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The NASCAR RCA Cup Series Drivers' Championship is awarded by the chairman of NASCAR to the most successful NASCAR RCA 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 Anna Yeun, who won her first NASCAR RCA Cup Series championship in 2023.
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.
Overall, thirty-four different drivers have won the Championship, with Richard Petty holding the record for most titles at seven. Cale Yarborough has the record for most consecutive Drivers' Championships, winning three from 1976 to 1978. Thus far, every champion has originated from the United States.
By season[]
| Season | Driver | Owner(s)/Teams | Number(s) | Manufacturer(s) | Starts | Poles | Wins | Top tens | Points | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | Red Byron | Raymond Parks | 22 | Oldsmobile 88 | 6 (6 of 8) | 1 | 2 | 4 | 842.5 | 117.5 |
| 1950 | Bill Rexford | Julian Buesink | 8
20 59 60 62 80 |
Oldsmobile 88 | 17 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 1,959 | 110.5 |
| 1951 | Herb Thomas (1) | Herb Thomas | 92 | Plymouth Savoy
Hudson Hornet Oldsmobile 88 |
34 | 4 | 7 | 18 | 4,208.45 | 146.2 |
| Marshall Teague | 6 | |||||||||
| Leonard Tippett | 99 | |||||||||
| Hubert Westmoreland | 2 | |||||||||
| 1952 | Tim Flock (1) | Ted Chester | 91 | Hudson Hornet | 33 | 4 | 8 | 25 | 6,858.5 | 106 |
| 1953 | Herb Thomas (2) | Herb Thomas | 92 | Hudson Hornet | 37 | 12 | 12 | 31 | 8,460 | 646 |
| 1954 | Lee Petty (1) | Petty Enterprises | 42 | Chrysler 300
Dodge Coronet |
34 | 3 | 7 | 32 | 8,649 | 283 |
| Gary Drake | 100 | Oldsmobile 88 | ||||||||
| 1955 | Tim Flock (2) | Carl Kiekhaefer | 300
301 |
Chrysler 300 | 39 | 18 | 18 | 33 | 9,596 | 1,508 |
| Hubert Westmoreland | 2 | Chevrolet Bel Air | ||||||||
| 1956 | Buck Baker (1) | Carl Kiekhaefer | 00
87 300 300C 301 500B 502 |
Chrysler 300
Dodge Coronet |
48 | 12 | 14 | 39 | 9,272 | 704 |
| James Satcher | 87 | Ford Fairlane | ||||||||
| John Whitford | 31 | |||||||||
| 1957 | Buck Baker (2) | Buck Baker | 87 | Chevrolet Bel Air | 40 | 6 | 10 | 38 | 10,716 | 760 |
| Hugh Babb | ||||||||||
| 1958 | Lee Petty (2) | Petty Enterprises | 42 | Oldsmobile 88 | 50 | 4 | 7 | 43 | 12,232 | 644 |
| 1959 | Lee Petty (3) | Petty Enterprises | 42
43 |
Oldsmobile 88
Plymouth Belvedere |
42 | 2 | 11 | 35 | 11,792 | 1,830 |
| 1960 | Rex White | Rex White | 4 | Chevrolet Bel Air | 40 | 3 | 6 | 35 | 21,164 | 3,936 |
| L.D. Austin | 74 | |||||||||
| Beau Morgan | 15 | Ford Thunderbird | ||||||||
| Scotty Cain | 41 | |||||||||
| 1961 | Ned Jarrett (1) | Ned Jarrett | 11 | Ford Galaxie
Chevrolet Bel Air |
46 | 4 | 1 | 34 | 27,272 | 830 |
| B.G. Holloway | ||||||||||
| 1962 | Joe Weatherly (1) | Bud Moore | 8 | Pontiac Catalina | 52 | 7 | 9 | 45 | 30,836 | 2,396 |
