History of NASCAR Cup Series in Timeline
The NASCAR Cup Series is the pinnacle of stock car racing in the United States, organized by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR). It represents the highest level of competition within NASCAR's racing series. The series features intense races, skilled drivers, and iconic tracks, making it a prominent and popular sport in the U.S.
1949: Red Byron wins first Cup Series Championship
In 1949, Red Byron was awarded the first Cup Series Championship.
1950: Series Renamed Grand National Division
From 1950 to 1970, the series was known as the Grand National Division.
1950: Darlington Raceway Opened
In 1950, Darlington Raceway, the first completely paved track over one mile long, opened.
1951: Herb Thomas's first Championship
In 1951 and 1953, Herb Thomas won the Championship.
1953: Herb Thomas's second Championship
In 1951 and 1953, Herb Thomas won the Championship.
1954: First Road Course Event
The series' first road course event was held in 1954, at Linden Airport in New Jersey.
1956: Road America Race Held in Rain
A 1956 race at Road America was held in the rain; Tim Flock won the race.
1957: Outlawing of the 1957 Chevrolet "Black Widow"
In 1957, NASCAR outlawed the 1957 fuel injected 150 model Chevrolet, known as "the black widow". The 1957 Chevrolet won the most races, with 59 wins, more than any car to ever race in the cup series.
1959: Daytona International Speedway Opened
In 1959, when Daytona International Speedway opened, the schedule still had more races on dirt racetracks than on paved ones.
1960: Points were scored in a 1960–1990 Formula One system
Up to the 2013 season, points were scored in a 1960–1990 Formula One system, with the winner's manufacturer scoring nine points, six for the next manufacturer, four for the manufacturer third among makes, three for the fourth, two for the fifth, and one point for the sixth positioned manufacturer.
1963: Road course race every year since
Since 1963, the NASCAR Cup Series has raced on at least one road course every year.
1965: Introduction of modified chassis and mid-size cars
In 1965, modified chassis came to NASCAR. Mid-size cars, including the Ford Fairlane and Plymouth Belvedere, were adopted, becoming the norm.
August 1970: NASCAR Handicaps Engines
Beginning in August 1970, NASCAR handicapped engines over 366 cubic inches (6.0 liters) with a restrictor plate.
September 30, 1970: Last Grand National Race on a Dirt Track
On September 30, 1970, the last NASCAR Grand National race on a dirt track (until 2021) was held at the State Fairgrounds Speedway in Raleigh, North Carolina, and was won by Richard Petty.
1970: ABC Sports Airs Grand National Races
In 1970, ABC Sports aired partial or full live telecasts of Grand National races, but later switched to delayed and edited broadcasts on Wide World of Sports due to perceived lack of excitement.
1970: End of Grand National Division Era
In 1970, the Grand National Division era came to an end, marking the conclusion of its run since 1950.
1970: End of dirt track racing for over 50 years
The NASCAR Cup Series ceased racing on dirt tracks for more than 50 years after the 1970 season.
1971: Winston Cup Series Begins
Between 1971 and 2003, NASCAR's premier series was sponsored by R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company and was called the Winston Cup Series. In 1971, the Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act banned television advertising of cigarettes.
1971: NASCAR Limits Specialty Cars
In 1971, NASCAR rewrote the rules to effectively force the Ford and Chrysler specialty cars (nicknamed the Aero Warriors) out of competition by limiting them to 305ci (5.0L). The cars affected by this rule include the Ford Talladega, Mercury Spoiler II, Dodge Charger 500, Dodge Charger Daytona and the Plymouth Superbird.
1971: End of Grand National Name
In 1971, the Grand National name was retired.
1971: Series Becomes NASCAR Winston Cup Series
In 1971, the series began leasing its naming rights to the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company and was referred to as the NASCAR Winston Cup Series.
1971: Ford pulls out of racing
Plymouth never won a Manufacturers Championship until Ford pulled out of racing in the early 1970s.
