This is a list of National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR ) champions ; that is, a list of all the champions in NASCAR's three major series (Sprint Cup , Nationwide Series , and Craftsman Truck Series ). The NASCAR championships are awarded at the end of each season to the driver who has amassed the most points throughout the year. The point totals are determined each week by the driver's final position in a race and the amount of laps they have led in it. The current points system was adopted by NASCAR in 1975 and continues into the present day NEXTEL Cup with slight changes and a ten-race playoff format created in 2004 . The Busch Series and the Craftsman Truck series have always used this system, sans the playoff.
Since its founding in 1948, NASCAR has held 92 combined seasons in its three major series with a total of 51 separate champions. The first championship awarded was to Red Byron in 1949 . Greg Biffle and Bobby Labonte are the only drivers to have won championships in two of the three series during their NASCAR career. Biffle has come the closest to winning all three (past champion of Busch and Craftsman Truck series and runner-up in the 2005 NEXTEL Cup), but this feat has yet to be accomplished.
The current defending champions are Jimmie Johnson in the Sprint Cup, Carl Edwards in the Nationwide Series, and Ted Musgrave in the Craftsman Truck Series.
Sprint Cup By season
Season
Driver
Owner
Number, Make
Starts
Wins
Top Tens
Poles
Points (margin)
1949
Red Byron
Raymond Parks
#22, Oldsmobile 88
6 (of 8)
2
4
1
842.5 (117.5)
1950
Bill Rexford
Julian Buesink
#60, Oldsmobile 88
17 (of 19)
1
11
0
1959 (110.5)
1951
Herb Thomas
Self-owned
#92, Hudson Hornet
34 (of 41)
7
18
4
4208.45 (146.2)
1952
Tim Flock
Ted Chester
#91, Hudson Hornet
33 (of 34)
8
25
4
6858.5 (106)
1953
Herb Thomas
Self-owned
#92, Hudson Hornet
37 (of 37)
12
31
12
8460 (646)
1954
Lee Petty
Self-owned
#42, Chrysler New Yorker
34 (of 37)
7
32
3
8649 (283)
1955
Tim Flock
Carl Kiekhaefer
#300, Chrysler 300
39 (of 45)
18
33
18
9596 (1508)
1956
Buck Baker
Carl Kiekhaefer
#300B, Chrysler 300-B
48 (of 56)
14
39
12
9272 (704)
1957
Buck Baker
Self-owned
#87, Chevrolet
40 (of 53)
10
38
6
10716 (760)
1958
Lee Petty
Self-owned
#42, Oldsmobile
50 (of 51)
7
43
4
12232 (644)
1959
Lee Petty
Self-owned
#42, Plymouth
42 (of 44)
11
35
2
11792 (1830)
1960
Rex White
Self-owned
#4, Chevrolet Impala
40 (of 44)
6
35
3
21164 (3936)
1961
Ned Jarrett
W.G. Holloway, Jr.
#11, Chevrolet Impala
46 (of 52)
1
34
4
27272 (830)
1962
Joe Weatherly
Bud Moore
#8, Pontiac
52 (of 53)
9
45
7
30836 (2396)
1963
Joe Weatherly
Bud Moore
#8, Pontiac
53 (of 55)
3
35
6
33398 (2228)
1964
Richard Petty
Self-owned
#43, Plymouth Sport Fury
61 (of 62)
9
43
8
40252 (5302)
1965
Ned Jarrett
Bondy Long
#11, Ford Galaxie
54 (of 55)
13
45
9
38824 (3034)
1966
David Pearson
Cotton Owens
#6, Dodge Charger
42 (of 49)
15
33
7
35638 (1950)
1967
Richard Petty
Self-owned
#43, Plymouth Satellite
48 (of 49)
27
40
18
42472 (6028)
1968
David Pearson
Holman -Moody
#17, Ford Torino
48 (of 49)
16
38
12
3499 (126)
1969
David Pearson
Holman -Moody
#17, Ford Torino Talladega
51 (of 54)
11
44
14
4170 (357)
1970
Bobby Isaac
Nord Krauskopf
#71, Dodge Charger Daytona
47 (of 48)
11
38
13
3911 (51)
1971
Richard Petty
Self-owned
#43, Plymouth Satellite
46 (of 48)
