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2010 Daytona 500: Runners and riders

NASCAR roars back into life with the mother of all stock car races this weekend, Daytona. There are more mergers, seat swaps and new paint jobs for 2010, but our spotter's guide will lead you through all 500 miles of mayhem - from Jimmie Johnson to Terry Cook (who?), they're all here

#00 David Reutimann Toyota Camry
Michael Waltrip Racing
Crew chief: Rodney Childers
Cup 2009: 16th
Daytona 2009: 12th
  • Scored his first Cup win in fortunate circumstances at the rain-shortened 2009 Coke 600 at Charlotte
  • Last year was a solid improvement over 2008, finishing ahead of the likes of Jeff Burton and Kevin Harvick
  • #1 Jamie McMurray Chevrolet Impala
    Earnhardt Ganassi Racing
    Crew chief: Kevin Manion
    Cup 2009: 22nd
    Daytona 2009: 37th
  • His seat in the fifth Roush Fenway Racing car was doomed when five-car teams were banned, so he moves to Earnhardt Ganassi in place of Martin Truex Jr
  • Won at Talladega last year after a winless 2008, but was nowhere near making the Chase
  • #2 Kurt Busch Dodge Charger
    Penske Racing South
    Crew chief: Steve Addington
    Cup 2009: 4th
    Daytona 2009: 10th
  • Has brother Kyle's former Crew chief after a strong '09 season, which was his best since winning the inaugural Chase in 2004
  • Will be leading Penske and Dodge's attack now that Richard Petty Motorsports has switched stables to Ford
  • #5 Mark Martin Chevrolet Impala
    Hendrick Motorsports
    Crew chief: Alan Gustafson
    Cup 2009: 2nd
    Daytona 2009: 16th
  • Still going strong at 51, but he was bridesmaid again last year - taking the runner-up spot for the fifth time in his career
  • Proved any doubters wrong in 2009, but a maiden Cup title and victory in the Daytona 500 still elude him
  • #6 David Ragan Ford Fusion
    Roush Fenway Racing
    Crew chief: Donnie Wingo
    Cup 2009: 27th
    Daytona 2009: 6th
  • Under pressure to perform in a Roush car after a disappointing 2009 season
  • Still to win a Cup race but did score his first two Nationwide wins last year
  • Has Jamie McMurray's former crew chief Donnie Wingo for '10
  • #7 Robby Gordon Toyota Camry
    Robby Gordon Motorsport
    Crew chief: Iain Watt
    Cup 2009: 34th
    Daytona 2009: 34th
  • Gordon's team has joined up with BAM Racing for 2010, but he won't contest every race this year
  • Has talked of an Indy 500 return and an increased rally raid programme
  • Crew chief Iain Watt also has a background in IndyCar
  • #09 Aric Almirola Chevrolet Impala
    Phoenix Racing
    Crew chief: Marc Reno
    Cup 2009: 46th
    Daytona 2009: 30th
  • Left Earnhardt Ganassi after seven races last year when the team ran out of funding for the #8 car, and later took over the #09 Phoenix entry (in which Brad Keselowski won at Talladega) for two races
  • Still only has one top 10 finish to his name, at Bristol in 2008
  • #9 Kasey Kahne Ford Fusion
    Richard Petty Motorsports
    Crew chief: Kenny Francis
    Cup 2009: 10th
    Daytona 2009: 29th
  • Has switched from Dodge to Ford with Petty, which has also merged with Yates
  • Was a solid Chase runner again but still couldn't repeat his form of 2006 when he won six times
  • He's made noises about this being his last year with Petty
  • #11 Denny Hamlin Toyota Camry
    Joe Gibbs Racing
    Crew chief: Mike Ford
    Cup 2009: 5th
    Daytona 2009: 26th
  • Was a revelation last year, finally living up to his outstanding '06 rookie season, winning four times and fighting it out at the sharp end of the Chase all year long
  • Kept team-mate Kyle Busch in the shade with far better consistency
  • #12 Brad Keselowski Dodge Charger
    Penske Racing South
    Crew chief: Jay Guy
    Cup 2009: 38th
    Daytona 2009: N/A
  • Claimed a breakthrough maiden win at Talladega last year
  • Spent the year switching between Hendrick and Phoenix before settling at Penske for the last three races
  • Gets the drive full-time this year in place of David Stremme
  • #13 Max Papis Toyota Camry
    Germain Racing
    Crew chief: Bootie Barker
    Cup 2009: 43rd
    Daytona 2009: N/A
  • Entered 21 races last season with Germain, although he failed to qualify for six of them. Will run another limited campaign and may have to start and park at some
