The 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series was the 67th season of professional stock car racing in the United States and the 44th modern-era Cup season. The season began at Daytona International Speedway with the Sprint Unlimited exhibition race, the Budweiser Duels, and the Daytona 500. The season ended with the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Kyle Busch won the championship, despite missing the first third of the season due to severe leg injuries suffered in an Xfinity Series race at Daytona. Busch also became the first Toyota driver to win a Cup championship. Brett Moffitt was named Rookie of the Year despite not running a full season.
The season also marked the first season of a new television contract. During the season, races were televised in the United States on Fox, Fox Sports 1, NBC, and NBCSN. ESPN and Turner Sports, who televised races from 2007 to 2014, did not seek to renew their contracts with NASCAR following the completion of the 2014 season; this marked the end of a 31-year relationship between NASCAR and Turner's primary stations, TBS and TNT. In addition, it was the first season on the newly rebranded Fox Sports Racing in Canada and the Caribbean.
On January 22, 2015, four-time champion Jeff Gordon announced that 2015 would be his final season as a full-time driver, but he did not rule out complete retirement. Chase Elliott replaced him in the No. 24 car for Hendrick Motorsports in 2016.
Teams and drivers
Complete schedule There were 43 full-time teams in 2015.
ManufacturerTeamRace driverCrew chief Chevrolet Chip Ganassi Racing1Jamie McMurrayMatt McCall 42Kyle Larson Chris HeroyRegan Smith Furniture Row Racing78Martin Truex Jr.Cole PearnGermain Racing13Casey MearsBootie BarkerHendrick Motorsports5Kasey KahneKeith Rodden24Jeff GordonAlan Gustafson48Jimmie JohnsonChad Knaus88Dale Earnhardt Jr.Greg Ives HScott Motorsports46Michael AnnettJay Guy51Justin AllgaierSteve Addington JTG Daugherty Racing47A. J. AllmendingerBrian BurnsRichard Childress Racing3Austin DillonGil Martin Slugger Labbe 27Paul MenardJustin Alexander31Ryan NewmanLuke Lambert Todd Parrott 33Ty Dillon Todd Parrott Mike Chance Slugger Labbe Pat Tryson Gil Martin Paul Clapprood Brian Scott Hillman-Circle Sport LLCMichael Annett Alex Kennedy (R) Derek White Travis Kvapil Mike Bliss B. J. McLeod Ryan Ellis 40Landon CassillMark HillmanStewart–Haas Racing4Kevin HarvickRodney Childers10Danica PatrickDaniel Knost14Tony StewartChad Johnston41Regan Smith Tony GibsonKurt Busch Tommy Baldwin Racing7Alex BowmanKevin Manion Tommy Baldwin Jr. FordFront Row Motorsports34David Ragan Derrick FinleyJoe Nemechek Brett Moffitt (R) Chris Buescher Reed Sorenson Justin Marks Josh Wise 35Cole WhittRandy Cox 38David GillilandDonnie WingoGo FAS Racing 32Bobby Labonte Clinton CramMike Bliss Joey Gase Travis Kvapil Boris Said Will Kimmel Eddie MacDonald Josh Wise Jeffrey Earnhardt Kyle Fowler Richard Petty Motorsports9Sam Hornish Jr.Drew Blickensderfer Kevin Manion 43Aric AlmirolaTrent OwensRoush Fenway Racing6Trevor BayneBob Osborne16Greg BiffleMatt Puccia17Ricky Stenhouse Jr.Nick SandlerTeam Penske2Brad KeselowskiPaul Wolfe22Joey LoganoTodd GordonToyotaBK Racing23J. J. Yeley Joe Williams Patrick DonahueJeb Burton (R)26Jeb Burton (R)Patrick Donahue Joe Williams J. J. Yeley Josh Wise 83Johnny Sauter Doug Richert Gene Nead Matt DiBenedetto (R) Joe Gibbs Racing11Denny HamlinDave Rogers18Matt Crafton Adam StevensDavid Ragan Erik Jones Kyle Busch 19Carl EdwardsDarian Grubb20Matt Kenseth Jason RatcliffErik Jones Michael Waltrip Racing15Clint BowyerBrian Pattie Billy Scott Dax Gerringer 55Michael Waltrip Billy Scott Brian Pattie Dax Gerringer Brett Moffitt (R) Brian Vickers David Ragan Chevrolet Ford Toyota Phil Parsons Racing Premium Motorsports Michael Waltrip Racing 98Josh Wise Wise will run a Chevrolet at Sonoma. Gene Nead Jay Robinson Scott Eggleston Zach McGowan Bobby Kennedy Timmy Hill Reed Sorenson T. J. Bell Ryan Preece Michael Waltrip Chevrolet Ford Toyota Premium Motorsports62Brian Scott Slugger Labbe Zach McGowan Scott Eggleston Wayne Carroll Brendan Gaughan Reed Sorenson Timmy Hill T. J. Bell
Limited schedule ManufacturerTeamRace driverCrew chiefRound(s)ChevroletHendrick Motorsports25Chase ElliottKenny FrancisHillman-Circle Sport LLC39Travis KvapilMike Chance Team XTREME Racing44Reed SorensonPeter SospenzoTravis Kvapil The Motorsports Group30Ron Hornaday Jr.Pat Tryson Dave Fuge Jeff GreenTravis KvapilJosh WiseFordLeavine Family Racing95Michael McDowellWally Rogers Kevin Walter Wood Brothers Racing21Ryan BlaneyJeremy BullinsToyotaRAB Racing29Justin MarksMatthew LucasReed SorensonPremium Motorsports66Mike WallaceScott Eggleston ChevroletTanner Berryhill
Changes
Teams Joe Gibbs Racing expanded to a four-car team with the addition of Carl Edwards in the No. 19, previously with Roush Fenway Racing in the No. 99 in 2014. HScott Motorsports expanded to a two-car team with the addition of Michael Annett in the No. 46, previously with Tommy Baldwin Racing in the No. 7 in 2014. Front Row Motorsports expanded to a three-car full-time team with the addition of Cole Whitt in the No. 35, previously with BK Racing in the No. 26 in 2014. Longtime NASCAR team owner and former Identity Ventures Racing partner Jay Robinson started Premium Motorsports. The team fielded the No. 62 Chevrolet for Brendan Gaughan while points and cars for the No. 62 came from the closed No. 36 team of Tommy Baldwin Racing after 2014. Gaughan left the team after Daytona in July with the season being finished with various drivers and various manufacturers. The team also fielded the No. 66 Toyota for Mike Wallace with owner points and cars for the No. 66 coming from the closed No. 66 Identity Ventures Racing team after 2014. However, Robinson shut the No. 66 team down due to lack of sponsorship and qualifying performance after 4 races, with Tanner Berryhill in a Chevrolet for the 4th race. After Talladega in May, Phil Parsons sold Phil Parsons Racing to Premium Motorsports due to sponsorship issues. Josh Wise left the team after Kentucky in July, with the season being finished with various drivers and various manufacturers. The Motorsports Group, a long-time Xfinity Series team, announces they would field a full-time Cup team, the No. 30 Chevrolet with Ron Hornaday Jr. as the primary driver. However, the team only ran part-time with Hornaday only attempting 4 races. 3 other drivers also attempted races in 2015.
Drivers Sam Hornish Jr. replaced Marcos Ambrose in the No. 9 car, when he left Richard Petty Motorsports to return to racing in V8 Supercars in Australia, a series in which he won in 2003 and 2004. Trevor Bayne began racing full-time in the No. 6 Roush Fenway Racing car as the team discontinued the No. 99 formerly driven by Carl Edwards. Although 2015 is the first season that Bayne declared his eligibility for the Sprint Cup series, NASCAR ruled that he is ineligible to run for Rookie of the Year consideration due to "too many accumulated starts". Bayne ran part-time for Wood Brothers Racing in the No. 21 from 2011 to 2014. Alex Bowman replaced Michael Annett in the Tommy Baldwin Racing No. 7. He drove the No. 23 for BK Racing in 2014. Matt DiBenedetto moved up to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in the No. 83 for BK Racing after running for The Motorsports Group in the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2014. However Johnny Sauter ran the Daytona 500. J. J. Yeley replaced Alex Bowman in the BK Racing No. 23 after running part-time for various teams in 2014. After Bristol in August, BK Racing would swap drivers and Jeb Burton would switch to the No. 23 while Yeley moved to the No. 26 Jeb Burton would run full-time in the No. 26 car for BK Racing after running in the Truck Series in 2014, replacing Cole Whitt. After Bristol in August, BK Racing would swap drivers and J. J. Yeley would switch to the No. 26 while Burton moved to the No. 23 Bobby Labonte replaced his older brother Terry Labonte for Go FAS Racing's No. 32 in the four restrictor plate races. Ryan Blaney ran part-time for Wood Brothers Racing in the No. 21, replacing Trevor Bayne. Chase Elliott ran a limited 5 race schedule for Hendrick Motorsports, piloting the No. 25 NAPA Auto Parts sponsored Chevrolet. Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 for Joe Gibbs Racing, suffered a broken leg during the Xfinity Series race held the day before the Daytona 500 and missed the first 11 races of the season. Matt Crafton was named his replacement for the 500, and David Ragan was tapped to serve as the team's interim driver from Atlanta until Talladega. Erik Jones was his replacement in the No. 18 at Kansas. Brian Vickers missed the first two races of the season due to health issues. Michael Waltrip drove the car in the Daytona 500 and Brett Moffitt did in Atlanta. Vickers' return to NASCAR didn't last very long and he was sidelined again after competing in two races. He would be out the rest of the season. Moffitt took over the No. 55 and declared his candidacy for Rookie of the Year. Waltrip again drove the No. 55 at Talladega and David Ragan filled in for the rest of the season starting at Kansas, after he was no longer needed in the No. 18 with Kyle Busch returning from injury. After David Ragan was loaned to Joe Gibbs Racing and later Michael Waltrip Racing, Front Row Motorsports' No. 34 car was filled by Joe Nemechek, Brett Moffitt, Chris Buescher, and Reed Sorenson. Moffitt was named the team's primary driver starting at Charlotte, with Justin Marks driving the car at Sonoma and Chris Buescher driving it at Watkins Glen. Kurt Busch, driver of the No. 41 for Stewart–Haas Racing, was suspended indefinitely by NASCAR for his role in a domestic incident involving his former girlfriend. Regan Smith replaced him for the Daytona 500 and the races held in Atlanta and Las Vegas. Busch was reinstated and returned to the car in the Phoenix race. Kyle Larson missed the March Martinsville race after fainting in an autograph session the day before the race, requiring a stay in the hospital that night. Regan Smith replaced him in the No. 42. Matt Kenseth was suspended after he intentionally wrecked Joey Logano in the Chase race at Martinsville. Erik Jones ran in the No. 20 at Texas and Phoenix. Kenseth would return to the No. 20 at Homestead.
Crew chiefs Adam Stevens took over crew chief duties on the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota with Kyle Busch, replacing Dave Rogers. Stevens was the crew chief for the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 54 NASCAR Nationwide Series car in 2014. Darian Grubb took over crew chief duties on the new No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota with Carl Edwards. Grubb was the crew chief for Denny Hamlin in 2014. Dave Rogers took over crew chief duties on the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota with Denny Hamlin, replacing Darian Grubb. Rogers was the crew chief for Kyle Busch in 2014. Greg Ives took over crew chief duties on the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet with Dale Earnhardt Jr., replacing Steve Letarte, who retired. Ives was the crew chief for the JR Motorsports No. 9 NASCAR Nationwide Series Champion Chase Elliott in 2014. Keith Rodden took over crew chief duties on the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet with Kasey Kahne, replacing Kenny Francis. Rodden was the crew chief for Jamie McMurray in 2014. Matt McCall took over crew chief duties on the No. 1 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet with Jamie McMurray, replacing Keith Rodden. McCall was the team engineer on the No. 31, driven by Ryan Newman in 2014. Cole Pearn took over crew chief duties on the No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet with Martin Truex Jr., replacing Todd Berrier. Pearn was the team's lead race engineer in 2014. Nick Sandler took over crew chief duties on the No. 17 Roush Fenway Racing Ford with Ricky Stenhouse Jr., replacing Mike Kelley. Sandler was the No. 99 team head engineer in 2014.