| Fred Harb | 17 | Ford Galaxie | ||||||||
| 1963 | Joe Weatherly (2) | Bud Moore | 8 | Mercury Marauder
Pontiac Catalina |
53 | 6 | 3 | 35 | 33,398 | 2,228 |
| Floyd Powell | 17 | Pontiac Catalina | ||||||||
| Pete Stewart | 57 | |||||||||
| Cliff Stewart | 2 | |||||||||
| Possum Jones | 05 | |||||||||
| Worth McMillion | 83 | |||||||||
| Major Melton | 88 | Chrysler 300 | ||||||||
| Petty Enterprises | 41 | Plymouth Belvedere | ||||||||
| Wade Younts | 36
361 |
Dodge 440 | ||||||||
| 1964 | Richard Petty (1) | Petty Enterprises | 41
42 43 |
Plymouth Belvedere | 61 | 8 | 9 | 43 | 40,252 | 5,302 |
| 1965 | Ned Jarrett (2) | Bondy Long | 11 | Ford Fairlane | 54 | 9 | 13 | 45 | 38,824 | 3,034 |
| Jabe Thomas | 25 | |||||||||
| 1966 | David Pearson (1) | Cotton Owens | 6 | Dodge Charger | 42 | 7 | 15 | 33 | 35,638 | 1,950 |
| 1967 | Richard Petty (2) | Petty Enterprises | 43 | Plymouth Belvedere | 48 | 18 | 27 | 40 | 42,472 | 6,028 |
| 1968 | David Pearson (2) | Holman Moody | 17 | Ford Torino | 48 | 12 | 16 | 38 | 3,499 | 126 |
| Roy Trantham | 84 | |||||||||
| 1969 | David Pearson (3) | Holman Moody | 17 | Ford Torino | 51 | 13 | 11 | 44 | 4,170 | 357 |
| 1970 | Bobby Isaac | Nord Krauskopf | 71 | Dodge Charger Daytona | 47 | 13 | 11 | 38 | 3,911 | 51 |
| 1971 | Richard Petty (3) | Petty Enterprises | 43 | Plymouth Road Runner | 46 | 9 | 21 | 41 | 4,435 | 364 |
| 1972 | Richard Petty (4) | Petty Enterprises | 43 | Dodge Charger
Plymouth Road Runner |
31 | 3 | 8 | 28 | 8,701.4 | 127.9 |
| 1973 | Benny Parsons | L.G. DeWitt | 72 | Chevrolet Monte Carlo
Mercury Montego |
28 | 0 | 1 | 21 | 7,173.8 | 67.15 |
| 1974 | Richard Petty (5) | Petty Enterprises | 43 | Dodge Charger | 30 | 7 | 10 | 23 | 5,037.75 | 567.45 |
| 1975 | Richard Petty (6) | Petty Enterprises | 43 | Dodge Charger | 30 | 3 | 13 | 24 | 4,783 | 722 |
| 1976 | Cale Yarborough (1) | Junior Johnson (Junior Johnson & Associates) | 11 | Chevrolet Monte Carlo | 30 | 2 | 9 | 23 | 4,644 | 195 |
| 1977 | Cale Yarborough (2) | Junior Johnson (Junior Johnson & Associates) | 11 | Chevrolet Monte Carlo | 30 | 3 | 9 | 27 | 5,000 | 386 |
| 1978 | Cale Yarborough (3) | Junior Johnson (Junior Johnson & Associates) | 11 | Oldsmobile Cutlass | 30 | 8 | 10 | 24 | 4,841 | 474 |
| 1979 | Richard Petty (7) | Petty Enterprises | 43 | Chevrolet Monte Carlo
Oldsmobile Cutlass |
31 | 1 | 5 | 27 | 4,830 | 11 |
| 1980 | Dale Earnhardt (1) | Rod Osterlund (Osterlund Racing) | 2 | Chevrolet Monte Carlo
Oldsmobile Cutlass |
31 | 0 | 5 | 24 | 4,661 | 19 |
| 1981 | Darrell Waltrip (1) | Junior Johnson (Junior Johnson & Associates) | 11 | Chevrolet Monte Carlo
Buick Regal |
31 | 11 | 12 | 25 | 4,880 | 53 |
