Daytona 500 2015: Underdogs Who Will Contend in Great American Race

The brightest stars in NASCAR will be on display during the Daytona 500 to kick off the season. On a track where anything can happen, the stage might also be set for an unknown to shock the sport.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., Matt Kenseth and Jimmie Johnson will each be hunting for a third win at the track, while Jeff Gordon has aspirations of earning his fourth. However, the door is open for an unheralded driver to steal the checkered flag.

Leading up to NASCAR's equivalent of the Super Bowl, here is a look at the dark horses who will rise to the challenge Sunday afternoon.

Martin Truex Jr., Furniture Row Racing

Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

Everyone loves an underdog. That's exactly what Martin Truex Jr. has been throughout his career.

The 34-year-old started his Sprint Cup career with the now-defunct Dale Earnhardt, Inc. before moving to Michael Waltrip Racing. His NAPA sponsorship was pulled due to a controversy at Richmond prior to the 2014 season.

Furniture Row Racing signed Truex full time ahead of last year's Daytona 500. He responded by qualifying on the front row in the season opener. Times wouldn't get much easier, however, as his longtime girlfriend, Sherry Pollex, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

Referencing the trying 2014 season, Truex made it clear it was the toughest of his career, via Jared Turner of FoxSports.com:

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Nothing even comes close. ... Honestly, there was times last year that I felt like when Thursday came around and it was time to go to the racetrack, I really enjoyed that. I needed that getaway. I needed to get to the racetrack and take out some frustration and get with the guys and be a part of the team, even though it wasn't good.

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In need of some good news to start 2015, Truex got just that in the Sprint Unlimited. His Furniture Row machine led 29 of 75 laps in the exhibition but was overtaken by Kenseth and finished second.

The race was a huge morale boost for Truex, but it might also be a sign of what's to come.

Needing some help late in the race to catch Kenseth, Truex was left out to dry by Carl Edwards, Kenseth's teammate. Truex discussed what took place, via Jenna Fryer of The Associated Press:

Even in a Chevrolet, Truex might have a difficult time finding partners to draft with if he gets to clean air. That might present some issues for the single-car team, but he has the skill and speed to pull off a strong finish.

Ryan Blaney, Wood Brothers

Speaking of single-car teams that can compete at Daytona, no crew personifies that more than the Wood Brothers. In 2011, Trevor Bayne drove a Wood Brothers car to Victory Lane in the Great American Race.

Now that Bayne has moved on to drive with Roush Fenway Racing, another young gun is ready to take the reins.

Ryan Blaney, a 21-year-old driver from High Point, North Carolina, took the Camping World Truck Series by storm last year. He finished second in points with Brad Keselowski Racing and won races at the Truck and Xfinity levels.

Blaney spoke about trying to produce another Cinderella story for the Wood Brothers, per Jeff Owens of Sporting News:

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We’re going to try to make that happen, and we’ve got a team to do it. We have a very fast car for the 500 and a fast car for this whole year. They’ve worked really hard on our speedway car and they are very confident going into it.

Just the history of this car with that race it would be just amazing. I hope we can pull a Trevor Bayne moment.

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In the past two seasons, Blaney has consistently finished in the top 10 at Daytona in the Truck Series. Though he doesn't have a wealth of experience in a stock car at a superspeedway, he should be ready to jump into the mix in the No. 21 machine at the end of Speedweeks.

Having an alliance with Team Penske drivers Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano, Blaney should have no problem finding success. After moving up from Keselowski's team to the big time, Blaney might be able to put Bayne's success in the rearview mirror Sunday.

Casey Mears, Germain Racing

Jeff Curry/Getty Images

Moving away from the young drivers, Casey Mears is a driver who got in on a wing and a prayer. He might not be a contender to hoist the Harley J. Earl Trophy, but Mears has put together an impressive Speedweeks.

However, that almost came to an end Thursday night when he suffered a blown engine. Mears spoke about the issue, via Jeff Gluck of USA Today:

Rarely able to capture a top-20 finish last season, Mears has the speed to compete in Daytona. Even with the odds stacked against him, he found a way into the race in a provisional spot. Mears expressed his excitement on Twitter:

In both events at the famed track, Mears finished in the top 10. On Sunday, he'll need consistency and a clean car to make a difference in the race.

Given his progress in the restrictor-plate event, Mears might be a surprising car to watch.

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