  • Scored his best Cup result last year with 8th at Watkins Glen and will always be one to keep an eye out for on road courses
  • #14 Tony Stewart Chevrolet Impala
    Stewart/Haas Racing
    Crew chief: Darien Grubb
    Cup 2009: 6th
    Daytona 2009: 8th
  • First season with his own team was a huge success and he led the standings comfortably heading into the Chase
  • But his challenge faltered with poor runs at Richmond and New Hampshire and ended with a Talladega crash
  • #16 Greg Biffle Ford Fusion
    Roush Fenway Racing
    Crew chief: Greg Erwin
    Cup 2009: 7th
    Daytona 2009: 20th
  • 2009 was his first season without a victory in the last seven years
  • Still a comfortable Chase contender but once again unable to step up and threaten those at the front
  • The only driver in NASCAR history to win Busch and Truck titles
  • #17 Matt Kenseth Ford Fusion
    Roush Fenway Racing
    Crew chief: Drew Blickensderfer
    Cup 2009: 14th
    Daytona 2009: 1st
  • Rebounded from a winless 2008 by taking the first two races of '09, but then slumped to just three more podiums in the remaining 34 races - as Roush faded - and missed the Chase for the first time since its inception
  • #18 Kyle Busch Toyota Camry
    Joe Gibbs Racing
    Crew chief: Dave Rogers
    Cup 2009: 13th
    Daytona 2009: DNF
  • Won 20 races across the three NASCAR categories ñ and the Nationwide title ñ last year, but despite four Cup wins he missed the Chase for the first time since 2005 in a frustratingly inconsistent season
  • Has a new crew chief in Dave Rogers after Steve Addington departed for brother Kurt
  • #19 Elliott Sadler Ford Fusion
    Richard Petty Motorsports
    Crew chief: Wally Rogers
    Cup 2009: 26th
    Daytona 2009: 5th
  • Continued his trough of recent years in '09 and was nowhere near replicating his Chase form of 2004
  • Heartbreak at Daytona last year, losing the lead just before the race-ending red flag
  • Moves from Dodge to Ford with Petty
  • #20 Joey Logano Toyota Camry
    Joe Gibbs Racing
    Crew chief: Greg Zipadelli
    Cup 2009: 20th
    Daytona 2009: DNF
  • Became the youngest winner in Cup history with a lucky win in the rain-shortened race at New Hampshire when he was out of sequence because of a puncture
  • But struggled on the whole to 20th in the standings with just three top five finishes
  • #24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet Impala
    Hendrick Motorsports
    Crew chief: Steve Letarte
    Cup 2009: 3rd
    Daytona 2009: 13th
  • Completed a Hendrick 1-2-3 in the standings behind Johnson and Martin
  • Won only once in 2009 but finished second eight times
  • Pole at Texas three races from the end kept up his streak of at least one each season since 1993
  • #26 Boris Said Ford Fusion
    Latitude 43 Motor Sports
    Crew chief: Frankie Stoddard
    Cup 2009: 57th
    Daytona 2009: N/A
  • Guaranteed a start in the first five races thanks to inheriting the owners' points from the car's Roush entry last year with McMurray
  • As well as Cup and Nationwide, Said has appeared in Grand-Am, ALMS and V8 Supercar in the last two seasons
  • #29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet Impala
    Richard Childress Racing
    Crew chief: Gil Martin
    Cup 2009: 19th
    Daytona 2009: 2nd
  • Went from fourth in 2008 to 19th in 2009 as the Childress team slumped, and still hasn't won a Cup race since Daytona 2007
  • Won last weekend's non-championship Bud Shootout race for the second year in a row
  • Runs his own Nationwide and Truck team
  • #31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet Impala
    Richard Childress Racing
    Crew chief: Todd Berrier
    Cup 2009: 17th
    Daytona 2009: 28th
  • Another driver to suffer from Childress's decline in 2009, dropping from sixth in '08 to 17th last year, which was his first without a Cup win since '05
  • #32 Reed Sorenson Toyota Camry
    Braun Racing
    Crew chief: Trent Owens
    Cup 2009: 29th
    Daytona 2009: 9th
  • Lost his Petty drive following the team's merger with Yates after a disappointing campaign last year
  • Braun will attempt Daytona, plus Atlanta in March, Chicago and Indy in July and Charlotte in October, all with Sorenson
  • #33 Clint Bowyer Chevrolet Impala
    Richard Childress Racing
    Crew chief: Shane Wilson
    Cup 2009: 15th
    Daytona 2009: 4th
