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The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Drivers' Championship is awarded by the chairman of NASCAR to the most successful Sprint Cup Series racing car driver over a season, as determined by a points system based on race results. The Drivers' Championship was first awarded in 1949 to Red Byron.[1] The first driver to win multiple Championships was Herb Thomas in 1951 and 1953. The current Drivers' Champion is Jimmie Johnson, who won his fifth consecutive championship in 2010.
Prior to 2004, the championship was decided by a cumulative point total based on finishing position in each race throughout the season, which meant drivers could clinch the championship before the final racing event. Since then the Sprint Cup Series changed its points system to make the battle for the championship more competitive. It is called "Chase to the Sprint Cup", in which after twenty-six races the top ten point positions will change based on wins while the last two positions will be filled by whoever has more victories who is 11-20 in points. Each race victory adds three extra points for the driver when the "Chase" starts.
Overall, twenty-eight different drivers have won the Championship, with Richard Petty[2] and Dale Earnhardt[3] holding the record for most titles at seven.
By season[edit]
| Season | Driver | Owner(s) | No. | Manufacturer | Starts | Wins | Top 10s | Poles | Points (margin) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | Red Byron | Raymond Parks | 22 | Oldsmobile | 6 (8) | 2 | 4 | 1 | 842.5 (117.5) |
| 1950 | Bill Rexford | Julian Buesink | 60 | 17 (19) | 1 | 11 | 0 | 1959 (110.5) | |
| 1951 | Herb Thomas | Self-owned | 92 | Hudson Hornet | 34 (41) | 7 | 18 | 4 | 4208.45 (146.2) |
| 1952 | Tim Flock | Ted Chester | 91 | 33 (34) | 8 | 25 | 4 | 6858.5 (106) | |
| 1953 | Herb Thomas (2) | Self-owned | 92 | 37 (37) | 12 | 31 | 12 | 8460 (646) | |
| 1954 | Lee Petty | 42 | Chrysler New Yorker | 34 (37) | 7 | 32 | 3 | 8649 (283) | |
| 1955 | Tim Flock (2) | Carl Kiekhaefer | 300 | Chrysler 300 | 39 (45) | 18 | 33 | 18 | 9596 (1508) |
| 1956 | Buck Baker | 300B | 48 (56) | 14 | 39 | 12 | 9272 (704) | ||
| 1957 | Buck Baker (2) | Self-owned | 87 | Chevrolet | 40 (53) | 10 | 38 | 6 | 10716 (760) |
| 1958 | Lee Petty (2) | 42 | Oldsmobile | 50 (51) | 7 | 43 | 4 | 12232 (644) | |
| 1959 | Lee Petty (3) | 42 | Plymouth | 42 (44) | 11 | 35 | 2 | 11792 (1830) | |
| 1960 | Rex White | 4 | Chevrolet Impala | 40 (44) | 6 | 35 | 3 | 21164 (3936) | |
| 1961 | Ned Jarrett | W.G. Holloway, Jr. | 11 | 46 (52) | 1 | 34 | 4 | 27272 (830) | |
| 1962 | Joe Weatherly | Bud Moore | 8 | Pontiac | 52 (53) | 9 | 45 | 7 | 30836 (2396) |
| 1963 | Joe Weatherly (2) | 8 | 53 (55) | 3 | 35 | 6 | 33398 (2228) | ||
| 1964 | Richard Petty | Self-owned | 43 | Plymouth Sport Fury | 61 (62) | 9 | 43 | 8 | 40252 (5302) |
| 1965 | Ned Jarrett (2) | Bondy Long | 11 | Ford Galaxie | 54 (55) | 13 | 45 | 9 | 38824 (3034) |
| 1966 | David Pearson | Cotton Owens | 6 | Dodge Charger | 42 (49) | 15 | 33 | 7 | 35638 (1950) |
| 1967 | Richard Petty (2) | Self-owned | 43 | Plymouth Satellite | 48 (49) | 27 | 40 | 18 | 42472 (6028) |
| 1968 | David Pearson (2) | Holman-Moody | 17 | Ford Torino | 48 (49) | 16 | 38 | 12 | 3499 (126) |
