The NASCAR Cup Series Drivers' Championship is awarded by the chairman of NASCAR to the most successful NASCAR 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. The first driver to win multiple Championships was Herb Thomas in 1951 and 1953. The current Drivers' Champion is Kyle Larson, who won his second NASCAR Cup Series championship in 2025.
The NASCAR points system has undergone several incarnations since its initial implementation. Originally, races awarded points by a complicated system based upon final positioning and weighted by prize money purses, such that higher-paying events gave more points. Soon after the advent of the modern era in 1972, the championship was decided by a more basic cumulative point total based solely upon a driver's finishing position in each race. In order to reduce the possibility of a driver clinching before the final event, NASCAR implemented the "Chase for the Cup" in 2004 which, with minor modifications from 2004 to 2013, more radical changes in 2014 and a simpler revamp in 2026, stands as the current format. Before the final ten races, the top 16 drivers, based exclusively on points, have their points reset to an amount based on their position prior to the reset. With these changes, the last Drivers' Champion to clinch before the final race was Matt Kenseth in 2003.
Overall, thirty-six different drivers have won the Championship, with Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, and Jimmie Johnson holding the record for most titles at seven. Johnson has the record for most consecutive Drivers' Championships, winning five from 2006 to 2010. Thus far, every champion has originated from the United States. Byron has the fewest number of race starts before winning his first title with six in 1949. Bill Rexford is the youngest Cup Series champion; he was 23 years, 7 months, and 15 days old when he won the title in 1950. Bobby Allison is the oldest Cup Series champion; he was 45 years, 11 months, and 17 days old when he won the championship in 1983.
By season Points format history: List of NASCAR points scoring systems, NASCAR playoffs YearDriverOwner(s)/TeamsGapFull season points format 1949Red ByronRaymond Parks 22 Oldsmobile 1 2 4 842.5 117.5 1950Bill RexfordJulian Buesink 82059606280 Oldsmobile 0 1 11 1,959 110.5 1951Herb Thomas (1) Herb Thomas (1) 92 PlymouthHudsonOldsmobile 4 7 18 4,208.45 146.2 Marshall Teague 6 Leonard Tippett 99 Hubert Westmoreland (1) 2 1952Tim Flock (1) Ted Chester 91 Hudson 4 8 25 6,858.5 106 1953Herb Thomas (2)Herb Thomas (2) 92 Hudson (3) 12 12 31 8,460 646 1954Lee Petty (1) Petty Enterprises (1) 42 ChryslerDodge 3 7 32 8,649 283 Gary Drake 100 Oldsmobile 1955Tim Flock (2) Carl Kiekhaefer (1) 300301 Chrysler 18 18 33 9,596 1,508 Hubert Westmoreland (2) 2 Chevrolet 1956Buck Baker (1) Carl Kiekhaefer (2)0087300300C301500B502 ChryslerDodge 12 14 39 9,272 704 James Satcher87Ford John Whitford31 1957Buck Baker (2) Buck Baker 87 Chevrolet 6 10 38 10,716 760 Hugh Babb 1958Lee Petty (2) Petty Enterprises (2) 42 Oldsmobile 4 7 43 12,232 644 1959Lee Petty (3) Petty Enterprises (3) 4243 OldsmobilePlymouth 2 11 35 11,792 1,830 1960Rex White Rex White 4 Chevrolet 3 6 35 21,164 3,936 L.D. Austin 74 Beau Morgan 15Ford Scotty Cain 41 1961Ned Jarrett (1) Ned Jarrett 11 FordChevrolet 4 1 34 27,272 830 B.G. Holloway 1962Joe Weatherly (1) Bud Moore (1) 8 Pontiac 7 9 45 30,836 2,396 Fred Harb 17 Ford 1963Joe Weatherly (2) Bud Moore (2) 8 MercuryPontiac 6 3 35 33,398 2,228 Floyd Powell 17 Pontiac Pete Stewart 57 Cliff Stewart 2 Possum Jones 05 Worth McMillion 83 Major Melton 88 Chrysler (4) Petty Enterprises (4) 41 Plymouth Wade Younts 36361 Dodge 1964Richard Petty (1) Petty Enterprises (5) 414243 Plymouth 8 9 43 40,252 5,302 1965Ned Jarrett (2) Bondy Long 11 Ford 9 13 45 38,824 3,034 Jabe Thomas 25 1966David Pearson (1) Cotton Owens 6 Dodge 7 15 33 35,638 1,950 1967Richard Petty (2) Petty Enterprises (6) 43 Plymouth 18 27 40 42,472 6,028 1968David Pearson (2) Holman-Moody (1) 17 Ford 12 16 38 3,499 126 Roy Trantham84 1969David Pearson (3) Holman-Moody (2) 17 Ford 13 11 44 4,170 357 1970Bobby Isaac Nord Krauskopf 71 Dodge 13 11 38 3,911 51 1971Richard Petty (3) Petty Enterprises (7) 43 Plymouth 9 21 41 4,435 364 1972Richard Petty (4) Petty Enterprises (8) 43 DodgePlymouth (7) 3 8 28 8,701.4 127.9 1973Benny Parsons L.G. DeWitt 72 ChevroletMercury (2) 0 1 21 7,173.8 67.15 1974Richard Petty (5) Petty Enterprises (9) 43 Dodge 7 10 23 5,037.75 567.45 1975Richard Petty (6) Petty Enterprises (10) 43 Dodge 3 13 24 4,783 722 1976Cale Yarborough (1) Junior Johnson (Junior Johnson & Associates) (1) 11 Chevrolet 2 9 23 4,644 195 1977Cale Yarborough (2) Junior Johnson (Junior Johnson & Associates) (2) 11 Chevrolet 3 9 27 5,000 386 1978Cale Yarborough (3) Junior Johnson (Junior Johnson & Associates) (3) 11 Oldsmobile 8 10 24 4,841 474 1979Richard Petty (7) Petty Enterprises (11) 43 ChevroletOldsmobile 1 5 27 4,830 11 1980Dale Earnhardt (1) Rod Osterlund (Osterlund Racing) 2 ChevroletOldsmobile (9) 0 5 24 4,661 19 1981Darrell Waltrip (1) Junior Johnson (Junior Johnson & Associates) (4) 11 ChevroletBuick 11 12 25 4,880 53 1982Darrell Waltrip (2) Junior Johnson (Junior Johnson & Associates) (5) 11 Buick 7 12 20 4,489 72 1983Bobby Allison Bill Gardner (DiGard Motorsports) 22 ChevroletBuick (3) 0 6 25 4,667 47 1984Terry Labonte (1) Billy Hagan (Hagan Racing) 44 Chevrolet 2 2 24 4,508 65 1985Darrell Waltrip (3) Junior Johnson (Junior Johnson & Associates) (6) 11 Chevrolet 4 3 21 4,292 101 1986Dale Earnhardt (2) Richard Childress (Richard Childress Racing) (1) 3 Chevrolet 1 5 23 4,468 288 1987Dale Earnhardt (3) Richard Childress (Richard Childress Racing) (2) 3 Chevrolet 1 11 24 4,696 489 1988Bill Elliott Harry Melling (Melling Racing) 9 Ford 6 6 22 4,488 24 1989Rusty Wallace Raymond Beadle (Blue Max Racing) 27 Pontiac 4 6 20 4,176 12 1990Dale Earnhardt (4) Richard Childress (Richard Childress Racing) (3) 3 Chevrolet 4 9 23 4,430 26 1991Dale Earnhardt (5) Richard Childress (Richard Childress Racing) (4) 3 Chevrolet 0 4 21 4,287 195 1992Alan Kulwicki Alan Kulwicki (AK Racing) 7 Ford 6 2 17 4,078 10 1993Dale Earnhardt (6) Richard Childress (Richard Childress Racing) (5) 3 Chevrolet 2 6 21 4,526 80 1994Dale Earnhardt (7) Richard Childress (Richard Childress Racing) (6) 3 Chevrolet 2 4 25 4,694 444 1995Jeff Gordon (1) Rick Hendrick (Hendrick Motorsports) (1) 24 Chevrolet 8 7 23 4,614 34 1996Terry Labonte (2) Rick Hendrick (Hendrick Motorsports) (2) 5 Chevrolet 4 2 24 4,657 37 1997Jeff Gordon (2) Rick Hendrick (Hendrick Motorsports) (3) 24 Chevrolet 1 10 23 4,710 14 1998Jeff Gordon (3) Rick Hendrick (Hendrick Motorsports) (4) 24 Chevrolet 7 13 28 5,328 364 1999Dale Jarrett Robert Yates (Robert Yates Racing) 88 Ford 0 4 29 5,262 201 2000Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs (Joe Gibbs Racing) (1) 18 Pontiac 2 4 24 5,130 265 2001Jeff Gordon (4) Rick Hendrick (Hendrick Motorsports) (5) 24 Chevrolet 6 6 24 5,112 349 2002Tony Stewart (1) Joe Gibbs (Joe Gibbs Racing) (2) 20 Pontiac (9) 2 3 21 4,800 38 2003Matt Kenseth Jack Roush (Roush Racing) (1) 17 Ford 0 1 25 5,022 90 Chase format 2004Kurt Busch Jack Roush (Roush Racing) (2) 97 Ford 1 3 21 6,506 8 2005Tony Stewart (2) Joe Gibbs (Joe Gibbs Racing) (3) 20 Chevrolet 3 5 25 6,533 35 2006Jimmie Johnson (1) Rick Hendrick (Hendrick Motorsports) (6) 48 Chevrolet 1 5 24 6,475 56 2007Jimmie Johnson (2) Jeff Gordon (2) Rick Hendrick (Hendrick Motorsports) (7) 48 Chevrolet 4 10 24 6,723 77 2008Jimmie Johnson (3) Jeff Gordon (3) Rick Hendrick (Hendrick Motorsports) (8) 48 Chevrolet 6 7 22 6,684 69 2009Jimmie Johnson (4) Jeff Gordon (4) Rick Hendrick (Hendrick Motorsports) (9) 