| 1982 | Darrell Waltrip (2) | Junior Johnson (Junior Johnson & Associates) | 11 | Buick Regal | 30 | 7 | 12 | 20 | 4,489 | 72 |
| 1983 | Bobby Allison | Bill Gardner (DiGard Motorsports) | 22 | Chevrolet Monte Carlo
Buick Regal |
30 | 0 | 6 | 25 | 4,667 | 47 |
| 1984 | Terry Labonte (1) | Billy Hagan (Hagan Racing) | 44 | Chevrolet Monte Carlo | 30 | 2 | 2 | 24 | 4,508 | 65 |
| 1985 | Darrell Waltrip (3) | Junior Johnson (Junior Johnson & Associates) | 11 | Chevrolet Monte Carlo | 28 | 4 | 3 | 21 | 4,292 | 101 |
| 1986 | Dale Earnhardt (2) | Richard Childress (Richard Childress Racing) | 3 | Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS Aerocoupe | 29 | 1 | 5 | 23 | 4,468 | 288 |
| 1987 | Dale Earnhardt (3) | Richard Childress (Richard Childress Racing) | 3 | Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS Aerocoupe | 29 | 1 | 11 | 24 | 4,696 | 489 |
| 1988 | Bill Elliott | Harry Melling (Melling Racing) | 9 | Ford Thunderbird | 32 | 6 | 4 | 22 | 4,488 | 24 |
| 1989 | Rusty Wallace | Raymond Beadle (Blue Max Racing) | 27 | Pontiac Grand Prix | 36 | 4 | 6 | 20 | 4,176 | 12 |
| 1990 | Mark Martin | Jack Roush (Roush Racing) | 6 | Ford Probe | 36 | 4 | 4 | 23 | 4,430 | 26 |
| 1991 | Dale Earnhardt (4) | Richard Childress (Richard Childress Racing) | 3 | Chevrolet Lumina | 39 | 0 | 3 | 21 | 4,287 | 195 |
| 1992 | Alan Kulwicki | Alan Kulwicki (AK Racing) | 7 | Ford Thunderbird | 39 | 6 | 3 | 17 | 4,078 | 10 |
| 1993 | Dale Earnhardt (5) | Richard Childress (Richard Childress Racing) | 3 | Chevrolet Lumina | 39 | 2 | 7 | 21 | 4,526 | 80 |
| 1994 | Tim Richmond | Rick Hendrick (Hendrick Motorsports) | 25 | Chevrolet Lumina | 39 | 2 | 4 | 25 | 4,694 | 444 |
| 1995 | Jeff Gordon (1) | Rick Hendrick (Hendrick Motorsports) | 24 | Chevrolet Monte Carlo | 39 | 8 | 7 | 23 | 4,614 | 34 |
| 1996 | Shawna Robinson | Felix Sabates (SABCO Racing) | 40 | Dodge Intrepid | 39 | 4 | 2 | 24 | 4,657 | 37 |
| 1997 | Ernie Irvan | Alan Kulwicki (AK Racing) | 11 | Dodge Avenger | 39 | 1 | 10 | 23 | 4,710 | 14 |
| 1998 | Jeff Gordon (2) | Rick Hendrick (Hendrick Motorsports) | 24 | Chevrolet Monte Carlo | 40 | 7 | 13 | 28 | 5,328 | 364 |
| 1999 | Patty Moise | Felix Sabates (Team SABCO) | 45 | Dodge Intrepid | 42 | 0 | 6 | 29 | 5,262 | 201 |
| 2000 | Dale Earnhardt (6) | Richard Childress (Richard Childress Racing) | 3 | Chevrolet Monte Carlo | 42 | 2 | 7 | 24 | 5,130 | 265 |
| 2001 | Davey Allison | Robert Yates (Robert Yates Racing) | 28 | Ford Taurus | 43 | 6 | 5 | 24 | 5,112 | 349 |
| 2002 | Tony Stewart (1) | Phil Stacker, A. J. Foyt (Stacker-Foyt Racing) | 20 | Pontiac Grand Prix | 43 | 2 | 3 | 21 | 4,800 | 38 |
| 2003 | Adam Petty (1) | Richard Petty, Kyle Petty (Petty Enterprises) | 43 | Dodge Intrepid | 43 | 0 | 8 | 25 | 5,022 | 90 |