| 1969 | David Pearson (3) | 17 | 51 (54) | 11 | 44 | 14 | 4170 (357) | ||
| 1970 | Bobby Isaac | Nord Krauskopf | 71 | Dodge Charger | 47 (48) | 11 | 38 | 13 | 3911 (51) |
| 1971 | Richard Petty (3) | Self-owned | 43 | Plymouth Satellite | 46 (48) | 21 | 41 | 9 | 4435 (364) |
| 1972 | Richard Petty (4) | 43 | 31 (31) | 8 | 28 | 3 | 8701.4 (127.9) | ||
| 1973 | Benny Parsons | L.G. DeWitt | 72 | Chevrolet Chevelle | 28 (28) | 1 | 21 | 0 | 7173.8 (67.15) |
| 1974 | Richard Petty (5) | Self-owned | 43 | Dodge Charger | 30 (30) | 10 | 23 | 7 | 5037.75 (567.45) |
| 1975 | Richard Petty (6) | 43 | 30 (30) | 13 | 24 | 3 | 4783 (722) | ||
| 1976 | Cale Yarborough | Junior Johnson | 11 | Chevrolet Chevelle | 30 (30) | 9 | 23 | 2 | 4644 (195) |
| 1977 | Cale Yarborough (2) | 11 | Chevrolet Malibu | 30 (30) | 9 | 27 | 3 | 5000 (386) | |
| 1978 | Cale Yarborough (3) | 11 | Oldsmobile Cutlass | 30 (30) | 10 | 24 | 8 | 4841 (474) | |
| 1979 | Richard Petty (7) | Self-owned | 43 | Chevrolet Monte Carlo | 31 (31) | 5 | 27 | 1 | 4830 (11) |
| 1980 | Dale Earnhardt | Rod Osterlund | 2 | 31 (31) | 5 | 24 | 0 | 4661 (19) | |
| 1981 | Darrell Waltrip | Junior Johnson | 11 | Buick Regal | 31 (31) | 12 | 25 | 11 | 4880 (53) |
| 1982 | Darrell Waltrip (2) | 11 | 30 (30) | 12 | 20 | 7 | 4489 (72) | ||
| 1983 | Bobby Allison | Bill Gardner | 22 | 30 (30) | 6 | 25 | 0 | 4667 (47) | |
| 1984 | Terry Labonte | Billy Hagan | 44 | Chevrolet Monte Carlo | 30 (30) | 2 | 24 | 2 | 4508 (65) |
| 1985 | Darrell Waltrip (3) | Junior Johnson | 11 | 28 (28) | 3 | 21 | 4 | 4292 (101) | |
| 1986 | Dale Earnhardt (2) | Richard Childress | 3 | 29 (29) | 5 | 23 | 1 | 4468 (288) | |
| 1987 | Dale Earnhardt (3) | 3 | 29 (29) | 11 | 24 | 1 | 4696 (489) | ||
| 1988 | Bill Elliott | Harry Melling | 9 | Ford Thunderbird | 29 (29) | 6 | 22 | 6 | 4488 (24) |
| 1989 | Rusty Wallace | Raymond Beadle | 27 | Pontiac Grand Prix | 29 (29) | 6 | 20 | 4 | 4176 (12) |
| 1990 | Dale Earnhardt (4) | Richard Childress | 3 | Chevrolet Lumina | 29 (29) | 9 | 23 | 4 | 4430 (26) |
| 1991 | Dale Earnhardt (5) | 3 | 29 (29) | 4 | 21 | 0 | 4287 (195) | ||
| 1992 | Alan Kulwicki | Self-owned | 7 | Ford Thunderbird | 29 (29) | 2 | 17 | 6 | 4078 (10) |
| 1993 | Dale Earnhardt (6) | Richard Childress | 3 | Chevrolet Lumina | 30 (30) | 6 | 21 | 2 | 4526 (80) |
| 1994 | Dale Earnhardt (7) | 3 | 31 (31) | 4 | 25 | 2 | 4694 (444) | ||
| 1995 | Jeff Gordon | Rick Hendrick | 24 | Chevrolet Monte Carlo | 31 (31) | 7 | 23 | 8 | 4614 (34) |
| 1996 | Terry Labonte (2) | 5 | 31 (31) | 2 | 24 | 4 | 4657 (37) | ||
| 1997 | Jeff Gordon (2) | 24 | 32 (32) | 10 | 23 | 1 | 4710 (14) | ||
| 1998 | Jeff Gordon (3) | 24 | 33 (33) | 13 | 28 | 7 | 5328 (364) | ||
| 1999 | Dale Jarrett | Robert Yates | 88 | Ford Taurus | 34 (34) | 4 | 29 | 0 | 5262 (201) |
| 2000 | Bobby Labonte | Joe Gibbs | 18 | Pontiac Grand Prix | 34 (34) | 4 | 24 | 2 | 5130 (265) |
| 2001 | Jeff Gordon (4) | Rick Hendrick | 24 | Chevrolet Monte Carlo | 36 (36) | 6 | 24 | 6 | 5112 (349) |
| 2002 | Tony Stewart | Joe Gibbs | 20 | Pontiac Grand Prix | 36 (36) | 3 | 21 | 2 | 4800 (63) |
| 2003 | Matt Kenseth | Mark Martin Jack Roush |
17 | Ford Taurus | 36 (36) | 1 | 25 | 0 | 5022 (90) |
| 2004 | Kurt Busch | Jack Roush | 97 | 36 (36) | 3 | 21 | 1 | 6506 (8) | |