21
41
9
4435 (364)
1972
Richard Petty
Self-owned
#43, Plymouth Satellite
31 (of 31)
8
28
3
8701.4 (127.9)
1973
Benny Parsons
L.G. DeWitt
#72, Chevrolet Chevelle
28 (of 28)
1
21
0
7173.8 (67.15)
1974
Richard Petty
Self-owned
#43, Dodge Charger
30 (of 30)
10
23
7
5037.75 (567.45)
1975
Richard Petty
Self-owned
#43, Dodge Charger
30 (of 30)
13
24
3
4783 (722)
1976
Cale Yarborough
Junior Johnson
#11, Chevrolet Chevelle
30 (of 30)
9
23
2
4644 (195)
1977
Cale Yarborough
Junior Johnson
#11, Chevrolet Malibu
30 (of 30)
9
27
3
5000 (386)
1978
Cale Yarborough
Junior Johnson
#11, Oldsmobile Cutlass
30 (of 30)
10
24
8
4841 (474)
1979
Richard Petty
Self-owned
#43, Chevrolet Monte Carlo
31 (of 31)
5
27
1
4830 (11)
1980
Dale Earnhardt
Rod Osterlund
#2, Chevrolet Monte Carlo
31 (of 31)
5
24
0
4661 (19)
1981
Darrell Waltrip
Junior Johnson
#11, Buick Regal
31 (of 31)
12
25
11
4880 (53)
1982
Darrell Waltrip
Junior Johnson
#11, Buick Regal
30 (of 30)
12
20
7
4489 (72)
1983
Bobby Allison
Bill Gardner
#22, Buick Regal
30 (of 30)
6
25
0
4667 (47)
1984
Terry Labonte
Billy Hagan
#44, Chevrolet Monte Carlo
30 (of 30)
2
24
2
4508 (65)
1985
Darrell Waltrip
Junior Johnson
#11, Buick Regal
28 (of 28)
3
21
4
4292 (101)
1986
Dale Earnhardt
Richard Childress
#3, Chevrolet Monte Carlo
29 (of 29)
5
23
1
4468 (288)
1987
Dale Earnhardt
Richard Childress
#3, Chevrolet Monte Carlo
29 (of 29)
11
24
1
4696 (489)
1988
Bill Elliott
Harry Melling
#9, Ford Thunderbird
29 (of 29)
6
22
6
4488 (24)
1989
Rusty Wallace
Raymond Beadle
#27, Pontiac Grand Prix
29 (of 29)
6
20
4
4176 (12)
1990
Dale Earnhardt
Richard Childress
#3, Chevrolet Lumina
29 (of 29)
9
23
4
4430 (26)
1991
Dale Earnhardt
Richard Childress
#3, Chevrolet Lumina
29 (of 29)
4
21
0
4287 (195)
1992
Alan Kulwicki
Self-owned
#7, Ford Thunderbird
29 (of 29)
2
17
6
4078 (10)
1993
Dale Earnhardt
Richard Childress
#3, Chevrolet Lumina
30 (of 30)
6
21
2
4526 (80)
1994
Dale Earnhardt
Richard Childress
#3, Chevrolet Lumina
31 (of 31)
4
25
2
4694 (444)
1995
Jeff Gordon
Rick Hendrick
#24, Chevrolet Monte Carlo
31 (of 31)
7
23
8
4614 (34)
1996
Terry Labonte
Rick Hendrick
#5, Chevrolet Monte Carlo
31 (of 31)
2
24
4
4657 (37)
1997
Jeff Gordon
Rick Hendrick
#24, Chevrolet Monte Carlo
32 (of 32)
10
23
1
4710 (14)
1998
Jeff Gordon
Rick Hendrick
#24, Chevrolet Monte Carlo
33 (of 33)
13
28
7
5328 (364)
1999
Dale Jarrett
Robert Yates
#88, Ford Taurus
34 (of 34)
4
29
0
5262 (201)
2000
Bobby Labonte
Joe Gibbs
#18, Pontiac Grand Prix
34 (of 34)
4
24
2
5130 (265)
2001
Jeff Gordon
Rick Hendrick
#24, Chevrolet Monte Carlo
36 (of 36)
6
24
6
5112 (349)
2002
Tony Stewart
Joe Gibbs
#20, Pontiac Grand Prix
36 (of 36)
3
21
2
4800 (38)
2003
Matt Kenseth
Mark Martin
#17, Ford Taurus
36 (of 36)
1
25
0
5022 (90)
2004
Kurt Busch
Jack Roush
#97, Ford Taurus
36 (of 36)
3
21
1
6506 (8)
2005
Tony Stewart
Joe Gibbs
#20, Chevrolet Monte Carlo
36 (of 36)
5
25
3
6533 (35)
|-
2006 in NASCAR|2006
Jimmy Johnson
Hendrek Motorsports
48, Chevrolet Monte Carlo
36 (of 36)
===By drivers
Driver
Total
Seasons
Richard Petty
7
1964 , 1967 , 1971 -1972 , 1974 -1975 , 1979
Dale Earnhardt
1980 , 1986 -1987 , 1990 -1991 , 1993 -1994
Jeff Gordon
4
1995 , 1997 -1998 , 2001
Lee Petty
3
1954 , 1958 -1959
David Pearson
1966 , 1968 -1969
Cale Yarborough
1976 -1978
Darrell Waltrip
1981 -1982 , 1985
