daytona used to be easy: Just look for the DEI logo.

Not anymore.

Sure, defending Daytona 500 champion Dale Earnhardt Jr. and two-time winner Michael Waltrip figure to run up front in Thursday's 150-mile qualifying races, which set most of the field for Sunday's big race.

But the list of potential contenders runs much longer than Dale Earnhardt Inc., the restrictor plate-savvy team that has dominated the 2½-mile, high-banked oval for several years.

Dale Jarrett already has clinched a spot on the pole. Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and the rest of the Hendrick Motorsports drivers are running strong. And, in Wednesday's final practice, Jeremy Mayfield turned in the fastest speed.

"It was a matter of time before somebody found out what DEI was doing," Tony Stewart said. "Whether Hendrick has found it or not or if they found something else, they're pretty stout right now."

Waltrip won his first 500 in 2001, the same day Earnhardt's father and DEI's namesake - a seven-time NASCAR Cup champion - was involved in a fatal crash on the final turn.

Two years later, Waltrip won again in a rain-shortened 500. Then it was Junior's turn in Victory Lane, giving DEI its third victory in four years.

Adding to their domination, either Waltrip or Earnhardt has won a qualifying race each of the last three years. Clearly, DEI knows how to run fast with the horsepower-sapping plates that NASCAR mandates at its two fastest tracks, Daytona and Talladega.

Apparently, some of those lessons have rubbed off on their competitors.

"There are more guys that have a shot this year than in recent years," Stewart said.

The top two spots in the 43-car field were determined in qualifying last weekend. Jarrett, a three-time 500 winner, posted the fastest speed, with Johnson claiming the outside of the front row.

The rest of the starting order will be determined by the two 150-mile qualifying races, though the top 35 teams from 2004 are guaranteed spots in Sunday's race. Four more drivers also got in through their qualifying speeds last weekend.

On Thursday, there will be 18 drivers vying for the last four spots - two from each race.

For part-time racers such as Stanton Barrett, it won't be easy to squeeze in.

"We have a good sponsor, but the funding of other teams is so significant," he said. "It should be fun. It's going to be good experience, even if I don't make the race."

Hermie Sadler, older brother of Cup star Elliott Sadler, hopes to get in, too.

"There are going to be eight or nine cars in our race going for two spots," the elder Sadler said. "That's the reality of it, so we've got to be really, really smart about getting where we need to get as far as track position. We need to get in front of the cars we're racing against."

NASCAR has thrown another obstacle into the mix this year, adding 10 laps and 25 miles to each of the qualifying races. With smaller gas tanks already forcing everyone to make a pit stop at the shorter distance, the extended race could mean two pit stop strategies for some teams.

"We'll probably give the race 15 to 20 laps to settle out," Sadler said. "We might have to take some chances, especially with that last pit stop. It's unlikely we're going to drive by everybody with where we're starting."

Ricky Rudd expects some hard racing Thursday, but probably not a whole lot of crazy moves - at least not from the drivers already in the big race.

"Now, the guys that are not in field, you'll see anything and everything from them," Rudd said. "If they've got to make an aggressive move to make the cut, they'll do it."

Kyle Petty wishes NASCAR had gotten rid of the qualifying races altogether, rather than add another 10 laps.

"I don't see a need for the 125s," Petty said, referring to the former distance. "These guys qualified. They work all winter long. They get their cars ready. They come down here and qualify and it should be like any other race."

Stewart is downright ambivalent about the whole thing.

"I don't even understand how it works," he said. "To be honest, I don't really care. I know I'm in."

Earnhardt and Waltrip are in, too. And, despite dismal qualifying runs and some disappointing practice speeds, it's too soon to count out DEI.

"From what I've seen of the 8 car (Earnhardt) and from I've seen of the 15 car (Waltrip), they seem like the strongest cars," Gordon said. "But I don't think that we can't beat them."