Since 1959, 119 drivers -- some famous, some not so much and others virtually unknown -- all share a common bond: their Cup debuts came in the Daytona 500.

The list includes several future champions and 500 winners, drivers who represent five foreign countries, a combined 15 Indianapolis 500 victories, two famous racing families and host of champions from different series and disciplines. It also includes several drivers who never returned to the speedway after their brief moment in the Florida sun.

Al Unser

Best in Show

Top finishes in D500 debut

Year	Driver	Finish
1968	Al Unser	4
1976	Terry Ryan	6
1963	Johnny Rutherford	9
1960	John "Bud" Burdick	11
1969	Vic Elford	11
1959	Raul Cilloniz	12
1975	Bruce Jacobi	12
1964	Jo Schlesser	13
1968	Bob Senneker	13
1983	Phil Parsons	13

The list shows just how hard it's been to do well in NASCAR's most prestigious race. Of the 119, only seven led a lap in their inaugural Daytona 500 appearance, and just three finished in the top 10 at the end of 500 miles. More than half raced before what's commonly referred to as the Modern Era, before tragedies in qualifying races caused series officials to tighten rules on big-track experience.

In addition, until 1971, the qualifying races counted toward the championship, so another 35 drivers technically made their debuts without advancing to the 500-miler later in the week. That list includes two-time Indy 500 winner Rodger Ward, dirt late model Hall of Famer Gene Petro -- perhaps the most famous driver from Columbus, Ind., not named Tony Stewart -- and Michigan's Cy Fairchild, who completed an unusual double when he finished 27th in the 1966 Daytona qualifying race, then failed his rookie test at Indianapolis in 1969.

But what of the 119? Here's a rundown, year-by-year:

The 2.5-mile, high-banked superspeedway west of downtown Daytona Beach debuted in 1959, and eight new drivers came to try their luck in the 500, including a pair of Peruvians, an Olympic bobsledder and the first -- and only -- Edsel ever entered in a Cup race to date. Billed as an "international sweepstakes," Peru was represented by rally driver Raul Cilloniz, who finished 12th, and Eduardo "Chachi" Dibos Chappui, who would later gain fame as mayor of Lima.

Road racer Bob Said, a native of Greenwich, Conn., who won the 1953 Rouen Grand Prix and competed at Sebring, finished 50th after spinning on the first lap. He never raced in NASCAR again, but later competed in two Winter Olympics as a bobsledder. His son, Boris, will be in Sunday's race.

Indianapolis' Paul Bass made a bit of unusual history when he drove an Edsel convertible to a 46th-place finish in his only NASCAR start. Others debuting in '59 include Jim McGuirk, who also raced in the '62 and '63 500s; Ohio's Harold Smith, who finished fourth at Rockingham in 1966; IMCA stock-car ace Bob Potter; and Colorado's Fred "Fritz" Wilson, who finished a stunning second in his qualifying race, only to have engine issues just 15 laps in, leaving him 56th.

The success of the 1959 race brought even more cars and drivers to the speedway in 1960, including a young, talented driver from Spartanburg, S.C., named David Pearson, who drove his own car to a 28th-place finish. He'd go on to win quite a few races, including the 1976 500 in one of the greatest finishes in the event's history.

Omaha's John "Bud" Burdick finished 11th in the car brother Roy built for Johnny Beauchamp a year earlier, loser to Lee Petty in a photo-finish. Iowa's Darrell Dake, a trio of drivers from Illinois -- William "Whitey" Gerken, Gene Marmor and Arnold Gardner -- and Florida fishing shop owner Charles "Reb" Wickersham all made it to the end.

Dick Dixon, who would be killed at Thompson Speedway in 1967, finished 42nd. Eleven-time Sunset Speedway champ bob Kosiski of Nebraska wound up 44th. Two-time NASCAR Midget champ (yes, NASCAR had a Midget series in its early days) Jim Whitman finished 47th. Atlanta's Johnny Sudderth, who never cracked the top 30 in six other Cup starts, was 48th, followed by Dave Hirschfield in 63rd and Mooresville, N.C., resident Homer "Burrhead" Nantz in 66th.

