| Row 1 |
Dale Jarrett (88), Ford Age: 43. Hometown: Hickory, N.C. Notes: Defending Winston Cup champion won Daytona 500 in 1993 and 1996. Making 12th start. Son of two-time series champion Ned Jarrett has 22 career victories, including four in 1999. In sixth year with Robert Yates Racing. |
Ricky Rudd (28), Ford Age: 43. Hometown: Chesapeake, Va. Notes: Four top-five and nine top-10 finishes in 22 Daytona 500 starts. Best finish was third in 1981. 20 career victories, including modern NASCAR record of at least one in 16 straight seasons, a streak that ended last year. Rookie of the Year in 1977. |
| Row 2 |
Bill Elliott (94), Ford Age: 44. Hometown: Dawsonville, Ga. Notes: The 1988 Winston Cup champion won the Daytona 500 in 1985 and 1987, has three poles for the race and 12 top-10 finishes in 21 starts. Has 40 career victories -- but none since 1994 -- and 49 poles. Sixth season as owner-driver. |
Mike Skinner (31), Chevrolet Age: 42. Hometown: Susanville, Calif. Notes: Became just third rookie in history to win Daytona 500 pole, in 1997, and finished 12th. Wound up fourth last year in third start in race. Was 1997 Winston Cup Rookie of Year. Seeking first career victory in 111th start for Richard Childress Racing. |
| Row 3 |
Rusty Wallace (2), Ford Age: 43. Hometown: St. Louis. Notes: Has six top-10 finishes in 17 Daytona 500s, including career-best fifth in 1998. Has 49 career victories. Was Rookie of Year in 1984 and series champion in 1989. In ninth season driving for Roger Penske. |
Ward Burton (22), Pontiac Age: 38. Hometown: South Boston, Va. Notes: Making seventh Daytona 500 start with best finish of eighth in 1997. Has one career victory -- five seasons ago -- in 180 career starts. Finished second to younger brother Jeff in 1994 Rookie of Year competition. |
| Row 4 |
Tony Stewart (20), Pontiac Age: 28. Hometown: Rushville, Ind. Notes: Won three races and finished fourth in greatest rookie season in Winston Cup history. Was record-setting sprint car driver, then 1997 Indy Racing League champion. Started second, finished 28th in Daytona 500. |
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (8), Chevrolet Age: 25. Hometown: Kannapolis, N.C. Notes: Two-time Busch series champion moving up this year to full-time Winston Cup ride in car owned by his father. Won 13 times in Busch over last two seasons. Made five starts last year in NASCAR's top series with best finish of eighth. |
| Row 5 |
Mark Martin (6), Ford Age: 41. Hometown: Batesville, Ark. Notes: In 16th Daytona 500, with best finish of third in 1995. Won twice last year and career-best seven victories in 1998. Has finished in top 10 in points 11 years in a row. Has 31 career victories. In 13th year with Roush Racing. |
Michael Waltrip (7), Chevrolet Age: 36. Hometown: Owensboro, Ky. Notes: Has five top-10 finishes in 13 Daytona 500s. Winless in 428 career starts, with a second in 1988 his best finish. In second season with Mattei Motorsports after spending previous three with Wood Brothers. |
| Row 6 |
Jeff Gordon (24), Chevrolet Age: 28. Hometown: Pittsboro, Ind. Notes: Two-time and defending Daytona 500 champion has three Winston Cup titles. Making seventh start in Daytona 500. Only driver in NASCAR history to lead circuit in victories five years in a row 1995-99. Has 49 career wins for Hendrick Motorsports. |
Derrike Cope (15), Ford Age: 41. Hometown: Spanaway, Wash. Notes: Won 1990 Daytona 500 in one of the biggest upsets in stock-car racing history -- one of two victories that season, only ones of career. Making 12th start in race. Winless in last 269 starts. In first season driving for Bud Moore. |
| Row 7 |
Bobby Labonte (18), Pontiac Age: 35. Hometown: Corpus Christi, Texas. Notes: Making eighth Daytona 500 start. Best finish second from pole in 1998. Had best year of career in 1999 with five victories and second-place finish in points. Has 12 career victories. In sixth year with Joe Gibbs Racing. |
Jeff Burton (99), Ford Age: 32. Hometown: South Boston, Va. Notes: Making seventh Daytona 500 start, with best finish of fifth in 1996. Rookie of the Year in 1994, won career-best six times last year to increase Winston Cup total to 11 victories. In fifth season driving for Roush Racing. |
| Row 8 |
