Cup Series
The NASCAR Cup Series is the top-tier stock car racing series in the United States. The series began in 1949 as the Strictly Stock Division and ran races at Charlotte Speedway in its inaugural season. Red Byron won the first championship. Series naming has changed several times. It was known as the Grand National Division from 1950 to 1970, the Winston Cup Series from 1971 to 2003, the Nextel Cup Series from 2004 to 2007, the Sprint Cup Series from 2008 to 2016, and the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series from 2017 to 2019. Since 2020, NASCAR has operated the series under a tiered "Premier Partner" sponsorship model rather than a single title sponsor. Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, and Jimmie Johnson share the all-time record for Cup Series championships with seven each. Johnson holds the modern record for consecutive titles with five from 2006 to 2010. Petty holds the all-time wins record with 200. Kyle Larson is the reigning two-time Cup Series champion after winning his second title in 2025. The Cup Series schedule consists of 36 points-paying races plus the preseason Clash exhibition and the mid-season All-Star Race. The Daytona 500 opens the season as the series' most prestigious race. Other crown jewels include the Coca-Cola 600, the Brickyard 400, the Southern 500, and the All-Star Race itself. Sixteen drivers qualify for the postseason Chase, which culminates in a winner-take-all championship race.