| 2005 | Tony Stewart (2) | Joe Gibbs | 20 | Chevrolet Monte Carlo | 36 (36) | 5 | 25 | 3 | 6533 (35) |
| 2006 | Jimmie Johnson | Jeff Gordon Rick Hendrick |
48 | Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS | 36 (36) | 5 | 24 | 1 | 6475 (56) |
| 2007 | Jimmie Johnson (2) | 48 | Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS Chevrolet Impala SS |
36 (36) | 10 | 24 | 4 | 6723 (77) | |
| 2008 | Jeff Gordon (5) | Rick Hendrick | 24 | Chevrolet Impala SS | 36 (36) | 6 | 24 | 3 | 6684 (69) |
By drivers[edit]
| Driver | Total | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Richard Petty | 7 | 1964, 1967, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1979 |
| Dale Earnhardt | 7 | 1980, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994 |
| Jimmie Johnson | 5 | 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 |
| Jeff Gordon | 4 | 1995, 1997, 1998, 2001 |
| Lee Petty | 3 | 1954, 1958, 1959 |
| David Pearson | 3 | 1966, 1968, 1969 |
| Cale Yarborough | 3 | 1976, 1977, 1978 |
| Darrell Waltrip | 3 | 1981, 1982, 1985 |
| Tony Stewart | 3 | 2002, 2005, 2011 |
| Herb Thomas | 2 | 1951, 1953 |
| Tim Flock | 2 | 1952, 1955 |
| Buck Baker | 2 | 1956, 1957 |
| Joe Weatherly | 2 | 1962, 1963 |
| Ned Jarrett | 2 | 1961, 1965 |
| Terry Labonte | 2 | 1984, 1996 |
| Red Byron | 1 | 1949 |
| Bill Rexford | 1 | 1950 |
| Rex White | 1 | 1960 |
| Bobby Isaac | 1 | 1970 |
| Benny Parsons | 1 | 1973 |
| Bobby Allison | 1 | 1983 |
| Bill Elliott | 1 | 1988 |
| Rusty Wallace | 1 | 1989 |
| Alan Kulwicki | 1 | 1992 |
| Dale Jarrett | 1 | 1999 |
| Bobby Labonte | 1 | 2000 |
| Matt Kenseth | 1 | 2003 |
| Kurt Busch | 1 | 2004 |
By manufacturer[edit]
| Manufacturer | Total |
|---|---|
 Chevrolet
|
32 |
| Ford
|
8 |
| Plymouth
|
5 |
| Pontiac
|
5 |
| Dodge
|
4 |
| Oldsmobile
|
4 |
| Hudson
|
3 |
| Chrysler
|
3 |
| Buick
|
3 |
 Toyota
|
0 |
Manufacturers in bold are still competing in the Sprint Cup Series Championship.
Records[edit]
Ten drivers have achieved consecutive wins in the Sprint Cup Series Drivers' Championship.
| Championships | Driver | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Cale Yarborough | 1976–1978 |
| 2 | Buck Baker | 1956–1957 |
| Lee Petty | 1958–1959 | |
| Joe Weatherly | 1962–1963 | |
| Richard Petty | 1971–1972, 1974-1975 | |
| Darrell Waltrip | 1981–1982 | |
| David Pearson | 1968–1969 | |
| Dale Earnhardt | 1986–1987, 1990 – 1991, 1993 – 1994 | |
| Jeff Gordon | 1997–1998 |
See also[edit]
- NASCAR
- Sprint Cup Series
- List of NASCAR Nationwide Series champions
- List of NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champions
- List of NASCAR all-time cup winners
- List of NASCAR teams
- List of NASCAR drivers
- List of NASCAR race tracks
References[edit]
- General
- "Sprint Cup Series Driver's and Manufacturer Champions". Racing-Reference. Retrieved June 21, 2010.
- "Manufacturer Championships 1949 - 2009". Jayski.com. Retrieved June 21, 2010.
- "List of NASCAR All-Time Sprint Cup Series Winners". Jayski.com. Retrieved June 23, 2010.
- Specific
- ^ "Red Byron — First NASCAR Champion". Decades of Racing.Net. Retrieved 22 June 2010.
- ^ "Richard Petty Information". NASCAR.com. Retrieved 22 June 2010.
- ^ "Earnhardt Information". Sport Illustrated. Retrieved 22 June 2010.
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