  • Childress's third sufferer last year, winning no races and missing the Chase for the first time since 2006
  • Bowyer won the Nationwide title in '08 but only contested a part season in NASCAR's second tier in '09
  • #34 John Andretti Ford Fusion
    Front Row Motorsports/Yates
    Crew chief: Steven Lane
    Cup 2009: 36th
    Daytona 2009: 19th
  • Switches from Chevrolet to Ford following Front Row's merger with Yates
  • Andretti will only race the car at Daytona before Travis Kvapil takes over the #34 for the rest of the season
  • #36 Mike Bliss Chevrolet Impala
    Tommy Baldwin Racing
    Crew chief: Kevin Buskirk
    Cup 2009: 44th
    Daytona 2009: N/A
  • The team heads into its second year with a switch from Toyota to Chevrolet and Bliss replacing Scott Riggs
  • TBR turned up at every race last year but failed to qualify for 11 and had to start and park in all but six
  • #37 Travis Kvapil Ford Fusion
    Front Row Motorsports/Yates
    Crew chief: Peter Sospenzo
    Cup 2009: 49th
    Daytona 2009: DNF
  • Kevin Conway will take over car after Daytona when Kvapil moves to the #34
  • #37 will have a guaranteed start in the first five races thanks to Hall of Fame/Yates car owner points from 2009
  • Has a Cup pole, at Talladega in 2008
  • #38 Robert Richardson Jr Ford Fusion
    Front Row Motorsports/Yates
    Crew chief: Randy Seals
    Cup 2009: N/A
    Daytona 2009: N/A
  • Richardson will drive the #38 for both visits to Daytona and the first Talladega.
  • David Gilliland will contest most others, with John Andretti in for two as well
  • #38 will also have a guaranteed start in the first five, thanks to Hall of Fame/Yates owner points
  • #39 Ryan Newman Chevrolet Impala
    Stewart/Haas Racing
    Crew chief: Tony Gibson
    Cup 2009: 9th
    Daytona 2009: 36th
  • Had a good first year with Tony Stewart's operation, without a win but made the Chase and finished ninth in the standings
  • Survived a horror crash at Talladega and had to be cut out of the car after the roof caved in
  • #42 Juan Pablo Montoya Chevrolet Impala
    Earnhardt Ganassi Racing
    Crew chief: Brian Pattie
    Cup 2009: 8th
    Daytona 2009: 14th
  • 2009 was a big step forward for Montoya, who came close to winning at Indy and New Hampshire and also had two poles
  • 8th in the standings was an impressive display and he could easily have been as high as fifth. If he can progress again, he'll be right at the front in '10
  • #43 AJ Allmendinger Ford Fusion
    Richard Petty Motorsports
    Crew chief: Mike Shiplett
    Cup 2009: 24th
    Daytona 2009: 3rd
  • Allmendinger began last year with third at Daytona and although he couldn't scale such heights again, he did enough to earn himself a full-time ride
  • Another driver to switch from Dodge to Ford with Petty for 2010
  • #46 Terry Cook Dodge Charger
    Dusty Whitney
    Crew chief: Buddy Sisco
    Cup 2009: N/A
    Daytona 2009: N/A
  • Plans to contest the full season in an ex-Richard Petty Motorsports Dodge, following that team's switch to Ford
  • Has made more than 50 Nationwide starts but Daytona will be his Cup debut if he qualifies
  • #47 Marcos Ambrose Toyota Camry
    JTG Daugherty Racing
    Crew chief: Frank Kerr
    Cup 2009: 18th
    Daytona 2009: 17th
  • An outstanding season in '09 for the Aussie, whose team is now allied with Michael Waltrip Racing
  • Scored three podiums last year - two of them on road courses - so don't be surprised to see him claim a maiden victory in '10
  • #48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet Impala
    Hendrick Motorsports
    Crew chief: Chad Knaus
    Cup 2009: 1st
    Daytona 2009: 31st
  • Is already the first man in history to win four successive Cup titles, now he's out to extend his streak to five
  • Simply unstoppable in the Chase - four of his seven wins in '09 came in the last nine races, when it mattered the most
  • #49 David Gilliland Toyota Camry
    BAM Racing
    Crew chief: TBA
    Cup 2009: 37th
    Daytona 2009: N/A
  • Named to drive at Daytona only
  • The team is allied with Robby Gordon Motorsports and Gordon could drive a couple of races in the car
  • #55 Michael McDowell Toyota Camry
    Prism Motorsports
    Crew chief: Zach McGowan
    Cup 2009: 52nd
    Daytona 2009: N/A
  • Contested a part season in '09 with Tommy Baldwin Racing but failed to qualify or had to start and park in most.