1972: Beginning of NASCAR's "Modern Era"
In 1972, changes from RJR's involvement and a schedule reduction established the beginning of NASCAR's "modern era".
1973: Oil crisis affects factory support of racing
In 1973, the oil crisis contributed to American manufacturers ending factory support of racing.
August 1974: Latford designs new points system
In August 1974, Bob Latford designed a points system with equal points being awarded for all races regardless of length or prize money.
1974: Maximum Engine Displacement Increased
In 1974, maximum engine displacement was increased from 430 cubic inches to 433 cubic inches.
1975: Maximum Small Block Engine Displacement Reduced
In 1975, NASCAR reduced the maximum small block engine displacement from 366 cubic inches (6.0 liters) to its present 358 cubic inches (5.9 liters).
1975: New point system implemented
In 1975, the new points system remained unchanged.
1977: Older GM models retained
In 1977, the older models for the GM makes were retained through 1980 due to downsizing of American cars.
1977: Transition to Reduced Engine Displacement Complete
In 1977, the transition to the reduced engine displacement was complete, coinciding with American manufacturers ending factory support of racing and the 1973 oil crisis.
1979: Daytona 500 Live Telecast and Controversial Finish
In 1979, the Daytona 500 became the first stock car race nationally televised live from flag to flag on CBS. The race ended with a wreck and a fistfight, increasing the sport's marketability. The race coincided with a snowstorm, successfully introducing the sport to a captive audience.
1979: Older Ford and Dodge models retained
In 1979, the older models for Ford and Dodge were retained through 1980 due to downsizing of American cars.
1980: Retention of older models
In 1980, older models of GM, Ford and Dodge makes were retained due to downsizing of American cars.
1981: Awards Banquet Begins in New York City
In 1981, an awards banquet began to be held in New York City on the first Friday evening in December.
1981: Wheelbase requirement reduced
In 1981, the wheelbase requirement was reduced to 110 inches (2,800 mm) to accommodate newer model cars.
1982: Daytona 500 Becomes First Non-Exhibition Race
Since 1982, the Daytona 500 has been the first non-exhibition race of the year.
1983: Introduction of aerodynamic car models
In 1983, the rounded, aerodynamic 1983 Ford Thunderbird gained prominence. The Chevrolet Monte Carlo and Pontiac Grand Prix adopted bubble back windows to stay competitive.
1985: Chrysler Corporation leaves NASCAR
At the end of the 1985 season, Chrysler Corporation left NASCAR entirely after dropping its poor performing (both on the race track and for consumer sales) Dodge Mirada and Chrysler Cordoba in 1983.
1985: Winston Introduces Winston Million
In 1985, Winston introduced a new awards program called the Winston Million, offering one million dollars to any driver who won three of the four most prestigious races in the series.
1985: Awards Banquet Moved to Grand Ballroom
In 1985, the awards banquet was moved to the Grand Ballroom at the Waldorf-Astoria.
1986: "Grand National" Dropped From Winston Cup Series
In 1986, "Grand National" was dropped from the Winston Cup Grand National Series, shortening the name to Winston Cup Series.
1987: Record speed and major accident at Talladega
In 1987, Bill Elliott set a world stock-car record at 212.809 mph during Winston 500 qualifying. During the race, Bobby Allison's crash injured several spectators, leading to the mandate of restrictor plates at Talladega and Daytona.
1987: Bill Elliott sets qualifying lap record
In 1987, Bill Elliott set the record qualifying lap at Talladega Superspeedway with a speed of 212.809 mph (342.483 km/h).
1988: Restrictor plates made mandatory
In 1988, restrictor plates were made mandatory at superspeedways to reduce speeds.
1989: GM switches models to V6 engines and front-wheel-drive
By 1989, GM had switched its mid-sized models to V6 engines and front-wheel-drive, but the NASCAR racers only kept the body shape, with the old V8 rear-wheel-drive running gear, rendering obsolete the "stock" nature of the cars.
