Who's the favorite to win the 50th Daytona 500? In America's most thrilling race, anything can happen, so it's almost impossible to predict. But here are eight drivers who have as good a shot as any.

JIMMIE JOHNSON

Johnson will start the season as two-time defending series champion. In recent years, he has dominated NASCAR's elite division, winning 33 races, scoring 86 top-five and 134 top-10 finishes in 131 races.

2007 Daytona 500 finish: 39th

JEFF GORDON

The four-time Cup champ dominated the standings for most of last season and would have won the title by a comfortable 353 points over Jimmie Johnson under NASCAR's old season-long points formula. Gordon is a three-time winner in the Daytona 500, taking the checkered flag in 1997, 1999 and 2005.

2007 Daytona 500 finish: 10th

DALE EARNHARDT JR.

Earnhardt Jr. moves from his longtime employer, Dale Earnhardt Inc., to Hendrick Motorsports. The Daytona 500 is a test of speed and Earnhardt Jr., and his crew chief and cousin, Tony Eury Jr., will benefit from Hendrick's reliable engines.

2007 Daytona 500 finish: 32nd

CLINT BOWYER

Last season, Bowyer finished a strong third in the Chase. His second season on the Cup circuit included five top-five and 17 top-10 finishes in 36 races. Look for Bowyer to be in contention at Daytona.

2007 Daytona 500 finish: 18th

TONY STEWART

Driving a Toyota this year, Stewart and his Greg Zipadelli-led team will be looking for a better outcome in this year's Daytona 500 than last year when Stewart skimmed the apron while leading and was tagged by Kurt Busch. The wreck took out the two fastest drivers.

2007 Daytona 500 finish: 43rd

MATT KENSETH

Chip Bolin takes over as crew chief for the No. 17 Roush Fenway Racing team, replacing longtime crew chief Robbie Reiser. Kenseth finished the 2007 season strong — winning the season-ending Ford 400 — and he'd like nothing more than to continue that good fortune by taking the checkered flag at the Daytona 500.

2007 Daytona 500 finish: 27th

RYAN NEWMAN

Newman failed to win a race in 2007, but he finished the 2007 season strong, scoring three top-five finishes in the final five races of the season. Newman also starts the season with a new crew chief, Roy McCauley.

2007 Daytona 500 finish: 38th

KEVIN HARVICK

Harvick kicked off 2007 by sweeping both of the season-opening races at Daytona. The Orbitz 300 Busch Series race was his first win in the series at the superspeedway. Then, the following day, Harvick held off Mark Martin in a thrilling photo finish to claim his first Daytona 500 victory.

2007 Daytona 500 finish: First