| current season | |
| |
| Series information | |
|---|---|
| Governing body | NASCAR |
| Inaugural season | 1949 |
| Series name | Strictly Stock Series (1949) Grand National Series (1950-1970) Winston Cup Grand National Series
(1971-1985) |
| Competition information | |
| No. of races | 36 |
| First Race | Daytona 500 (February) |
| Last Race | Season Finale 500 (November) |
| Stock car | Gen 7 |
| Manufacturers | Chevrolet Ford Toyota |
| Tire supplier | Goodyear |
| Chase for the Cup | |
| Recent champ. | Ryan Blaney (Team Penske) |
| Most champ.: | Richard Petty (7) Dale Earnhardt (7) Jimmie Johnson (7) |
| Youngest champ.: | Bill Rexford (age 23) Jeff Gordon (age 24) (modern era) |
The NASCAR Cup Series is a top level stock car racing series in NASCAR. The Series began in 1949 as the Strictly Stock Series, running 8 races. Red Byron was the first Cup champion. The Series has had several sponsor names: Winston Cup Series (1971-2003), Nextel Cup Series (2004-2007), Sprint Cup Series (2008-2016) and the Monster Energy Cup Series (2017-2019). In 2019 NASCAR rejected Monster Energy's extension on the naming rights deal deciding to revert the name back to the Cup Series, going with a similar approach as other major professional sports organizations renaming series sponsors as premier partners. There are 4 premier partners: Busch Beer, Coca-Cola, GEICO, and Xfinity.
Chase for the Championship[]
Short-track racing, the grassroots of NASCAR, began experimenting with ideas to help the entry-level racer. In 2001, the United Speed Alliance Racing organization, the sanctioning body of the Hooters ProCup, a late-model series, devised a five-race playoff system where the top teams in their Hooters ProCup North and Hooters ProCup South divisions would participate in a five-race playoff, the Four Champions, named for the four Hooters Racing staff members (including 1992 NASCAR champion Alan Kulwicki) and pilot killed in an April 1, 1993 plane crash in Blountville, Tennessee. The system organized the teams with starting points based on the team's performance in their division (division champions earn a bonus), and the teams would participate in a five-race playoff. The five races, added to the team's seeding points, would determine the winner. The 2001 version was four races, as one was canceled because of the September 11th terrorist attacks; however, NASCAR watched as the ProCup's Four Champions became a success, and drivers from the series began looking at NASCAR rides.
When Nextel took over NASCAR's premier sponsorship for the 2004 season, they looked to USAR and the Hooters ProCup for two major changes in scoring. First, five additional points were added for a race win. Second, a new formula for declaring a series champion based on the ProCup system was devised. A cut was made after 26 teams, with the high ten drivers and teams plus ties, and anyone within 400 points of the leader placed in the Chase for the Championship (or simply "The Chase"). The Chase participants have their points increased to a level mathematically unattainable by anyone outside this field (roughly 1800 points ahead of the first driver outside of the Chase), which usually is 5,050 points for the leader, with other positions dropping by five points per position, with a limit of 5,000 points after ties and the 400 point cut. Race layouts remain the same and points are scored the same way in the final 10 races. Whoever leads in points after the 36th race is declared the Sprint Cup champion. A special award is also given to the highest finishing non-Chase driver to encourage continued competition among all drivers -- which usually includes the final position on the stage for the awards banquet.
This playoff system was implemented primarily to make the points race more competitive late in the season, and indirectly, to increase television ratings during the NFL season, which starts around the same time as the Chase begins. Furthermore, the Chase also forces teams to perform at their best during all three stages of the season -- the first half of the regular season, the second half of the regular season, and the Chase.
Previously, the Cup champion may have been decided before the last race (or even several races before the end of the season) because it was mathematically impossible for any other driver to gain enough points to overtake the leader.
From 2004-2006 the Chase was shown on NBC and TNT. Beginning in 2007, ABC has acquired the license to air the Chase, until 2014.
From the beginning of championship series until 1967 championship points were based on prize money purses. Races with lesser purses paid fewer points than races with bigger purses.
First NASCAR point system used for the championship from 1949 till 1951 awarded points on basis 10 points for the 1st place, 9 pts for 2nd, 8 pts for 3rd and so on, multiplied by 0.05*race purse (Race worth $4000 paid 200 points to the winner, 180 for 2nd place...). No info about how many points were given to drivers finishing below 10th place.
From 1952 till 1967 NASCAR point system was based on a linear scale for first 25 positions: 25-24-23-... Coefficients changed, but they were always depending on prize money. From 25th place down there were awarded the same number of points.