1989: Darrell Waltrip nearly wins Winston Million
In 1989, Darrell Waltrip nearly won the Winston Million
1990: Points were scored in a 1960–1990 Formula One system
Up to the 2013 season, points were scored in a 1960–1990 Formula One system, with the winner's manufacturer scoring nine points, six for the next manufacturer, four for the manufacturer third among makes, three for the fourth, two for the fifth, and one point for the sixth positioned manufacturer.
1991: GM was still using four different brands in NASCAR
GM was still using four different brands in NASCAR in 1991, but within three years, Buick and Oldsmobile were gone. Pontiac survived until 2004, leaving only Chevrolet.
1992: Davey Allison nearly wins Winston Million
In 1992, Davey Allison nearly won the Winston Million
1992: Start of the Generation 4 car
In 1992, the Generation 4 car was introduced, removing stock body panels and replacing steel bumpers with fiberglass.
1993: Rusty Wallace's airborne crashes
In 1993, Rusty Wallace had two airborne crashes, which led to the addition of roof flaps to all cars in 1994.
1994: First Brickyard 400
In 1994, NASCAR held the first Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
1994: Addition of roof flaps to all cars
In 1994, roof flaps were added to all cars after Rusty Wallace's two airborne crashes in 1993.
1995: Return of the Chevrolet Monte Carlo
In 1995, the newly designed Chevrolet Monte Carlo returned to the sport, which started the trend of rounder body shapes.
1996: Dale Jarrett nearly wins Winston Million
In 1996, Dale Jarrett nearly won the Winston Million
1997: Increase in Daytona 500 Prize Money
Between 1997 and 1998, the winner's prize money for the Daytona 500 tripled, coinciding with a decline in popularity of American Championship Car Racing.
1997: Ford Thunderbird retired, Ford Taurus used
In 1997, the Ford Thunderbird was retired, and the four-door Ford Taurus body was used (although NASCAR racers actually have no opening doors).
1998: Increase in Daytona 500 Prize Money
Between 1997 and 1998, the winner's prize money for the Daytona 500 tripled, coinciding with a decline in popularity of American Championship Car Racing.
1998: Tobacco Industry Settlement Affects Sponsorship
In 1998, the Tobacco Industry Settlement sharply restricted avenues for tobacco advertising, impacting RJR's sponsorship of NASCAR.
1998: Winston No Bull Five Replaces Winston Million
In 1998, the Winston Million was replaced with a similar program, the Winston No Bull Five.
1998: Asymmetrical bodies on cars became common
Since the 1998 Taurus launch, asymmetrical bodies on cars had become common. The new rules eliminated the asymmetrical bodies on cars that had run rampant since then. NASCAR requires all CoTs to conform to common body templates, regardless of make and model.
1998: Significant Ford Taurus decklid modification allowed
Until 1998, the hood, roof, and decklid were still required to be identical to their stock counterparts. This was eliminated when NASCAR allowed significant modifications of the Ford Taurus decklid so the car would fit the required templates.
2001: Dodge returns to NASCAR
Chrysler's Dodge brand returned after a 15-year hiatus in 2001.
2001: Simpler Awards Ceremony
For 2001, the banquet portion of the awards ceremony was dropped in favor of a simpler ceremony.
2002: R.J. Reynolds Notifies NASCAR of Sponsorship Termination
During the 2002 season, R.J. Reynolds notified NASCAR leadership that they would terminate their title sponsorship prematurely at the conclusion of the 2003 season.
2003: Introduction of "Approved Body Configuration"
In 2003, NASCAR introduced "Approved Body Configuration" (also known as "common template") design to put more emphasis on parity and based new body rules, similar to short track racing, where offset cars had become a burden for race officials.
2003: Deal with Nextel Made
In 2003, a similar deal to the one with R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company was made with Nextel.