Scott Pruett (32), Ford Age: 39. Hometown: Sacramento Calif. Notes: Making Winston Cup debut after long career in CART. A former sports car champion, has a victory at Daytona International in the 1991 IROC race. Came to NASCAR when CART car owner Cal Wells III decided to start a stock-car team. |
Joe Nemechek (33), Chevrolet Age: 36. Hometown: Naples, Fla. Notes: Making sixth Daytona 500 start, with average finish of 35th. Former Busch Series champ and Rookie of Year got first Winston Cup victory last year in New Hampshire. In first season with Andy Petree Racing and three with Team Sabco. |
| Row 9 |
Robby Gordon (13), Ford Age: 31. Hometown: Cerritos, Calif. Notes: Making second sojourn into NASCAR, this time as part owner of his car after returning from CART. Led Indianapolis 500 last year until running out of gas with less than two laps left. Making third start in Daytona 500. |
Kenny Irwin (42), Chevrolet Age: 30. Hometown: Indianapolis. Notes: Making third start in Daytona 500, finished stunning third last year. Was Rookie of Year in 1998. Was NASCAR truck series Rookie of Year in 1997. Drives for Team Sabco after two years with Robert Yates Racing. |
| Row 10 | Jeremy Mayfield (12), Ford Age: 30. Hometown: Owensboro, Ky. Notes: Has two top-10 finishes in six Daytona 500s with best of third in 1998. Got only career victory in 1998 Pocono 500 in 125th career start. Starting third full season driving for Michael Kranefuss. |
Jerry Nadeau (25), Chevrolet Age: 29. Hometown: Danbury, Conn. Notes: Finished 11th last year in second Daytona 500 start. Was top rookie in Skip Barber Pro Series after winning eight races in 1991. In first season driving for Hendrick Motorsports after coming over from Melling Racing. |
| Row 11 |
Dale Earnhardt (3), Chevrolet Age: 48. Hometown: Kannapolis, N.C. Notes: Won Daytona 500 in 1998 on 20th try. Career leader in overall victories at Daytona International Speedway with 33. Seven-time Winston Cup champion has 74 career victories, including three last year. Starting 17th year with Richard Childress Racing. |
Jimmy Spencer (26), Ford Age: 43. Hometown: Berwick, Pa. Notes: Finished 11th in 1996 in best run at Daytona 500. Making ninth start in race. Overall, has two career victories -- including the 1994 Pepsi 500 at Daytona -- and one pole in 300 career starts. Drives for Travis Carter and Carl Haas. |
| Row 12 |
Ken Schrader (36), Pontiac Age: 44. Hometown: Fenton, Mo. Notes: Three-time Daytona 500 polesitter has nine top-10 finishes -- including sixth last year -- in 15 starts. Best finish was second in 1989. Has four career victories, but none since 1991. Was 1985 Rookie of the Year. Moved from Andy Petree Racing to MB2 Motorsports. |
Matt Kenseth (17), Ford Age: 27. Hometown: Cambridge, Wis. Notes: Busch series ace makes first start in race and seventh in series. Had a career-best finish of fourth last season. Won seven races over last two seasons in Busch. Drives car co-owned by Mark Martin and Jack Roush. |
| Row 13 |
Terry Labonte (5), Chevrolet Age: 43. Hometown: Corpus Christi, Texas. Notes: Winston Cup champion in 1984 and 1996. Has 11 top-10 finishes in 21 Daytona 500 starts. Won once last year for career total of 21. Holds modern NASCAR longevity record with 636 consecutive starts. In seventh year with Hendrick Motorsports. |
Ed Berrier (90), Ford Age: 38. Hometown: Winston-Salem, N.C. Notes: Making first start in Daytona 500 after 16 years as Busch series driver. Had one in 248 Busch races. Drives for NASCAR pioneer Junie Donlavey, whose only victory as a car owner came in 1981. |
| Row 14 |
Johnny Benson Jr. (10), Pontiac Age: 36. Hometown: Grand Rapids, Mich. Notes: The 1996 Rookie of the Year, after winning the Busch title previous season and American Speed Association championship in 1993. Winless in three previous Daytona 500s and 128 races overall. In first season with T.J. Beverley. |
Rick Mast (41), Chevrolet Age: 42. Hometown: Rockbridge Baths, Va. Notes: Making 10th start in Daytona 500, with best finish of fourth in 1991. Winless in 309 career starts with four poles. In first season driving for Larry Hedrick after Cale Yarborough folded his team. |
| Row 15 |
Chad Little (97), Ford Age: 37. Hometown: Spokane, Wash. Notes: Making ninth start in Daytona 500, with best finish of seventh in 1998. Winless in 189 career starts. Finished 23rd in points last year. Best career finish in was second in 1998. In third season driving for Roush Racing. |