| 2004 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Dale Earnhardt (Dale Earnhardt Inc.) | 8 | Chevrolet Monte Carlo | 44 | 1 | 6 | 21 | 6,506 | |
| 2005 | Tony Stewart (2) | Phil Stacker, A. J. Foyt, Tony Stewart (SFS Racing) | 20 | Chevrolet Monte Carlo | 44 | 3 | 5 | 25 | 6,533 | |
| 2006 | Kelley Earnhardt | Dale Earnhardt (Dale Earnhardt Inc.) | 38 | Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS | 43 | 1 | 5 | 24 | 6,475 | |
| 2007 | Jeff Gordon (3) | Rick Hendrick, Jeff Gordon (Hendrick Motorsports) | 24 | Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS | 43 | 4 | 8 | 24 | 6,723 | |
| 2008 | Carl Edwards | Jack Roush (Roush Racing) | 99 | Ford Fusion | 43 | 6 | 7 | 22 | 6,684 | |
| 2009 | Tony Stewart (3) | Phil Stacker, A. J. Foyt, Tony Stewart (SFS Racing) | 14 | Chevrolet Impala | 43 | 4 | 7 | 24 | 6,652 | |
| 2010 | Kelly Watkins | Joe Gibbs (Joe Gibbs Racing) | 19 | Toyota Camry | 43 | 2 | 6 | 23 | 6,622 | |
| 2011 | Renee Walters | Dale Earnhardt, Richard Childress (Earnhardt-Childress Racing) | 3 | Chevrolet Camaro | 43 | 1 | 7 | 19 | 2,403 | |
| 2012 | Adam Petty (2) | Richard Petty, Kyle Petty (Petty Enterprises) | 43 | Dodge Challenger | 43 | 0 | 5 | 23 | 2,400 | |
| 2013 | Adam Petty (3) | Richard Petty, Kyle Petty (Petty Enterprises) | 43 | Dodge Challenger | 44 | 2 | 5 | 24 | 2,419 | |
| 2014 | Tony Stewart (4) | A. J. Foyt, Tony Stewart (Stewart-Foyt Racing) | 14 | Chevrolet Camaro | 43 | 1 | 9 | 20 | 5,043 | |
| 2015 | Kevin Harvick | A. J. Foyt, Tony Stewart (Stewart-Foyt Racing) | 4 | Pontiac Trans-Am | 44 | 2 | 8 | 16 | 5,043 | |
| 2016 | Jeffrey Earnhardt | Dale Earnhardt, Richard Childress (Earnhardt-Childress Racing) | 3 | Chevrolet Camaro | 43 | 2 | 8 | 16 | 5,040 | |
| 2017 | Chase Elliott | Bill Elliott, Ray Evernham (Elliott-Evernham Motorsports) | 9 | Dodge Challenger | 43 | 3 | 12 | 26 | 5,040 | |
| 2018 | Macy Waltrip | Michael Waltrip (Michael Waltrip Racing) | 15 | Honda Accord | 43 | 1 | 3 | 26 | 5,040 | |
| 2019 | Adam Petty (4) | Richard Petty, Kyle Petty, Adam Petty (Petty Enterprises) | 43 | Dodge Challenger | 43 | 2 | 5 | 27 | 5,040 | |
| 2020 | Ross Chastain | A. J. Foyt, Tony Stewart (Stewart-Foyt Racing) | 14 | Pontiac Trans-Am | 43 | 4 | 9 | 22 | 5,040 | |
| 2021 | Kyle Larson | Rick Hendrick, Ricky Hendrick, Jeff Gordon (Hendrick Motorsports) | 5 | Chevrolet Camaro | 43 | 9 | 10 | |||
| 2022 | Kyle Busch | A. J. Foyt, Tony Stewart (Stewart-Foyt Racing) | 10 | Pontiac Trans-Am | 43 | 7 | 4 | |||
| 2023 | Anna Yeun | Jeffrey Yamanaka (Team Yamanaka) | 0 | Honda Accord | 43 | 6 | ||||
| 2024 | Kyle Larson (2) | Rick Hendrick, Ricky Hendrick, Jeff Gordon (Hendrick Motorsports) | 5 | Chevrolet Camaro | 43 | 5 | 6 |
By drivers[]
Richard Petty (1983 car shown) is to date the only driver to reach seven Drivers' Championships.