2003: End of Winston Cup Series
In 2003, the Winston Cup Series came to an end.
2003: Banquet Format Reinstated
In 2003, the awards festivities returned to the Waldorf's Grand Ballroom, and the banquet format was reinstated.
2004: New System for Determining Series Champion
Along with the change in title sponsorship for the series, the 2004 season also introduced a new system for determining the series champion, influenced by the system used in the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series.
2004: Series Renamed NASCAR Nextel Cup Series
From 2004 to 2007, after a deal with Nextel in 2003, the series became the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series.
2004: Inaugural Chase for the Nextel Cup
From the inaugural Chase in 2004 to the 2006 Chase, the drivers were seeded based on points position at the end of the regular season.
2004: Pontiac survives until 2004
GM was still using four different brands in NASCAR in 1991, but within three years, Buick and Oldsmobile were gone. Pontiac survived until 2004, leaving only Chevrolet.
2004: Chase for the Championship instituted
In 2004, the Chase for the Championship was instituted, changing the points system that had been in place since 1975.
2005: Rules reverted to a system more similar to the pre-2005 rules
Beginning in 2013, the rules reverted to a system more similar to the pre-2005 rules. In the NASCAR Cup Series, the first 36 places in the field are determined strictly by qualifying speed.
2005: Sprint Acquires Nextel
In 2005, Sprint acquired Nextel, leading to a renaming of the NASCAR series.
2005: Kurt Busch fired
In 2005, after owner Jack Roush fired Kurt Busch during the next-to-last race weekend of the season, the No. 97 team finished in eighth place in owner's points, while Busch ended up tenth in driver's points.
2005: Owner's points used to determine exemptions for the next race
In 2005, owner's points were used to award exemptions for the next race, guaranteeing a position for the top teams.
2006: Jimmie Johnson's first of five consecutive Championships
From 2006 to 2010, Jimmie Johnson won five consecutive Championships.
2006: Changes in Chase for the Nextel Cup
From the inaugural Chase in 2004 to the 2006 Chase, the drivers were seeded based on points position at the end of the regular season.
2006: Release of the Movie Cars
In 2006, the animated film Cars was released, which included the voices of Petty and Dale Earnhardt Jr. To avoid advertising tobacco in a Disney film, "Piston Cup" served as Pixar's allusion to the Winston Cup.
2006: Sprint and Nextel Merger
The 2006 merger between Sprint and Nextel resulted in the Cup Series being renamed the Sprint Cup.
March 2007: Debut of the "Car of Tomorrow"
In March 2007, NASCAR introduced the "Car of Tomorrow" (CoT) at Bristol Motor Speedway; it was initially used at 16 selected events.
October 2007: Speed record attempt at the Bonneville Salt Flats
In October 2007, Russ Wicks drove a modified Dodge Charger stock car to 244.9 mph during a speed record attempt at the Bonneville Salt Flats.
2007: Highest finishing non-Chase driver awarded a bonus
From 2007 to 2013, the highest finishing non-Chase driver (13th place at the end of the season) was awarded a bonus of approximately one million dollars.
2007: End of NASCAR Nextel Cup Series
In 2007, the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series era came to an end.
2007: Increase in Number of Teams Eligible for the Chase
In 2007, the number of teams eligible to win the championship by competing in a playoff held within the final ten races was increased to 12.
2008: Series Renamed NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
In 2008, following Sprint's acquisition of Nextel in 2005, the series was renamed the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
2008: Cup Series Renamed Sprint Cup
In 2008, the Cup Series was renamed the Sprint Cup, following the 2006 merger between Sprint and Nextel.
2009: End of Popularity Boom
By 2009, the popularity boom of the 1990s had ended, and television ratings over the previous ten years had become stagnant.
2009: Carl Edwards' high-speed spin at Talladega
In 2009, Carl Edwards experienced a high-speed spin during the Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway, leading to criticisms of the rear wing.
