Sunday's Daytona 500 marks the 50th running of NASCAR's showcase event, and the latest version is shaping up to be one of the best. There's a new vehicle that appears to be putting more of the outcome in the drivers' hands, and there's a new manufacturer, Toyota, now in its second season in Sprint Cup and poised to win its first points race. And the sport's biggest star, Dale Earnhardt Jr., is unbeaten in two preliminary races in his new ride with the sport's dominant team, Hendrick Motorsports. Here's a look at five drivers with good chances of winding up in victory lane Sunday night:

• DALE EARNHARDT JR.: He and his cousin/crew chief Tony Eury Jr. always were strong contenders at Daytona even when they were employed by Dale Earnhardt Inc. Now with the considerable resources of Hendrick Motorsports behind them, they've emerged as the pre-race favorite. "I feel like we've got a great shot," Earnhardt said Thursday after winning his 150-mile qualifying race. "We've won some races down here, so we've got to be in the group [of favorites] if there's a group of them."

• JEFF GORDON: The dean of the Hendrick Motorsports team is one of the better Daytona drivers in the field. He already has three 500 wins — in 1997, 1999 and 2005 — and has a fast car again this year. He finished third in his 150 even with no teammates in the race to help him in the draft. Former Cup driver Rusty Wallace, now an ESPN commentator, said it's foolish to bet against Gordon in the 500. "Every single time he comes here he's solid," Wallace said.

• JIMMIE JOHNSON: The pole-sitter and defending Cup champion won the 500 in 2006 and further showed his restrictor-plate prowess with a win and two runner-ups in the past four races at Talladega. His crew chief, Chad Knaus, is as good as any, and he's riding a wave of success as a driver, having won 10 races last season.

• TONY STEWART: The sport's most versatile driver was quick out of the gate in his first trip to the track in a Toyota. He pushed his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin to victory in a qualifier Thursday, and the third member of the team, Kyle Busch, is fast, too, giving Stewart two strong allies in the draft.

• REED SORENSON: The Peachtree City youngster has had one of the fastest cars of Speedweeks. He finished fifth in the Budweiser Shootout and second to Earnhardt in his 150-mile qualifier, then sped to the top of the speed chart in Friday's practice session. A first Cup win in the 500 isn't a far-fetched notion.