By MARK DeCOTIS
Florida Today

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Drivers and fans are hoping Saturday night's Bud Shootout at Daytona will answer a few questions about what the 2003 Winston Cup season holds.

Key among them:

How will the new aero-matched or common-template bodies perform in the draft and will they result in more competitive racing?

How will the smaller fuel cell NASCAR has mandated for restrictor-plate tracks affect the race, and will pit stops be the determining factor?

What team has worked hardest in the short offseason and done the best job of figuring things out for 2003?

The questions could very well all be answered after 70 laps of racing Saturday night. Or they could come next week, when the teams park the backup cars they run in the Shootout in favor of the primary cars they will run during qualifying and next Sunday's Daytona 500.

The bet here is the some drivers will be happy with how their cars handle and some won't. The smaller fuel tank won't be much of a factor on the track and the teams with the deepest resources will continue to set the pace.

To pass the time until then, let's take a look at the 19 drivers in the Shootout and who I think will win.

Here's the starting lineup, determined by a random drawing on Thursday.

1. Geoffrey Bodine. Forget it. While the eldest of the racing Bodines proved he can still get it done it by finishing third in the 2002 Daytona 500, he will be driving a car owned by his brother, Brett, a perennial back marker in Cup. Enough said. Odds: 100-1.

2. Jimmie Johnson. Has as good a chance as anybody. Sat on pole for the 2001 Daytona 500 and has magic in his eyes and his right foot. Odds: 4-1.

3. Kurt Busch. A gambler who backs down from no one. That is key in an all-star race. Odds: 4-1.

4. Ricky Rudd. The old gunslinger says he still has the fire in his belly and gets his chance to prove it. The key is his new Woods Brothers horse. Odds: 5-1.

5. Matt Kenseth. He runs silent, staying below the radar to the end when he turns on the afterburners. He won a season-high five Cup races in 2002. Odds: 5-1.

6. Ricky Craven. Nice guys usually don't win all-star races. The unknown for Craven is his new Pontiac ride. Odds: 10-1.

7. Dale Jarrett: Another old-timer who knows how to win the Shootout. He has two trophies, he's fast and he's wily. Don't count him out. Odds: 3-1.

8. Todd Bodine: One thing is for sure: Fans and fellow drivers will know the youngest Bodine is in the race. Could hook up with Geoffrey to cause havoc, but then again, he's perfectly capable of doing that on his own. Odds: 25-1.

9. Mark Martin: Fast and furious on the track in pursuit of victory, Martin also has a Shootout title. Few are better at keeping their race car around to the end of the race. Odds: 4-1.

10. Ward Burton: Another quiet racer who can work his way through the field to be a factor to the end. He won the 2002 Daytona 500. Anything is possible. Odds: 10-1.

11. Ken Schrader: A two-time Shootout winner, Schrader is in a new ride - the former BAM Dodge, which was a dog in 2002. Odds: 50-1.

12. Tony Stewart: The two-time defending race champ. The 2002 Winston Cup champ. Need we say more? Stewart held off Dale Earnhardt to win his first Shootout and Dale Earnhardt Jr. to win his second. In his new Chevy ride, he will win No. 3. Odds: 2-1.

13. Bill Elliott: The redhead last won the Shootout in 1987, but never, ever can be counted out in a money race on a big track. The big question: Is his Dodge up to the challenge? Odds: 6-1.

14. Rusty Wallace: Seated in a slick, fast new Dodge and spurred by hard-charging young teammate Ryan Newman, this could be Rusty's year. He won the event in 1998 and a victory would surely salivate fans who will take home a free six-pack of Miller Lite if Rusty captures the 500. Odds: 5-1.

15. Ryan Newman: Last season's Rookie of the Year, Newman is quiet off the track but a bulldog behind the wheel. He won The Winston all-star race in 2002, holding off Earnhardt Jr. and seems to have taken well to his new Dodge. He could be a surprise winner. Odds: 6-1.

16. Kevin Harvick: Harvick loves to race and the Shootout is his kind of event. He says the new Chevy Monte Carlo is fast. Fans would love to see the No. 29 Goodwrench car in victory lane. Odds: 5-1.

17. Terry Labonte: He won the Shootout in 1985, but won't win this year. Odds: 50-1.

18. Jeff Gordon: Another two-time Shootout winner, Gordon has a throne to reclaim this season as NASCAR's best driver, and a win could give him a big boost. The big question: does he have his rotten luck behind him? Odds: 4-1.

19. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Mr. Restrictor Plate. Swept the Talladega races in 2002, was second in the 2001 Daytona 500 and took sixth in the 2002 Pepsi 400. It will come down to Earnhardt and Stewart. Odds: 3-1.