A pair of Pennsylvanians broke on the scene in 1961. Julian Buesink, owner of Bill Rexford's 1950 championship car, put Tom Dill behind the wheel and he responded with a 17th-place finish. He'd be replaced later in the season by a young Cale Yarborough. A former stunt driver named David Houpt -- who drove under the name "Gentleman Joe Kelly" -- finished 19th in a Don House Ford.

But it was a young driver from Hialeah, Fla., Bobby Allison, who made $200 for finishing 31st in his Daytona debut who would go on to bigger and better things as the founding member of the Alabama Gang.

Other 1961 debuts included Robert Roeber, who finished 28th in his only Cup start; Ed Livingston, perhaps better remembered for his career-best finish of fourth at Jacksonville in 1964, a race won by Wendell Scott; England's Brian Naylor, who raced in seven Grands Prix; and Chattanooga's Red Hollingsworth, who ran later at Darlington.

Daytona's debut class of 1962 included such luminaries as Dan Gurney, whose accomplishments in the sport are so numerous and varied that they deserve an entire column of their own, 1963 NASCAR rookie of the year Billy Wade -- who would be killed in a Daytona tire test in January of 1965 -- and Indy-car star Wally Dallenbach Sr., a five-time winner whose son would go on to race and work as a television analyst in NASCAR. Two Illinois natives, Paul Barrow and Art Brady, would also made their only NASCAR starts in that season's 500.

Watch the Duel

The two 150-mile qualifying races will determine the starting lineup for the Daytona 500.

• 2 p.m. ET Thursday on SPEED

Driving for Smokey Yunick, young Texas sprint-car ace Johnny Rutherford -- a future three-time winner of the Indianapolis 500 -- would make a major splash at Daytona in 1963 by winning his qualifying race and then finishing ninth in the 500. Midwestern supermodified champ Dick Good spun and finished 37th, while Virginia racing patriarch and Southside Speedway star Ted Hairfield -- father of Bugs and grandfather of Chris -- had clutch problems and wound up 49th.

The 1964 racing season was overshadowed by tragedy, and the Daytona 500 was no exception. In addition to the May crashes at Charlotte and Indy that would lead to the deaths of Fireball Roberts and Dave MacDonald, France's Jo Schlesser and Pennsylvania's Bobby Marshman would sadly share the same fate. Schlesser, tabbed by Bondy Long to drive his Ford, finished 13th. He would be killed four years later in a fiery accident in the French Grand Prix. Marshman, a rising open-wheel star and co-rookie of the year at Indy in 1961, had overheating problems in his Holman-Moody Ford and finished 35th. He would die in a tire test at Phoenix in December.

Two other drivers in the '64 field would go on to Hall of Fame careers. Nathan "Smokey" Boutwell is a member of the New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame, while Jim McElreath, 1962 Indy 500 rookie of the year, was later inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame.

In addition, Houston native Ronnie Chumley, two days younger than A.J. Foyt, finished 34th in one of H.B. Bailey's Pontiacs, and Tennessee's Bill McMahan struggled with handling problems and wound up 41st. He'd make 21 career starts, including a fifth at Moyock later that season.

The influx of open-wheel stars would continue throughout the rest of the decade. Jerry Grant, who nearly won the 1972 Indy 500 in his Mystery Eagle, made his Cup debut in 1965, finishing 16th. One year later, future two-time Indy 500 champ Gordon Johncock would visit as the driver of Nord Krauskopf's brand-new No. 71 Dodge team. (Bobby Isaac would pilot it later to a NASCAR title.) It was Gary Bettenhausen's turn in 1967, finishing 31st in Harry Rainer's Ford.

Then a pair of brothers from Albuquerque, N.M., would try their hand at stock-car racing. Driving one of Cotton Owens' Dodges, Al Unser Sr. started eighth and finished fourth in the 1968 Daytona 500 -- what remains the best finish of any driver making their Cup debut there. And one year later, older brother Bobby Unser showed up with Yunick and qualified eighth, only to crash out 56 laps in.

However, the southern contingent was still very much in evidence. The class of 1965 included North Carolina's Donald Tucker, Larry Hess and Ned Setzer, South Carolinians Jeff Hawkins and Barry Brooks and Earl "Bub" Strickler of Virginia, along with New Jersey's Robert Vaughn, who lasted just one lap before the oil pressure went away in his Pontiac.