In 1968 NASCAR started to award points depending on race distance, not prize money. The point system was 50-49-48-... multiplied by 1 for events to 249 miles, 2 for events 250-399 miles and 3 for events 400 miles and more. The system stopped from 50th place. This system was in use until the end of 1971 season.
In 1972, together with shortening the schedule, the point system was also modified. Basic points of 100-98-96-... were awarded for each race. Additionally, lap points were awarded for the number of laps completed. Tracks under 1 mile, 0.25 points a lap; 1-mile tracks, 0.50; 1.3-mile track (Darlington), 0.70; 1.5-mile tracks, 0.75; 2-mile tracks (Michigan), 1.00; tracks 2.5 miles and over, 1.25. This system was also used in 1973.
In 1974 points system was simple: Total money winnings from all track purses (qualifying and contingency awards did not count), in dollars, multiplied by the number of races started, and the resulting figure divided by 1,000 determined the number of points earned. By the end of the season Richard Petty had such a big lead in points, that he increased it even by finishing 30th while his main rival Cale Yarborough made a top-5 (Remember - the money was multiplied by the number of races started. Even if Cale made more money in one particular race when the total money was multiplied by e. g. 27, the difference between the two leaders could also increase in comparison with the situation after race 26).
Current NASCAR's points system was developed in 1975 following years of trouble in trying to develop a points system -- from 1949 until 1971, six different systems were used, and in 1972, NASCAR used a different system each year for the next three years.
That type of inconsistency, which included a system which rewarded most mileage for the entire season, and then another year where mileage and finishing positions were counted, favored larger circuits, and some fans complained about a champion who only won one race. That resulted in a 1974 ill-fated attempt at basing the points system on money and starts. Even though one driver won consecutive races, his opponent who had won the big money races had scored more points.
Bob Latford, a former public relations official at Lowe's Motor Speedway, devised NASCAR's most popular points system, which was adopted in 1975, which NASCAR used two different versions for their series from 1982 until 1998. In the system, the winner received 175 points, second 170 points, and other positions exactly the same as the current points system.
Until 1998, the Busch Series points system offered 180 points for the winner, but no bonuses for leading laps. The same was true for the Craftsman Truck Series until the end of that season, when NASCAR decided to standardize the points system for their series.
One complaint about the points system was how a driver could finish second and receive an equal number of points as a race winner, which was possible if the driver who led the most laps finished second. NASCAR fixed the problem in 2004 by adding five points to the winner.
Cup Driver's Championship[]
After the 26th race with ten races to go, the Driver's Championship points are changed in accordance with the "Chase for the Cup", with the leader in championship points having their total altered to 5050 points, second place altered to 5045, and so on for all eligible drivers.
One important note is that the points system does not change after the 26th race. (during the "Chase for the Cup") While the only drivers eligible for the championship are those in the chase, all points are awarded in the same manner. Another important note is that only the Sprint Cup standings points are altered, not for any other series in NASCAR -- Nationwide, Craftsman Truck, or the regional series -- AutoZone Elite Division series (four, Northwest, Southwest, Southeast, Midwest), Grand National Division series (two, North and West), or Whelen Modified Tours (two, North and South).
Champions[]
see list of Cup Series champions
Cup tracks[]
See also: List of NASCAR race tracks
| Current NASCAR Cup Series tracks | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Motor Speedway Hampton, GA |
Auto Club Speedway Fontana, CA |
Bristol Motor Speedway Bristol, TN |
Charlotte Motor Speedway Concord, NC |
Chicago Street Course Chicago, IL |
| Circuit of the Americas Austin, TX |
Darlington Raceway Darlington, SC |
Daytona International Speedway Daytona Beach, FL |
Dover Motor Speedway Dover, DE |