John Andretti (43), Pontiac Age: 36. Hometown: Indianapolis. Notes: Making seventh Daytona 500 start. Won 24-hour sports car race at Daytona in 1989 and got first of two Winston Cup career victories on track in 1997 in Pepsi 400 in 110th career start. Nephew of racing great Mario Andretti. Third season driving for Petty Enterprises. |
| Row 16 |
Dave Blaney (93), Pontiac Age: 37. Hometown: Sharon, Pa. Notes: Making first start in Daytona 500 and sixth of Winston Cup career. Best finish for former Busch series driver in five 1999 starts was 23rd in Homestead. Added to Bill Davis Racing, which expanded this year to two-car operation. |
Robert Pressley (77), Ford Age: 40. Hometown: Asheville, N.C. Notes: Making first start in Daytona 500. Winless in 136 starts with career-best finish of third. In third season as driver for Doug Bawel. |
| Row 17 |
Stacy Compton (9), Ford Age: 32. Hometown: Hurt, Va. Notes: Making move up from NASCAR truck series, where he won twice and had seven poles in 78 starts. Has five career Winston Cup starts over last two seasons. Drives car owned by Mark Melling. |
Wally Dallenbach (75), Ford Age: 36. Hometown: Basalt, Colo. Notes: Making seventh Daytona 500 start. Has 22 10-top finishes in 195 career starts. Was 1985 Trans-Am champion. Driving for new team owned by Darwin Oordt after leaving Hendrick Motorsports. |
| Row 18 |
Mike Bliss (14), Pontiac Age: 34. Hometown: Milwaukie, Ore. Notes: Making first start in Daytona 500 and seventh in Winston Cup. Was truck series ace with seven wins and 14 poles in 121 races. Driving for A.J. Foyt, who returns to NASCAR as car owner. |
Steve Park (1), Chevrolet Age: 32. Hometown: East Northport, N.Y. Notes: Moved up from Busch Series in 1998, but injuries cost him shot at Rookie of the Year. Finished 41st and 34th in two Daytona 500s. Former Northeast modified ace in third year as driver for Dale Earnhardt Inc. |
| Row 19 |
Bobby Hamilton (4), Chevrolet, provisional Age: 42. Hometown: Nashville, Tenn. Notes: Has three career victories, but failed to win last year for first time since 1996. Making 268th start, 10th in Daytona 500, with best finish of 10th in 1991, when he was Winston Cup Rookie of Year. In third season driving for Morgan-McClure Racing. |
Sterling Marlin (40), Chevrolet, provisional Age: 42. Hometown: Columbia, Tenn. Notes: Won Daytona 500 in 1994-95. Rookie of the Year in 1983, son of former NASCAR star Coo Coo Marlin. Victory at Daytona in 1994 was first of six in his career. In third season with Team Sabco after four with Morgan-McClure Racing. |
| Row 20 |
Kenny Wallace (55), Chevrolet, provisional Age: 36. Hometown: St. Louis. Notes: Starting sixth full season in Winston Cup. Has 18 top-10 finishes in 151 starts, including career-best second last year in Loudon, N.H.. Making fifth Daytona 500 start with no finish better than 21st. In second season with Andy Petree Racing. |
Elliott Sadler (21), Ford, provisional Age: 24. Hometown: Emporia, Va. Notes: Making second Daytona 500 appearance. Started 38th and finished 40th in debut. Former Busch series ace with two victories on the circuit. Best start of fourth and finish of 10th as Winston Cup rookie. Drives for Wood Brothers. |
| Row 21 |
Kevin Lepage (16), Ford, provisional Age: 37. Hometown: Shelburne, Vt. Notes: Was second in Rookie of Year race in 1998. Finished last in 1998 Daytona 500 in first try, then 13th last year. Winless in 34 career starts with one pole. Former Busch series star beginning second full season with Roush Racing. |
Kyle Petty (44), Pontiac, provisional Age: 39. Hometown: Randleman, N.C. Notes: Won Daytona 500 pole in 1993, but has only two top-10 finishes -- including seventh last year -- in 18 starts. First third-generation Winston Cup racer, following grandfather Lee and father Richard. Got last of eight career wins in 1995. Third year as owner-driver. |
| Row 22 |
Darrell Waltrip (66), Ford, provisional Age: 53. Hometown: Franklin, Tenn. Notes: Won Daytona 500 in 1989, and will be making 28th start in race. Three-time Winston Cup champion is tied for third with 84 career victories, but is winless in 222 races since 1992. Driving for Haas-Carter Motorsports. |