Daytona 500 driver-by-driver

Started: 16
Finished: 31

Fell down the order on lap 49 pitting to repair damage after his earlier incident with Jeremy Mayfield. Race ended on the final corner of the last lap, getting loose and crashing into the turn 4 wall on his own.

Dave Blaney - Caterpillar Dodge

Started: 34
Finished: 22

Anonymous all day, and spent only 33 laps inside the top 10.

Clint Bowyer - Jack Daniel's Chevrolet

Started: 37
Finished: 6

Finished the Daytona 500 as top rookie in 7th.

Jeff Burton - Cingular Wireless Chevrolet

Started: 1
Finished: 32

Led the first lap from pole but fell down the order afterwards. Crashed eight laps from home in an accident with Jamie McMurray.

Kurt Busch - Miller Lite Dodge

Started: 13
Finished: 38

Drove with his head on lap 154 when he passed Jimmie Johnson below the yellow line. Gave the position back to Johnson straight away and didn't get penalised by NASCAR. Retired when a hit from Jamie McMurray resulted in a puncture on the backstretch, sending him into the wall.

Kyle Busch - Kellogg's Chevrolet

Started: 4
Finished: 23

Race was ruined when he was given a black flag drive through penalty for aggressive driving on lap 195, having run in or near the top ten all day. Led five laps.

Dale Earnhardt Jr - Budweiser Chevrolet

Started: 7
Finished: 8

Was strong at the beginning of the race but fell back in the final shakeout. Led the most laps of the race - 32.

Carl Edwards - Office Depot Ford

Started: 5
Finished: 43

Race ended on lap 79 when he rammed Kyle Petty, who was trying to avoid Jeff Green's crash at turn 2.

Bill Elliott - Ginn Clubs & Resorts Chevrolet

Started: 33
Finished: 19

Took the lead on lap 126 by staying out when the majority of the field pitted for tyres. Finished 19th.

Jeff Gordon - DuPont Chevrolet

Started: 2
Finished: 26

Brushed the wall, damaging the body of his car on lap 47 after an incident with Tony Stewart. Later lost third gear, but it didn't matter much because he never had to make a green flag pitstop. Got caught up in Kurt Busch's accident, but still finished on the lead lap.

Robby Gordon - Jim Beam Chevrolet

Started: 20
Finished: 13

Hit the turn 2 wall on lap 123 causing a caution. Not too badly damaged and finished 13th.

Jeff Green - Best Buy Chevrolet

Started: 21
Finished: 42

Lost a tyre on lap 1 and went a lap down immediately. Race ended on lap 79 when he caused a five car pile-up. Claimed he was hit by Dale Jarrett.

Denny Hamlin - FedEx Express Chevrolet

Started: 17
Finished: 30

The Budweiser Shootout winner got caught up in the Burton/Labonte crash but wasn't seriously damaged. Finished down the order.

Kevin Harvick - GM Goodwrench Chevrolet

Started: 28
Finished: 14

Delayed the start by a lap after coming down pitroad to remove a plastic bag stuck to his roof camera. Changed a sticking carburettor on pitstop but left the pits when the light was red and was awarded a drive-through penalty. A disappointing 14th.

Dale Jarrett - UPS Ford

Started: 25
Finished: 10

Early penalty for speeding in the pitlane. Jeff Green accused him of starting the six-car accident on lap 80. Finished 10th.

Jimmie Johnson - Lowe's Chevrolet

Started: 9
Finished: 1

Won the 48th running of the Daytona 500 in the number 48 car. Held off Ryan Newman and Casey Mears to take $1,505,124 for his first restrictor-plate win. Spent more laps in the top 10 than another driver - 193.

Kasey Kahne - Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge

Started: 27
Finished: 11

Finished 11th after a quiet run for Everham Motorsports.

Matt Kenseth - DeWalt Power Tools Ford

Started: 11
Finished: 15

Kenseth led 28 laps and looked to have a strong car, before he was sideswiped by Stewart, forcing him onto the infield grass then into the turn 3 wall hard. Was then penalised for aggressive drive towards Stewart when he tapped him to get revenge. Was then scored a lap down by officials for not taking the penalty soon enough. Got the lucky dog to finish on the lead lap in 15th, in a battered Ford Fusion.

Travis Kvapil - Tide Chevrolet

Started: 40
Finished: 27

Hit the wall at turn 4 on lap 175 on his own. Still finished on the lead lap following repairs.

Bobby Labonte - Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge

Started: 8
Finished: 35

Started from back due to engine change but worked his way up, and spent 31 laps in the top 10. Race finished in the McMurray/Burton crash.

Terry Labonte - DLP HDTV/Tweeter Chevrolet

Started: 43
Finished: 17

Starting last, the 1996 champion finished a conservative 17th for the first race for the Hall of Fame Racing team.

Kevin Lepage - AMP Energy Drink Ford

Started: 31
Finished: 25

Struggle to stay with the lead draft and was only in the top 10 briefly thanks to pit strategy.