2009: Original plan to use CoT in every race
NASCAR had originally planned to wait until the start of the 2009 season to use the CoT in every race.
2010: Jimmie Johnson's fifth consecutive Championship
From 2006 to 2010, Jimmie Johnson won five consecutive Championships.
2010: Changes in Chase for the Sprint Cup Points System
From 2007 to 2010, the points totals of each driver who made the Chase were reset to 5,000 points, plus ten additional points for each race victory during the first 26 races.
2010: Rear wing replaced with spoiler
In 2010, NASCAR replaced the rear wing with the original spoiler, starting with the Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway.
2010: Changes to the points system
Under the post-2010 point system, only cars that actually start in a given race earn owner's points.
November 20, 2011: Tony Stewart wins 2011 NASCAR Cup Series Championship after points tie
On November 20, 2011, Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards concluded the season with an unprecedented tie in points. Tony Stewart was awarded the 2011 NASCAR Cup Series Championship due to his five season wins over Carl Edwards' one win.
2011: Changes to the points system were implemented
Before a major change to the points system was implemented in 2011, there was a slightly different addition to the system of allocating owner's points.
2011: Nose alteration with smaller splitter and solid front valence
In 2011, NASCAR altered the nose of the car with a reduced splitter size and replacement of braces with a solid front valence.
2011: Implementation of rule changes affecting driver and owner points
In 2011, a new rule was implemented where drivers are only allowed to earn drivers' points in one of NASCAR's three national series.
2012: Switch to EFI V8 engines
In 2012, NASCAR Cup Series cars switched to EFI V8 engines after 62 years of using carburetion.
2012: Introduction of fuel injection technology
In 2012, NASCAR introduced fuel injection technology. Initially NASCAR indicated that it would transition to fuel injection midway through the 2011 season but decided before that season to put off the change until 2012.
2012: Top teams guaranteed a position in the next race
Through the 2012 season, the top 35 (NASCAR Cup Series) or top 30 (other series) full-time teams in owner points are awarded exemptions for the next race, guaranteeing them a position in that race.
July 2013: SoftBank Acquires Sprint
In July 2013, Japanese telecommunications corporation SoftBank acquired Sprint.
2013: 2005 rule change in NASCAR's three national series revoked
A 2005 rule change in NASCAR's three national series, revoked from 2013 onward, affects how the owner's points are used.
2013: Rules reverted to a system more similar to the pre-2005 rules
Beginning in 2013, the rules reverted to a system more similar to the pre-2005 rules.
2013: Highest finishing non-Chase driver awarded a bonus
From 2007 to 2013, the highest finishing non-Chase driver (13th place at the end of the season) was awarded a bonus of approximately one million dollars.
2013: Increased branding leeway with Generation 6 race car
In 2013, manufacturers were given increased leeway for branding their NASCAR Cup Series cars, creating the Generation 6 race car. These changes were made so the cars would resemble their street counterparts more closely, as was done in the Xfinity Series in 2011.
2013: Points were scored in a 1960–1990 Formula One system
Up to the 2013 season, points were scored in a 1960–1990 Formula One system, with the winner's manufacturer scoring nine points, six for the next manufacturer, four for the manufacturer third among makes, three for the fourth, two for the fifth, and one point for the sixth positioned manufacturer.
2014: NASCAR announces wide-ranging changes to the Chase format
In 2014, NASCAR announced significant changes to the Chase format.
2014: Formation of Race Team Alliance
In 2014, the Race Team Alliance was formed, leading to the creation of a charter system in 2016.
2014: Changes to awards for non-Chase drivers
In 2014, the highest finishing non-Chase driver could potentially finish anywhere from fifth to 17th place, and would be awarded a bonus.
2014: NASCAR changed the system to mimic the Owner's Championship
Starting in 2014, NASCAR changed the system to mimic the Owner's Championship. Under this system, each manufacturer's best finishing representative effectively earned them the same number of points as that team earned.