As of completion of the seventy-third season (2021), 34 different drivers have won a NASCAR RCA Cup Series Drivers' Championship, 16 of these drivers winning more than once.
| Driver | Total | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Richard Petty | 7 | 1964, 1967, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1979 |
| Tony Stewart | 6 | 2002, 2005, 2011, 2014, 2016, 2020 |
| Dale Earnhardt | 1980, 1986, 1987, 1991, 1993, 2000 | |
| Jeff Gordon | 4 | 1995, 1998, 2004, 2007 |
| Adam Petty | 2003, 2012, 2013, 2019 | |
| Lee Petty | 3 | 1954, 1958, 1959 |
| David Pearson | 1966, 1968, 1969 | |
| Cale Yarborough | 1976, 1977, 1978 | |
| Darrell Waltrip | 1981, 1982, 1985 | |
| Dale Earnhardt, Jr. | 2009, 2010, 2015 | |
| Herb Thomas | 2 | 1951, 1953 |
| Tim Flock | 1952, 1955 | |
| Buck Baker | 1956, 1957 | |
| Joe Weatherly | 1962, 1963 | |
| Ned Jarrett | 1961, 1965 | |
| Terry Labonte | 1984, 1996 | |
| Red Byron | 1 | 1949 |
| Bill Rexford | 1950 | |
| Rex White | 1960 | |
| Bobby Issac | 1970 | |
| Benny Parsons | 1973 | |
| Bobby Allison | 1983 | |
| Bill Elliott | 1988 | |
| Rusty Wallace | 1989 | |
| Alan Kulwicki | 1992 | |
| Tim Richmond | 1994 | |
| Ernie Irvan | 1997 | |
| Patty Moise | 1999 | |
| Davey Allison | 2001 | |
| Kelley Earnhardt | 2006 | |
| Carl Edwards | 2008 | |
| Chase Elliott | 2017 | |
| Macy Waltrip | 2018 | |
| Kyle Larson | 2021 | |
| Ross Chastain | 2022 | |
| Anna Yeun | 2023 | |
| TBA | 2024 |
Records[]
Consecutive Drivers' Championships[]
As of completion of the 2020 season, ten drivers have achieved consecutive wins in the NASCAR RCA Cup Series Drivers' Championship.
| Championships | Driver | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Cale Yarborough | 1976, 1977, 1978 |
| 2 | Buck Baker | 1956, 1957 |
| Lee Petty | 1958, 1959 | |
| Joe Weatherly | 1962, 1963 | |
| David Pearson | 1968, 1969 | |
| Richard Petty | 1971, 1972,
1974, 1975 | |
| Darrell Waltrip | 1981, 1982 | |
| Dale Earnhardt | 1986, 1987,
1993, 1994 | |
| Jeff Gordon | 1997, 1998 | |
| Dale Earnhardt, Jr. | 2009, 2010 | |
| Adam Petty | 2012, 2013 |
See also[]
- NASCAR (Johnsonverse)
- NASCAR RCA Cup Series (Johnsonverse)
- List of NASCAR Manufacturers' champions (Johnsonverse)
- List of NASCAR Busch Series champions (Johnsonverse)
- List of NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champions (Johnsonverse)
- List of all-time NASCAR RCA Cup Series winners (Johnsonverse)
- List of NASCAR teams (Johnsonverse)
- List of NASCAR drivers (Johnsonverse)
- List of NASCAR race tracks (Johnsonverse)