Sterling Marlin - Waste Management Chevrolet

Started: 39
Finished: 34

Started at the back after switching to his back up car after a crash in his qualifying race. Only took two tyres on his final pitstop to attempt to jump the field, but fell down quickly. Lost three laps after being caught up in Kurt Busch's accident.

Mark Martin - AAA Ford

Started: 10
Finished: 12

Led for the first time just after half distance. Had an extra stop on lap 157 after he didn't get enough fuel into his Ford the lap previously. Finished his final Daytona 500 just outside the top 10.

Jeremy Mayfield - Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge

Started: 26
Finished: 36

Clashed with Greg Biffle and punctured a tyre on lap 33. Went a lap down to pit for fresh tyres, and lost another four laps straight away when the damaged fender cut the tyre and more repairs were needed.

Jamie McMurray - Crown Royal Ford

Started: 6
Finished: 37

Fell down the order on lap 49 after staying in the pits to repair damage when the car fell off the jacks. Had more drama in the pits on his final stop when he over shot his pitbox, losing several positions. Crashed eight laps from home with Jeff Burton.

Casey Mears - Texaco/Havoline Dodge

Started: 14
Finished: 2

Seemingly came from nowhere to snatch second in the final shakeout. Only spent a quarter of the race inside the top ten, but it was the crucial, last quarter. Passed Ryan Newman in the final corner to take his best ever Nextel Cup result and more than one million dollars for second.

Joe Nemechek - U.S. Army Chevrolet

Started: 38
Finished: 33

Started from back due to engine change, and ran the early laps at the back with a damaged front valence. Lost two laps repairing damage having been caught up in the lap 79 crash caused by Jeff Green. Kept plugging away and finished three laps down.

Ryan Newman - Alltel Dodge

Started: 18
Finished: 3

Took the lead for the first time on lap 49 after slick pit work by his Penske team. Caused pitlane drama on his penultimate stop by moving over on Jimmie Johnson, forcing Johnson to the grass. When Newman was released on his final pitstop, he had Ken Schrader, entering his pitbox, to thank for avoiding contact between the pair. Had to risk going to the outside on the final lap to go for the win, but the gamble failed.

Kyle Petty - Wells Fargo Financial Dodge

Started: 12
Finished: 39

Race ended on lap 79 when he was collected by Carl Edwards trying to avoid the aftermath of Jeff Green's crash. Rejoined the race 29 laps down after repairs.

Elliott Sadler - M&M's Ford

Started: 3
Finished: 4

Finished fourth after a strong run, with several adjustments to his car. Used Dale Earnhardt Jr as a drafting partner.

Hermie Sadler - Aaron's Dream Machine Ford

Started: 41
Finished: 40

Went to Disney World instead of participating in final practice on Saturday. Retired with engine failure.

Ken Schrader - Little Debbie/Motorcraft/USAF Ford

Started: 23
Finished: 9

Had a near miss with Ryan Newman on pitroad, but finished a strong ninth in his new Wood Brothers berth.

Kirk Shelmerdine - Apex Electric Chevrolet

Started: 42
Finished: 20

Early penalty because his team went over the wall in a pitstop too soon. Should make enough from 20th to run a few more races.

Brent Sherman - Serta Dodge

Started: 29
Finished: 21

Suffered carburettor problems and never troubled the leader, but still finished on the lead lap.

Reed Sorenson - Target Dodge

Started: 22
Finished: 29

Had a right tyre puncture on the final restart, would have finished in the top 15.

Tony Stewart - The Home Depot Chevrolet

Started: 15
Finished: 5

Hit the turn 2 wall on lap 47 damaging the side of his car. Sideswiped Kenseth into the turn 3 wall, and was penalised by NASCAR to the back of the field for 'aggressive driving'. Fought back to finish fifth.

David Stremme - Lonestar Steakhouse Dodge

Started: 32
Finished: 28

Didn't trouble the leaders all day in his Chip Ganassi Racing machine.

Martin Truex Jr - Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Chevrolet

Started: 19
Finished: 16

Hit the turn 2 wall on lap 16 when a tyre deflated. Got his lap back by being the lucky dog on the second caution but was heavily damaged and never ran well for the rest of the race.

Brian Vickers - GMAC Chevrolet

Started: 35
Finished: 7

Took fuel only on his final stop to move up the field. Was crucial in drafting with Jimmie Johnson and helping his teammate to Victory Lane. Fell back when those with better tyres made it pay.

Mike Wallace - Miccosukee Resort Dodge

Started: 24
Finished: 24

Missed Matt Kenseth's wreck by inches, and finished 24th.

Michael Waltrip - NAPA Dodge

Started: 30
Finished: 18

The double Daytona 500 winner only spent 15 laps in the top 10 in his first race for Bill Davis Racing. Kept out of trouble to finish 18th.

J.J. Yeley - Interstate Batteries Chevrolet

Started: 36
Finished: 41

Race ended in the five-car pile up on lap 79, when he had nowhere to go when Jeff Green crashed into the wall.

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