Homestead-Miami Speedway Homestead, FL |
| Indianapolis Motor Speedway Speedway, IN |
Kansas Speedway Kansas Cty, KS |
Las Vegas Motor Speedway Las Vegas, NV |
Martinsville Speedway Martinsville, VA |
Michigan International Speedway Brooklyn, MI |
| Nashville Superspeedway Lebanon, TN |
New Hampshire Motor Speedway Loudon, NH |
North Wilkesboro Speedway North Wilkesboro, NC |
Phoenix Raceway Avondale, AZ |
Pocono Raceway Long Pond, PA |
| Sonoma Raceway Sonoma, CA |
Richmond Raceway Richmond, VA |
Talladega Superspeedway Talladega, AL |
Texas Motor Speedway Fort Worth, TX |
Watkins Glen International Watkins Glen, NY |
| World Wide Technology Raceway Madison, Il |
||||
Manufacturer history[]
| Manufacturer | Model | Years active |
|---|---|---|
 American Motors
|
Hudson Hornet | Early 1950's |
| AMC Matador | 1971-1978 | |
| Buick
| ||
| Buick Gran Sport | 1970's | |
| Buick Century | 1976-1980 | |
| Buick Regal | 1981-1985 | |
| Buick LaSabre | 1986-1987 | |
| Buick Regal | 1988-1991 | |
| Chevrolet
| ||
| Chevrolet Bel Air | 1952-1958 | |
| Chevrolet Chevelle | 1964-1980 | |
| Chevrolet Impala | 1979-1980 | |
| Chevrolet Monte Carlo | 1971-1988 | |
| Chevrolet Lumina | 1989-1994 | |
| Chevrolet Monte Carlo | 1995-2006 | |
| Chevrolet Monte Carlo (COT) | 2007 | |
| Chevrolet Impala (COT) | 2008-2010 | |
| Chevrolet Impala | 2011-2012 | |
| Chevrolet SS | 2013-2017 | |
| Chevrolet Camaro ZL1/ZL1 1LE | 2018-present | |
| Dodge
| ||
| DeSoto | 1952 | |
| Dodge Coronet | 1953-1957 | |
| DeSoto | 1959 | |
| Dodge 440 | 1964 | |
| Dodge Coronet | 1965-1968 | |
| Dodge Charger/Dodge Daytona | 1966-1977 | |
| Dodge Magnum | 1978-1980 | |
| Dodge Mirada | 1981-1985 | |
| Dodge Intrepid | 2001-2004 | |
| Dodge Charger R/T | 2005-2006 | |
| Dodge Avenger (COT version used in 2007) | 2007 | |
| Dodger Charger R/T (COT) | 2008-2010 | |
| Dodge Charger R/T | 2011-2012 | |
| Ford
| ||
| Ford Fairlane | 1955-1959, 1966-1967 | |
| Ford Galaxie | 1960-1966 | |
| Ford Torino | 1968-1977 | |
| Ford Thunderbird | 1959-1960, 1977-1997 | |
| Ford Taurus | 1998-2005 | |
| Ford Fusion (COT) | 2006-2010 | |
| Ford Fusion | 2011-2018 | |
| Ford Mustang | 2019-present | |
 Toyota
| ||
| Toyota Camry (COT) | 2007-2010 | |
| Toyota Camry | 2011-present |
Most championships won[]
| Titles | Driver | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Richard Petty | 1964, 1967, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1979 |
| Dale Earnhardt | 1980, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994 | |
| Jimmie Johnson | 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2016 | |
| 4 | Jeff Gordon | 1995, 1997, 1998, 2001 |
| 3 | Lee Petty | 1954, 1958, 1959 |
| David Pearson | 1966, 1968, 1969 | |
| Cale Yarborough | 1976, 1977, 1978 | |
| Darrell Waltrip | 1981, 1982, 1985 | |
| Tony Stewart | 2002, 2005, 2011 | |
| 2 | Herb Thomas | 1951, 1953 |
| Tim Flock | 1952, 1955 | |
| Buck Baker | 1956, 1957 | |
| Ned Jarrett | 1961, 1965 | |
| Joe Weatherly | 1962, 1963 | |
| Terry Labonte | 1984, 1996 | |
| Kyle Busch | 2015, 2019 | |
| Joey Logano | 2018, 2022 |
NASCAR Cup Series trivia[]
- The youngest Cup champion was Bill Rexford in 1950, the oldest was Richard Petty in 1979.
- In the modern era Jeff Gordon is the youngest champion.
- Benny Parsons, Bill Rexford, and Matt Kenseth are the only series champions to have one single series victory and still win the title.
- Alan Kulwicki was the last single car owner to win the series title.
- The Bill France Cup trophy is made out of machined aluminum and is adorned by the outlines of all 23 NASCAR Cup Series tracks. It is 37 inches tall and weighs 68 pounds and can hold nearly 600 ounces of liquid.
- The Cup Series awards banquet is held at the Music City Center in Nashville, Tennessee.
- Tony Stewart and Cale Yarborough are the only drivers to finish last in the Daytona 500 and still win the Cup Series title later in the season.
- The Pettys (Lee Petty and Richard Petty), the Jarretts (Ned Jarrett and Dale Jarrett), and the Elliotts (Bill Elliott and Chase Elliott) are the only father-son duos to win Cup Series titles.
- The Labonte brothers (Bobby Labonte and Terry Labonte), and the Busch brothers (Kurt Busch and Kyle Busch) are the only two set of brothers to win the series championship.
- Richard Petty is the single season winning-est driver with an unprecedented 27 wins in 1967; additionally, this season he was also the first to break the $100,000 barrier in earnings.