48 Chevrolet 4 7 24 6,652 141 2010Jimmie Johnson (5) Jeff Gordon (5) Rick Hendrick (Hendrick Motorsports) (10) 48 Chevrolet 2 6 23 6,622 39 2011Tony Stewart (3) Tony Stewart, Gene Haas (Stewart–Haas Racing) (1) 14 Chevrolet 1 5 19 2,403 0 2012Brad Keselowski Roger Penske (Penske Racing) (1) 2 Dodge (18) 0 5 23 2,400 39 2013Jimmie Johnson (6) Jeff Gordon (6) Rick Hendrick (Hendrick Motorsports) (11) 48 Chevrolet 4 6 24 2,419 19 Playoff Format 2014Kevin Harvick Tony Stewart, Gene Haas (Stewart–Haas Racing) (2) 4 Chevrolet 8 5 20 5,043 1 2015Kyle Busch (1) Joe Gibbs (Joe Gibbs Racing) (4) 18 Toyota 1 5 16 5,043 1 2016Jimmie Johnson (7) Jeff Gordon (7) Rick Hendrick (Hendrick Motorsports) (12) 48 Chevrolet 1 5 16 5,040 3 2017Martin Truex Jr. Barney Visser (Furniture Row Racing) 78 Toyota 3 8 26 5,040 5 2018Joey Logano (1) Roger Penske (Team Penske) (2) 22 Ford 3 3 26 5,040 5 2019Kyle Busch (2) Joe Gibbs (Joe Gibbs Racing) (5) 18 Toyota (3) 1 5 27 5,040 5 2020Chase Elliott Rick Hendrick (Hendrick Motorsports) (13) 9 Chevrolet 1 5 22 5,040 5 2021Kyle Larson (1) Rick Hendrick (Hendrick Motorsports) (14) 5 Chevrolet (41) 2 10 26 5,040 5 2022Joey Logano (2) Roger Penske (Team Penske) (3) 22 Ford 4 4 15 5,040 6 2023Ryan Blaney Roger Penske (Team Penske) (4) 12 Ford 0 3 18 5,035 1 2024Joey Logano (3) Roger Penske (Team Penske) (5) 22 Ford (15) 3 4 12 5,040 5 2025Kyle Larson (2) Rick Hendrick (Hendrick Motorsports) (15) 5 Chevrolet (42) 1 3 22 5,034 3 Chase format 2026 TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD
By drivers
As of completion of the seventy-seventh season (2025), 36 different drivers have won a NASCAR Cup Series Drivers' Championshipwith 18 of these drivers winning more than once.
*Inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame ^Denotes driver who is still active†Not yet eligible for the NASCAR Hall of Fame
DriverTotalSeasons *7 1964, 1967, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1979 *1980, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994 *^2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2016 *41995, 1997, 1998, 2001 *31954, 1958, 1959 *1966, 1968, 1969 *1976, 1977, 1978 *1981, 1982, 1985 *2002, 2005, 2011 ^2018, 2022, 2024 *21951, 1953 *1952, 1955 *1956, 1957 *1962, 1963 *1961, 1965 *1984, 1996 2015, 2019 ^ 2021, 2025 *11949 1950 *1960 *1970 *1973 *1983 *1988 *1989 *1992 *1999 *2000 *2003 *2004 ^ 2012 † 2014 ^ 2017 ^ 2020 ^ 2023
By Origin As of completion of the seventy-seventh season (2025), all Cup series champions have originated from the United States, coming from 17 different states. StateTotalSeasonsNorth Carolina251951, 1953, 1954, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1979, 1980, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1999California141995, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2021, 2025South Carolina81956, 1957, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1976, 1977, 1978Alabama41949, 1952, 1955, 1983Kentucky31981, 1982, 1985Texas1984, 1996, 2000Indiana2002, 2005, 2011Nevada2004, 2015, 2019Connecticut2018, 2022, 2024Virginia21962, 1963Georgia1988, 2020Wisconsin1992, 2003New York11950Missouri1989Michigan2012New Jersey2017Ohio2023 Records
Consecutive Drivers' Championships
As of completion of the 2024 season, ten drivers have achieved consecutive wins in the NASCAR Cup Series Drivers' Championship.
ChampionshipsDriverSeasons 5 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 3 1976, 1977, 19782 1956, 1957 1958, 1959 1962, 1963 1968, 1969 1971, 1972,1974, 1975 1981, 1982 1986, 1987,1990, 1991,1993, 1994 1997, 1998
Regular season champions From 2017–2026, NASCAR awarded a regular season championship which recognizes the best driver of the regular season. It is awarded to the driver with the most non-playoff points before the beginning of that season's playoff.