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Each year, NASCAR crowns a champion based on a points system. The point system was in a constant state of flux during NASCAR’s early years – one system awarded more points to races with larger purses, another awarded points based on race distance – until 1975, when the current system was adopted.
The current points system awards points based on final position, with a five-point bonus for leading a lap and an additional five points to the driver who leads the most laps. The Nextel Cup season consists of 36 points races, and drivers must qualify for one of the 43 spots in the field.
In 2004, NASCAR began its Chase for the Championship system of determining the champion. After the first 26 races, the top 10 drivers in the points standings, and any drivers who are within 400 points of the leader, qualify for the Chase for the Championship, a 10-race playoff that determines the Nextel Cup Champion. Those drivers that do not make the Chase continue to race in the final 10 races, though they are no longer eligible for the championship. The Chase format began in 2004, when Nextel took over from Winston as the title sponsor.
2006 Jimmie Johnson
2005 Tony Stewart
2004 Kurt Busch
2003 Matt Kenseth
2002 Tony Stewart
2001 Jeff Gordon
2000 Bobby Labonte
1999 Dale Jarrett
1998 Jeff Gordon
1997 Jeff Gordon
1996 Terry Labonte
1995 Jeff Gordon
1994 Dale Earnhardt
1993 Dale Earnhardt
1992 Alan Kulwicki
1991 Dale Earnhardt
1990 Dale Earnhardt
1989 Rusty Wallace
1988 Bill Elliott
1987 Dale Earnhardt
1986 Dale Earnhardt
1985 Darrell Waltrip
1984 Terry Labonte
1983 Bobby Allison
1982 Darrell Waltrip
1981 Darrell Waltrip
1980 Dale Earnhardt
1979 Richard Petty
1978 Cale Yarborough
1977 Cale Yarborough
1976 Cale Yarborough
1975 Richard Petty
1974 Richard Petty
1973 Benny Parsons
1972 Richard Petty
1971 Richard Petty
1970 Bobby Isaac
1969 David Pearson
1968 David Pearson
1967 Richard Petty
1966 David Pearson
1965 Ned Jarrett
1964 Richard Petty
1963 Joe Weatherly
1962 Joe Weatherly
1961 Ned Jarrett
1960 Rex White
1959 Lee Petty
1958 Lee Petty
1957Buck Baker
1956 Buck Baker
1955 Tim Flock
1954 Lee Petty
1953 Herb Thomas
1952 Tim Flock
1951 Herb Thomas
1950 Bill Rexford
1949 Red Byron
See also:
The current points system awards points based on final position, with a five-point bonus for leading a lap and an additional five points to the driver who leads the most laps. The Nextel Cup season consists of 36 points races, and drivers must qualify for one of the 43 spots in the field.
In 2004, NASCAR began its Chase for the Championship system of determining the champion. After the first 26 races, the top 10 drivers in the points standings, and any drivers who are within 400 points of the leader, qualify for the Chase for the Championship, a 10-race playoff that determines the Nextel Cup Champion. Those drivers that do not make the Chase continue to race in the final 10 races, though they are no longer eligible for the championship. The Chase format began in 2004, when Nextel took over from Winston as the title sponsor.
Nextel Cup Champions
2006 Jimmie Johnson
2005 Tony Stewart
2004 Kurt Busch
Winston Cup Champions
2003 Matt Kenseth
2002 Tony Stewart
2001 Jeff Gordon
2000 Bobby Labonte
1999 Dale Jarrett
1998 Jeff Gordon
1997 Jeff Gordon
1996 Terry Labonte
1995 Jeff Gordon
1994 Dale Earnhardt
1993 Dale Earnhardt
1992 Alan Kulwicki
1991 Dale Earnhardt
1990 Dale Earnhardt
1989 Rusty Wallace
1988 Bill Elliott
1987 Dale Earnhardt
1986 Dale Earnhardt
1985 Darrell Waltrip
1984 Terry Labonte
1983 Bobby Allison
1982 Darrell Waltrip
1981 Darrell Waltrip
1980 Dale Earnhardt
1979 Richard Petty
1978 Cale Yarborough
1977 Cale Yarborough
1976 Cale Yarborough
1975 Richard Petty
1974 Richard Petty
1973 Benny Parsons
1972 Richard Petty
Grand National Champions
1971 Richard Petty
1970 Bobby Isaac
1969 David Pearson
1968 David Pearson
1967 Richard Petty
1966 David Pearson
1965 Ned Jarrett
1964 Richard Petty
1963 Joe Weatherly
1962 Joe Weatherly
1961 Ned Jarrett
1960 Rex White
1959 Lee Petty
1958 Lee Petty
1957Buck Baker
1956 Buck Baker
1955 Tim Flock
1954 Lee Petty
1953 Herb Thomas
1952 Tim Flock
1951 Herb Thomas
1950 Bill Rexford
1949 Red Byron
See also:
