Stock car races in the NASCAR Cup Series have been held at the Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas since 1997. The race's trophy is in the shape of a cowboy hat on top of a piston. Traditionally, the winning driver wears a black cowboy hat and fires a couple of six-shooters in the air on victory lane.
Current race
The event, currently known as Würth 400 for sponsorship reasons, began as a result of the Ferko lawsuit. Ferko, a stakeholder in track owner Speedway Motorsports, Inc., filed the suit in 2002 claiming that NASCAR had not honored an implied contract that would have given Texas a second Cup race at the track. The lawsuit was settled in 2004, awarding the track a second race beginning in 2005 at the expense of Darlington Raceway, which lost its second race; that particular event happened to be the Southern 500, which NASCAR had already moved from its traditional Labor Day weekend spot in favor of awarding a second race to California Speedway. The second Texas race would be run in the fall, and comprise part of the NASCAR Playoffs.
The track scaled down to just one race starting from the 2021 season, dropping the former spring race in favor of hosting the NASCAR All-Star Race and the addition of Circuit of the Americas in Austin to the schedule. In 2024, the race was moved to the former spring slot.
Past winners YearDateDriverTeamManufacturerRace distanceRace timeAverage speed(mph)ReportRef Laps Miles (km) 2005 November 699 Carl Edwards Roush Racing Ford334501 (806.281)3:19:00151.055 Report 2006 November 520 Tony Stewart Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet339*508.5 (818.351)3:46:11134.891 Report 2007 November 448 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet334501 (806.281)3:49:05131.219 Report 2008 November 299 Carl Edwards Roush Fenway Racing Ford334501 (806.281)3:28:26144.219 Report 2009 November 82 Kurt Busch Penske Racing Dodge334501 (806.281)3:24:18147.137 Report 2010 November 711 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota334501 (806.281)3:34:01140.456 Report 2011 November 614 Tony Stewart Stewart–Haas Racing Chevrolet334501 (806.281)3:16:51152.705 Report 2012 November 448 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet335*502.5 (808.695)3:41:30136.117 Report 2013 November 348 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet334501 (806.281)3:18:05151.754 Report 2014 November 248 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet341*511.5 (823.179)3:52:05132.239 Report 2015 November 848 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet334501 (806.281)3:38:38137.49 Report 2016 November 6 19 Carl Edwards Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota293*439.5 (707.306)3:16:00134.541 Report 2017 November 5 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart–Haas Racing Ford334501 (806.281)3:29:52143.234 Report 2018 November 4 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart–Haas Racing Ford337*505.5 (813.523)3:21:27150.558 Report 2019 November 3 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart–Haas Racing Ford334501 (806.281)3:44:44133.759 Report 2020 October 25 & 28*18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota334501 (806.281)3:42:14135.263 Report 2021 October 175 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet334501 (806.281)3:42:54134.859 Report 2022 September 258 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet334501 (806.281)4:21:53114.784 Report 2023 September 2424 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet267400.5 (644.541)3:14:28123.569 Report 2024 April 149 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet276*414 (666.267)3:33:14116.492 Report 2025 May 422 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford271*406.5 (654.197)3:28:40116.885 Report 2026 May 39 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet267400.5 (644.541)2:56:17136.315 Report
2006, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2024, and 2025: Race extended due to a NASCAR Overtime finish. 2014 took two attempts. 2016: Race shortened due to rain. 2020: Race started on Sunday, was suspended multiple times due to rain and persistent moisture, and finished on Wednesday.
Multiple winners (drivers) # Wins Driver Years won 5 Jimmie Johnson 2007, 2012–2015 3 Carl Edwards 2005, 2008, 2016 Kevin Harvick 2017–2019 2 Tony Stewart 2006, 2011 Chase Elliott 2024, 2026
Multiple winners (teams) # Wins Team Years won 9 Hendrick Motorsports 2007, 2012–2015, 2021, 2023–2024, 20264 Stewart–Haas Racing 2011, 2017–2019 Joe Gibbs Racing 2006, 2010, 2016, 20202 Roush Fenway Racing 2005, 2008 Team Penske 2009, 2025
Manufacturer wins # Wins Manufacturer Years won 12 Chevrolet 2006–2007, 2011–2015, 2021–2024, 2026 6 Ford 2005, 2008, 2017–2019, 2025 3 Toyota 2010, 2016, 2020 1 Dodge 2009
Former second race
History The track's original race, held in spring, was held from 1997 to 2020. The first two runnings of the race were controversial, crash-strewn affairs, with universal criticism that the track's design was one groove; Kenny Wallace argued, "They're so busy building condos they don't have time to fix the racetrack." Traditionalist fans also criticized the replacement of North Wilkesboro Speedway with the Texas in the schedule.
Previous winners YearDateDriverTeamManufacturerRace distanceRace timeAverage speed(mph)ReportRef Laps Miles (km) 1997 April 699 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford334501 (806.281)4:00:16125.111 Report 1998 April 56 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford334501 (806.281)3:39:47136.771 Report 1999 March 285 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet334501 (806.281)3:28:21144.276 Report 2000 April 28 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet334501 (806.281)3:49:12131.152 Report 2001 April 188 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford334501 (806.281)3:31:59141.804 Report 2002 April 8*17 Matt Kenseth Roush Racing Ford334501 (806.281)3:31:01142.453 Report 2003 March 3012 Ryan Newman Penske Racing Dodge334501 (806.281)3:43:28134.517 Report 2004 April 438 Elliott Sadler Robert Yates Racing Ford334501 (806.281)3:36:30138.845 Report 2005 April 1716 Greg Biffle Roush Racing Ford334501 (806.281)3:51:08130.055 Report 2006 April 99 Kasey Kahne Evernham Motorsports Dodge334501 (806.281)3:37:55137.943 Report 2007 April 1531 Jeff Burton Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet334501 (806.281)3:39:41143.359 Report 2008 April 699 Carl Edwards Roush Fenway Racing Ford339*508.5 (818.351)3:30:41144.814 Report 2009 April 524 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet334501 (806.281)3:25:22146.372 Report 2010 April 19*11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota334501 (806.281)3:25:34146.23 Report 2011* April 917 Matt Kenseth Roush Fenway Racing Ford334501 (806.281)3:21:26149.231 Report 2012 April 1416 Greg Biffle Roush Fenway Racing Ford334501 (806.281)3:07:12160.577 Report 2013 April 1318 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota334501 (806.281)3:27:40144.751 Report 2014 April 7*22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford340*510 (820.765)3:39:02134.191 Report 2015 April 1148 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet334501 (806.281)3:33:57140.5 Report 2016 April 9–10*18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota334501 (806.281)3:37:16138.355 Report 2017 April 948 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet334501 (806.281)3:24:18147.137 Report 2018 April 818 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota334501 (806.281)3:32:07141.714 Report 2019 March 3111 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota334501 (806.281)3:16:11153.224 Report 2020 July 193 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet334501 (806.281)3:38:57137.292 Report
Notes 2002, 2010, & 2014: Race moved from Sunday afternoon to Monday afternoon due to rain. 2008 and 2014: Race extended due to a NASCAR Overtime finish 2011: First scheduled night event in NASCAR Cup Series history at Texas Motor Speedway. 2016: The race was delayed by rain for 2 hours. Race was completed early Sunday morning at 2:45 am CT. 2020: Race postponed from March 29 to July 19 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Multiple winners (drivers) # Wins Driver Years won 3 Kyle Busch 2013, 2016, 2018 2 Jeff Burton 1997, 2007 Matt Kenseth 2002, 2011 Greg Biffle 2005, 2012 Jimmie Johnson 2015, 2017 Denny Hamlin 2010, 2019
Multiple winners (teams) # Wins Team Years won 7 Roush Fenway Racing 1997, 1998, 2002, 2005, 2008, 2011, 2012 5 Joe Gibbs Racing 2010, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2019 4 Hendrick Motorsports 1999, 2009, 2015, 2017 2 Robert Yates Racing 2001, 2004 Team Penske 2003, 2014 Richard Childress Racing 2007, 2020
Manufacturer wins # Wins Manufacturer Years won 10 Ford 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2014 7 Chevrolet 1999, 2000, 2007, 2009, 2015, 2017, 2020 5 Toyota 2010, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2019 2 Dodge 2003, 2006
Notable races
2005: The inaugural Fall race saw Carl Edwards dominate the second half of the race. With 15 laps to go, the caution came out for debris. Most of the leaders stayed out, but Edwards took two right-sides to restart 6th with 11 laps to go. Edwards charged through traffic to deny Mark Martin (who stayed out) from becoming the first repeat winner in Texas Motor Speedway history by passing him on the penultimate lap. Edwards became the 10th different winner in 10 races. 2009: Kyle and Kurt Busch dominated the race as the brothers swapped the lead at different points in the race leading a combined 321 of 334 laps. Coming down to fuel mileage, Kyle had led 232 laps and was on his way to a dominant win until he ran out with less than 3 to go. Brother Kurt led 89 laps and was able to stretch his gas tank to win the event by over 25 seconds as others were running out of gas. Aside from the Busch brothers, only Denny Hamlin (2 laps led) and Jeff Gordon (11 laps led) led laps. 2010: Denny Hamlin became the second driver to sweep both races at Texas when he won the Samsung Mobile 500 in spring and the AAA Texas 500 in fall. Also, around mid-race, a shoving match occurred when Jeff Burton and Jeff Gordon crashed in turn 2. 2011: Tony Stewart's surge towards the 2011 Cup championship continued between him and Carl Edwards, a theme through the 2011 Cup Playoffs. Stewart dominated and won his fourth race in eight starts since he went winless during the regular season, with Edwards finishing 2nd. Eddie Gossage, the track's president awarded Stewart with a robe and a pair of boxing gloves to continue the Stewart-Edwards battle. It was Tony's second win at Texas, having won 5 years prior. 2012: The first 100 laps of the race went green, combine that with the last 234 laps of the April 2012 race that went green, means a total of 334 consecutive laps were run caution-free, a full scheduled race at Texas. Jimmie Johnson won, for his 60th NASCAR Cup Series win, and also Chevrolet's 700th win. 2014: Johnson took his third straight win in the fall race, leading 191 of 341 laps. On a green-white-checkered restart, Brad Keselowski tried to go three-wide and made contact with Jeff Gordon, cutting Gordon's left rear tire and causing him to spin in turn 4. Gordon lost a lap and finished 29th while Keselowski finished third. Tempers boiled over, escalating into a post-race brawl on pit road between Keselowski, Gordon, and their pit crews that were apparently instigated by Kevin Harvick.