Motorsport guides · NASCAR Cup Series
NASCAR Cup Series champions by year
The NASCAR Cup Series has crowned a champion every year since 1949. Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt and Jimmie Johnson share the record with seven titles each. Since 2014 the title is decided by a 16-driver playoff that ends with the Championship 4 race; Kyle Larson won it in 2025.
Most titles
7 titles
Richard Petty
1964, 1967, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1979
7 titles
Dale Earnhardt
1980, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994
4 titles
Jeff Gordon
1995, 1997, 1998, 2001
3 titles
Lee Petty
1954, 1958, 1959
3 titles
David Pearson
1966, 1968, 1969
| Year | Champion | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 |   Kyle Larson | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 2024 |  Joey Logano | Team Penske |
| 2023 |  Ryan Blaney | Team Penske |
| 2022 | Joey Logano | Team Penske |
| 2021 | Kyle Larson | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 2020 |  Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 2019 |  Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 2018 | Joey Logano | Team Penske |
| 2017 | Martin Truex Jr. | Furniture Row Racing |
| 2016 |  Jimmie Johnson | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 2015 | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 2014 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 2013 | Jimmie Johnson | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 2012 |  Brad Keselowski | Team Penske |
| 2011 |  Tony Stewart | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 2010 | Jimmie Johnson | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 2009 | Jimmie Johnson | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 2008 | Jimmie Johnson | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 2007 | Jimmie Johnson | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 2006 | Jimmie Johnson | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 2005 | Tony Stewart | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 2004 | Kurt Busch | Roush Racing |
| 2003 | Matt Kenseth | Roush Racing |
| 2002 | Tony Stewart | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 2001 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 2000 | Bobby Labonte | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 1999 | Dale Jarrett | Robert Yates Racing |
| 1998 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 1997 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 1996 |  Terry Labonte | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 1995 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 1994 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing |
| 1993 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing |
| 1992 | Alan Kulwicki | AK Racing |
| 1991 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing |
| 1990 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing |
| 1989 | Rusty Wallace | Blue Max Racing |
| 1988 | Bill Elliott | Melling Racing |
| 1987 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing |
| 1986 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing |
| 1985 | Darrell Waltrip | Junior Johnson & Associates |
| 1984 | Terry Labonte | Hagan Racing |
| 1983 | Bobby Allison | DiGard Motorsports |
| 1982 | Darrell Waltrip | Junior Johnson & Associates |
| 1981 | Darrell Waltrip | Junior Johnson & Associates |
| 1980 | Dale Earnhardt | Rod Osterlund Racing |
| 1979 | Richard Petty | — |
| 1978 |  Cale Yarborough | — |
| 1977 | Cale Yarborough | — |
| 1976 | Cale Yarborough | — |
| 1975 | Richard Petty | — |
| 1974 | Richard Petty | — |
| 1973 | Benny Parsons | — |
| 1972 | Richard Petty | — |
| 1971 | Richard Petty | — |
| 1970 | Bobby Isaac | — |
| 1969 | David Pearson | — |
| 1968 | David Pearson | — |
| 1967 | Richard Petty | — |
| 1966 | David Pearson | — |
| 1965 | Ned Jarrett | — |
| 1964 | Richard Petty | — |
| 1963 | Joe Weatherly | — |
| 1962 | Joe Weatherly | — |
| 1961 | Ned Jarrett | — |
| 1960 | Rex White | — |
| 1959 | Lee Petty | — |
| 1958 | Lee Petty | — |
| 1957 | Buck Baker | — |
| 1956 | Buck Baker | — |
| 1955 | Tim Flock | — |
| 1954 | Lee Petty | — |
| 1953 | Herb Thomas | — |
| 1952 | Tim Flock | — |
| 1951 | Herb Thomas | — |
| 1950 | Bill Rexford | — |
| 1949 | Red Byron | — |
Good to know
- The series was called Strictly Stock (1949), Grand National (1950–1971), Winston Cup (1972–2003), Nextel/Sprint Cup (2004–2016), Monster Energy Cup (2017–2019) and simply Cup Series since 2020.
- Jimmie Johnson’s five straight titles (2006–2010) are the record for consecutive championships.
- Teams are listed from 1980, when team structures became stable.
Source: NASCAR — Cup Series champions · Updated: 2026-09-04