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
Tony Stewart
2002 , 2005
Red Byron
1
1949
Bill Rexford
1950
Rex White
1960
Bobby Isaac
1970
Benny Parsons
1973
Bobby Allison
1983
Bill Elliott
1988
Rusty Wallace
1989
Alan Kulwicki
1992
Dale Jarrett
1999
Bobby Labonte
2000
Matt Kenseth
2003
Kurt Busch
2004
Nationwide Series By season
Season
Driver
Owner
Number, Make
Starts
Wins
Top Tens
Poles
Points (margin)
1982
Jack Ingram
Self-owned
#11, Pontiac
29 (of 29)
7
24
1
4495 (47)
1983
Sam Ard
Howard Thomas
#00, Oldsmobile
35 (of 35)
10
30
10
5454 (84)
1984
Sam Ard
Howard Thomas
#00, Oldsmobile
28 (of 29)
8
26
7
4552 (426)
1985
Jack Ingram
Self-owned
#11, Pontiac
27 (of 27)
5
22
2
4106 (29)
1986
Larry Pearson
David Pearson
#21, Pontiac
31 (of 31)
1
24
1
4514 (7)
1987
Larry Pearson
David Pearson
#21, Chevrolet
27 (of 27)
6
20
3
3959 (394)
1988
Tommy Ellis
John Jackson
#99, Buick
30 (of 30)
3
20
5
4281 (295)
1989
Rob Moroso
Dick Moroso
#25, Oldsmobile
29 (of 29)
4
16
7
4001 (55)
1990
Chuck Bown
Hubert Hensley
#63, Pontiac
31 (of 31)
6
18
4
4372 (200)
1991
Bobby Labonte
Self-owned
#44, Oldsmobile
31 (of 31)
2
21
2
4264 (74)
1992
Joe Nemechek
Self-owned
#87, Chevrolet
31 (of 31)
2
18
1
4275 (3)
1993
Steve Grissom
Wayne Grissom
#31, Chevrolet
28 (of 28)
2
18
0
3846 (253)
1994
David Green
Bobby Labonte
#44, Chevrolet
28 (of 28)
1
14
9
3725 (46)
1995
Johnny Benson, Jr.
Bill Baumgardner
#74, Chevrolet
26 (of 26)
2
19
0
3688 (404)
1996
Randy LaJoie
Bill Baumgardner
#74, Chevrolet
26 (of 26)
5
20
2
3714 (29)
1997
Randy LaJoie
Bill Baumgardner
#74, Chevrolet
30 (of 30)
5
21
2
4381 (266)
1998
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
Dale Earnhardt
#3, Chevrolet
31 (of 31)
7
22
3
4469 (48)
1999
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
Dale Earnhardt
#3, Chevrolet
32 (of 32)
6
22
3
4647 (280)
2000
Jeff Green
Greg Pollex
#10, Chevrolet
32 (of 32)
6
27
7
5005 (616)
2001
Kevin Harvick
Richard Childress
#2, Chevrolet
33 (of 33)
5
24
4
4813 (124)
2002
Greg Biffle
Jack Roush
#60, Ford
34 (of 34)
4
25
5
4924 (280)
2003
Brian Vickers
Ricky Hendrick
#5, Chevrolet
34 (of 34)
3
21
1
4637 (14)
2004
Martin Truex Jr.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
#8, Chevrolet
34 (of 34)
6
26
7
5173 (230)
2005
Martin Truex Jr.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
#8, Chevrolet
35 (of 35)
6
22
3
4937 (68)
By driver Craftsman Truck Series By season
Season
Driver
Owner
Number, Make
Starts
Wins
Top Tens
Poles
Points (margin)
1995
Mike Skinner
Richard Childress
#3, Chevrolet
20 (of 20)
8
18
7
3224 (126)
1996
Ron Hornaday, Jr.
Dale Earnhardt
#16, Chevrolet
24 (of 24)
4
23
2
3831 (53)
1997
Jack Sprague
Rick Hendrick
#24, Chevrolet
26 (of 26)
3
23
5
3969 (232)
1998
Ron Hornaday, Jr.
Dale Earnhardt
#16, Chevrolet
27 (of 27)
6
22
2
4072 (3)
1999
Jack Sprague
Rick Hendrick
#24, Chevrolet
25 (of 25)
3
19
1
3747 (8)
2000
Greg Biffle
Jack Roush
#50, Ford
24 (of 24)
5
18
4
3826 (230)
2001
Jack Sprague
Rick Hendrick
#24, Chevrolet
24 (of 24)
4
17
7
3670 (73)
2002
Mike Bliss
Steve Coulter
#16, Chevrolet
22 (of 22)
5
18
4
3359 (46)
2003
Travis Kvapil
Steve Coulter
#16, Chevrolet
25 (of 25)
1
22
0
3837 (9)
2004
Bobby Hamilton
Self-owned
#4, Dodge
25 (of 25)
4
16
0
3624 (46)
2005
Ted Musgrave
Jim Smith
#1, Dodge
25 (of 25)
1
15
1
3535 (55)
By driver Other NASCAR series See also References 