Dick Trickle made his NASCAR debut in the 1970 D500 and finished 26th. Trickle earned rookie of the year honors 19 years later -- at age 47.

A number of talented short-track stars made the tow to Daytona in 1966, including William "Blackie" Watt from Pennsylvania and South Carolina's Calvin Kelly.

In 1967, Iowan Ramo Stott gave a hint as to his future success with a 23rd-place finish. He'd go on to win the pole for the 1976 race and score back-to-back top-five finishes in the mid-'70s. Also in the field, Ohio star Dorus Wisecarver and New Jersey's Bob Pickell. Surrey, England's Innes Ireland, who won the 1961 U.S. Grand Prix, drove Ray Fox's Dodge to a 27th-place finish. He'd later report on the sport as a long-time correspondent and columnist for "Road & Track."

In addition to Al Unser, two other Midwestern drivers who went on to lengthy and successful careers made the field in 1968: Wisconsin's Dave Marcis and Michigan's Bob Senneker. Marcis, best known for wearing wingtips instead of racing shoes, went on to set records for the most Daytona 500 starts (33) and most consecutive starts (32). Senneker made his mark as the all-time victory leader in the American Speed Association series. Georgia's Charles Burnett and Maine's Stan Meserve also made the grid that season.

The British invasion continued in 1969, with former Formula 1 racer Vic Elford finishing 11th in a Dodge owned by H.B. Ranier. He did one better in 1972, finishing 10th behind winner Foyt.

Porterville, Calif.'s Dick Brooks showed up for the first of his 358 career starts that season, along with Bill Kimmel, whose son Frank would go on to win nine ARCA titles. Three other driver debuts were less successful: Dick Poling would make all of 15 career starts, while George Bauer and Billy Taylor would not return.

Dick Trickle, who claims to have won more than 1,200 features in his career, made his NASCAR debut in the 1970 Daytona 500, finishing 26th. Oddly enough, the Wisconsin Rapids native was 47 years old when he earned rookie of the year honors 19 years later. Ron Keselowski, whose son Brad will race Sunday, ran the first of five Daytona 500s, finishing 34th. USAC stock car champ Paul Feldner, Butch Hirst and Leonard Blanchard also debuted.

But the increased speed brought about by improved aerodynamics and more powerful engines during that era also brought a higher level of danger. That was never more evident than the crash in one of the 1970 qualifiers which killed Georgia car dealer Talmadge "Tab" Prince, who had virtually no experience on a track like Daytona. From that point forward, NASCAR added more stringent guidelines, requiring drivers to show substantial experience before being allowed to enter.

Maynard Troyer, who would go on to become one of most respected chassis builders in the Northeast, was a talented driver in his own right. But his Daytona debut in 1971 was anything if not spectacular. On the 10th lap, his Ford blew an engine, sending him into a series of flips -- some sources claim as many as 18 -- along the backstretch. Amazingly, he suffered only a concussion. Also that year, Brooks called on another driver from his hometown, Marv Acton, to drive his Plymouth, and he responded with a 19th-place finish.

Larry Dickson, who wound up with eight Indy 500 starts and 43 career sprint car wins, was the only driver to debut at Daytona in 1972, finishing 21st. Earl Ross, the only Canadian-born driver to win a Cup race, debuted in 1973, along with Tennessee's John Utsman.

Jackie Rogers had an unusual Daytona debut in 1974. He was injured midway through the race when a piece of metal went through his windshield and struck him in the right shoulder. Other drivers that season included Joe Mihalic and Dan Daughtry.

Two of the three drivers who debuted in 1975 met a tragic end. Indianapolis native Bruce Jacobi finished 12th and seemed destined for bigger things, but he was severely injured in a wreck in one of the 1983 qualifying races and remained in a coma until his death four years later. Warren Tope, son of a Ford vice president, was a talented road racer. He crashed early in the '75 race, but finished 18th at Atlanta. However, he was killed during a race on a street circuit in Pontiac, Mich., that summer.

Ferrel Harris, who finished 16th, went on to score five top-10 finishes, including a ninth in the 1978 500.