  • Will attempt a full season this year in a Prism entry allied to Michael Waltrip Racing
  • #56 Martin Truex Jr Toyota Camry
    Michael Waltrip Racing
    Crew chief: Pat Tryson
    Cup 2009: 23rd
    Daytona 2009: 11th
  • Switched from an Earnhardt Chevy to a Waltrip Toyota and will use the #59 car's owners' points from 2009.
  • Crew chief Pat Tryson comes across from Kurt Busch's #2 team
  • #66 Dave Blaney Toyota Camry
    Prism Motorsports
    Crew chief: Bill Henderson
    Cup 2009: 41st
    Daytona 2009: N/A
  • Hoping to do the full season in a second Prism entry, alongside McDowell, after starting and parking for almost all of '09
  • Has two Cup poles to his name, most recently at New Hampshire in '07
  • #71 Bobby Labonte Chevrolet Impala
    TRG Motorsports
    Crew chief: Doug Randolph
    Cup 2009: 30th
    Daytona 2009: 22nd
  • Started last year at Hall of Fame Racing but moved to TRG towards the end of the year and switched back and fourth in the final races
  • Returns with TRG in '10, though there is talk of the team switching from Chevy
  • The 2000 champion hasn't won since '03
  • #77 Sam Hornish Jr Dodge Charger
    Penske Racing South
    Crew chief: Travis Geisler
    Cup 2009: 28th
    Daytona 2009: 32nd
  • 2009 was an improvement on his '08 rookie season, just a shame that fourth at Pocono was followed by a huge crash at the Glen and his season never recovered
  • Is adamant that he's sticking to NASCAR but is some way off following the likes of Stewart and Montoya
  • #78 Regan Smith Chevrolet Impala
    Furniture Row Racing
    Crew chief: Ryan Coniam
    Cup 2009: 39th
    Daytona 2009: 21st
  • Furniture Row has allied with Richard Childress Racing for '10 but will still use Hendrick engines
  • Smith is a former rookie of the year and takes the '09 owners' points from last year's #07 Casey Mears car
  • #82 Scott Speed Toyota Camry
    Red Bull Racing
    Crew chief: Jimmy Elledge
    Cup 2009: 35th
    Daytona 2009: 35th
  • An underwhelming first full year for the F1 refugee, he promised much but fifth at Talladega was the only result of note
  • Still, it takes time for an open-wheeler to crack NASCAR and he has time to do it yet
  • #83 Brian Vickers Toyota Camry
    Red Bull Racing
    Crew chief: Ryan Pemberton
    Cup 2009: 12th
    Daytona 2009: 39th
  • Another impressive season from Vickers last year, regularly mixing it with the elite
  • Six poles was a great achievement, the Michigan win a highlight and he thoroughly deserved his pace in the Chase. We'll find out this year if he can be a title contender
  • #88 Dale Earnhardt Jr Chevrolet Impala
    Hendrick Motorsports
    Crew chief: Lance McGrew
    Cup 2009: 25th
    Daytona 2009: 27th
  • His expected title challenge in '09 couldn't hardly have gone worse, but the fans still love him - he'll always be NASCAR's favourite
  • Wouldn't get away with finishing 25th in the standings in a Hendrick car if his name wasn't Earnhardt
  • #90 Casey Mears Chevrolet Impala
    Keyed Up Motorsports
    Crew chief: Doug Richert
    Cup 2009: 21st
    Daytona 2009: 15th
  • Didn't have a great '09, but it was a dismal year all round for Childress
  • He's back with Keyed Up this season but is only signed for the first six races so far, any more will rely on funding
  • Took his only Cup win at Charlotte in '07
  • #98 Paul Menard Ford Fusion
    Yates Racing/Richard Petty Motorsports
    Crew chief: Robert Labbe
    Cup 2009: 31st
    Daytona 2009: DNF
  • A move from DEI to Yates didn't change much last year, with just six top 20 finishes
  • Using the owners' points from Petty's #44 car, driven last year by AJ Allmendinger, thanks to the merger
  • #99 Carl Edwards Ford Fusion
    Roush Fenway Racing
    Crew chief: Bob Osborne
    Cup 2009: 11th
    Daytona 2009: 18th
  • Went into '09 with genuine title hopes after running Johnson close in '08, but left it a confusing 11th in the standings with no wins and only three podiums
  • Finished runner-up in Nationwide with five wins last year. Maybe two full campaigns is one too many
  • Our guide covers the top 35 cars in the owners' standings plus anyone likely to contest a significant portion of the season. You may still see people making a one-off appearance in the Daytona 500 that didn't make our list

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