December 1, 2016: NASCAR reaches agreement with Monster Energy to sponsor premier series
On December 1, 2016, NASCAR announced it had reached an agreement with Monster Energy to become the new sponsor of NASCAR's premier series.
December 19, 2016: NASCAR announces the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series name and new logos
On December 19, 2016, NASCAR announced the new name for the series, Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, as well as the new series logo and new NASCAR logo.
2016: Creation of Charter System
In 2016, NASCAR announced the creation of a charter system (in association with the Race Team Alliance, formed in 2014), guaranteeing 36 teams' entry to all 36 races and reduced the field size to 40 cars.
2016: Introduction of McLaren digital dash
In 2016, all NASCAR Cup Series cars began utilizing a digital dash sold by McLaren, which included sixteen customizable preset screens.
2016: Monster Energy to Become New Title Sponsor
In December 2016, it was announced that Monster Energy would become the new title sponsor of the series.
2017: Series Renamed Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
From 2017 to 2019, the series was renamed the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.
2017: Introduction of stage racing in NASCAR
In 2017, NASCAR introduced stage racing, breaking races into three or four stages with bonus points awarded to the top-10 finishers in the first two stages.
April 11, 2018: Monster Energy extends sponsorship of NASCAR's premier series
On April 11, 2018, Monster Energy announced an extension of their sponsorship of NASCAR's premier series through the end of the 2019 season.
2018: Chevrolet switches to the Chevrolet Camaro
In 2018, Chevrolet switched to the Chevrolet Camaro in the Cup Series, resulting in return of pony cars (and thus, coupe-based models) to the Cup Series.
2019: End of Monster Energy Sponsorship
In 2019, Monster Energy's sponsorship of NASCAR's premier series came to an end.
2019: NASCAR Rejects Monster's Offer
In 2019, NASCAR rejected Monster's offer to extend the naming rights deal beyond the end of the season.
2019: Tapered spacers replace restrictor plates
In 2019, restrictor plates at superspeedways were replaced by tapered spacers to reduce horsepower and limit speeds.
2019: Daytona 500 Viewership
In 2019, the Daytona 500 had a television audience of about 9.17 million U.S. viewers.
2020: Schedule Includes Tracks Around the United States
As of 2020, the NASCAR schedule includes tracks from around the United States, with races also having been held outside the country.
2020: First in-race use of rain tires in the Cup Series
The first in-race use of rain tires in the Cup Series were at the 2020 Bank of America Roval 400.
2021: Windshield wiper requirement at Daytona
In 2021, Cup cars were required to have at least one working windshield wiper installed for road courses, including Daytona, as part of the road racing rules package.
2021: Dirt track race held again
In 2021, NASCAR held a race on a dirt track.
2021: Return of dirt racing to the schedule
In 2021, dirt racing returned to the schedule with a March event at Bristol Motor Speedway.
2021: Rain tires used at the Texas Grand Prix
In 2021, rain tires were used at the Texas Grand Prix in the Cup Series.
2022: Introduction of the Next Gen car
In 2022, NASCAR introduced the Next Gen car, a seventh-generation car featuring improved aero and downforce packages and new technologies to lower costs and attract new OEMs.
2023: Chevrolet leads in manufacturer wins and championships as of 2023
As of 2023, Chevrolet has the most race wins and manufacturer championships with 851 wins and 42 championships, followed by Ford and Dodge.
2023: Next Gen Camaro entry in 24 Hours of Le Mans
In 2023, a heavily modified Next Gen Camaro fielded by Hendrick Motorsports entered the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans, where it finished 39th out of the 62 cars entered in the event.
2023: No. 9 car earns playoff berth
In 2023, after Chase Elliott was injured, his No. 9 car continued to earn owner points during his absence, which ultimately culminated in a playoff berth in owners points.
2024: NASCAR Season Overview
The 2024 NASCAR season includes 31 races at oval tracks and 5 at road courses.
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