Davenport, Iowa's Terry Ryan had the kind of NASCAR debut most only dream of in 1976. He qualified on the front row, led a lap during the race and his sixth-place finish was somewhat overshadowed by the David Pearson-Richard Petty crash coming to the checkered flag. Just to prove that wasn't a fluke, Ryan finished fifth at Talladega. But after 12 career starts, he couldn't land a sponsor and disappeared from the scene.

Others in the Class of '76 include Englishman David Hobbs, who went on to broadcast the race for CBS; Tighe Scott, who might have won the '79 race if not for missing his pit stall at the end of the race; and Jimmy Means, who went on to make 455 career starts.

Sports car specialist Elliott Forbes-Robinson made the 1977 Daytona 500 field and finished 40th after the engine let go in his Dodge. The two-time Daytona 24 Hour winner also replaced Rick Hendrick at Riverside in 1988.

Another veteran of endurance racing, France's Claude Ballot-Lena, finished 22nd in 1978 in his Daytona debut, and followed that up with an 18th at Talladega. Colorado's Jerry Jolly made the first of five career starts in the same race, finishing 20th.

The two drivers who made the 1979 Daytona 500 field as true NASCAR rookies wound up taking very different career paths. Future Daytona 500 winner Geoffrey Bodine piloted Jack Beebe's Oldsmobile to a 29th-place finish in 1979, while Gary Balough, who crashed Billie Harvey's Olds, was later arrested as part of a drug smuggling ring. After serving several years in federal prison, he was released, only to violate the terms of his parole. He's currently awaiting release later this spring.

The 1980 Daytona 500 was the first in which no drivers made their NASCAR debuts. Ronnie Sanders did it in 1981, finishing 18th for Henley Gray. He would compete in three 500s, and be running at the finish of each.

Two years later, Phil Parsons, Dean Roper, Ronnie Hopkins and Clark Dwyer added their names to the list. Parsons went on to have 203 career starts, including a win at Talladega in 1988, and is now a car owner and commentator. Roper, a three-time USAC stock-car champion, was the father of Tony Roper, tragically killed at Texas Motor Speedway in 2000. Hopkins made just 13 starts and Dwyer's lone top-10 came at Dover later in the season.

Doug Heveron was just 19 when he made his NASCAR debut at Daytona in 1984, finishing 23rd in his family-owned Chevy. The Liverpool, N.Y., native made 31 starts, including 15th in the '86 500.

Larry Pearson joined father David on the list in 1986, although his debut wasn't much to write home about. Engine problems sidelined him 29 laps into the race, leaving him 40th. He scored three top-10s in 57 career starts. Kirk Bryant's day was even shorter, as he crashed out five laps earlier and was credited with 41st in his only Daytona appearance.

The next Daytona debut came in 1989, courtesy of Dayton, Ohio's Lee Raymond. The two-time ARCA champion finished 26th in his only Cup appearance.

Jack-of-all trades Robby Gordon made his stock-car racing debut in the 1991 Daytona 500, finishing 18th in one of Junie Donlavey's Fords. His best 500 finish to this point was a sixth in the rain-shortened 2003 edition. Al Unser Jr. joined his father and uncle in 1993, crashing one of Rick Hendrick's Chevrolets on Lap 157 in his lone NASCAR start to date. In 1994, Robert Pressley made the first of 205 career starts, finishing 40th.

Twenty-time World of Outlaws champion Steve Kinser decided to give NASCAR a try in 1995 with Kenny Bernstein's operation, crashing early in the 500. Kinser, along with Chicago's Davy Jones, later drove in the Indianapolis 500.

Johnny Benson parlayed his Busch Series championship into a Cup ride in 1996, finishing three laps down in 23rd position. His one Cup win came at Rockingham in 2002. Three years later, Tony Stewart made a huge splash in his NASCAR debut, qualifying on the front row before winding up 28th.

The new millennium saw just eight more names added to the rolls. Scott Pruett (2000), Jason Leffler (2001), Casey Mears (2003), Brendan Gaughan (2004), Scott Riggs (2004), Kasey Kahne (2004), Brent Sherman (2006) and Dario Franchitti (2008) are the latest to use the Daytona 500 as their entry into stock-car racing's premier series, while Terry Cook is poised to do the same on Sunday.