Nascar Nextel Cup Series Champions
	Key located at bottom of page
	YEAR	DRIVER	OWNER	C. CHIEF	MAKE	WINS	EARNINGS
	2006	Cup Champion determined after the Ford 400 at Miami-Homestead Speedway, November 19.2006
	2005	Tony Stewart	Joe Gibbs	Greg Zipadelli	Chevrolet	5	$6,987,530
	2004	Kurt Busch	Georgetta Roush	Jimmy Fennig	Ford	3	$4,200,330
	2003	Matt Kenseth	Mark Martin	Robbie Reiser	Ford	1	$4,038,120
	2002	Tony Stewart	Joe Gibbs	Greg Zipadelli	Pontiac	3	$4,695,150
	2001	Jeff Gordon	Rick Hendrick	Robbie Loomis	Chevrolet	6	$6,649,080
	2000	Bobby Labonte	Joe Gibbs	Jimmy Makar	Pontiac	4	$4,041,750
	1999	Dale Jarrett	Robert Yates	Todd Parrott	Ford	4	$3,608,829
	1998	Jeff Gordon	Rick Hendrick	Ray Evernham	Chevrolet	13	$6,175,867
	1997	Jeff Gordon	Rick Hendrick	Ray Evernham	Chevrolet	10	$4,201,227
	1996	Terry Labonte	Rick Hendrick	Gary DeHart	Chevrolet	2	$4,030,648
	1995	Jeff Gordon	Rick Hendrick	Ray Evernham	Chevrolet	7	$2,088,460
	1994	Dale Earnhardt	Richard Childress	Andy Petree	Chevrolet	4	$1,465,890
	1993	Dale Earnhardt	Richard Childress	Andy Petree	Chevrolet	6	$1,326,240
	1992	Alan Kulwicki	Alan Kulwicki	Paul Andrews	Ford	2	$907,510
	1991	Dale Earnhardt	Richard Childress	Kirk Shelmerdine	Chevrolet	4	$1,029,060
	1990	Dale Earnhardt	Richard Childress	Kirk Shelmerdine	Chevrolet	9	$1,307,830
	1989	Rusty Wallace	Raymond Beadle	Barry Dodson	Pontiac	6	$860,990
	1988	Bill Elliott	Harry Melling	Ernie Elliott	Ford	6	$812,775
	1987	Dale Earnhardt	Richard Childress	Kirk Shelmerdine	Chevrolet	11	$1,041,120
	1986	Dale Earnhardt	Richard Childress	Kirk Shelmerdine	Chevrolet	5	$868,100
	1985	Darrell Waltrip	Junior Johnson	Jeff Hammond	Chevrolet	3	$702,298
	1984	Terry Labonte	Billy Hagan	Dale Inman	Chevrolet	2	$417,293
	1983	Bobby Allison	Bill Gardner	Gary Nelson	Buick	6	$613,700
	1982	Darrell Waltrip	Junior Johnson	Jeff Hammond	Buick	12	$682,085
	1981	Darrell Waltrip	Junior Johnson	Tim Brewer	Buick	12	$539,050
	1980	Dale Earnhardt	Rod Osterlund	Doug Richert	Chevrolet	5	$451,360
	1979	Richard Petty	Richard L Petty	Dale Inman	Chevrolet	5	$416,650
	1978	Cale Yarborough	Junior Johnson	Tim Brewer	Oldsmobile	10	$422,980
	1977	Cale Yarborough	Junior Johnson	Herb Nab	Chevrolet	9	$385,576
	1976	Cale Yarborough	Junior Johnson	Herb Nab	Chevrolet	9	$294,591
	1975	Richard Petty	Richard L Petty	Dale Inman	Dodge	13	$284,980
	1974	Richard Petty	Richard L Petty	Dale Inman	Dodge	10	$299,175
	1973	Benny Parsons	L.G. DeWitt	Travis Carter	Chevrolet	1	$114,345
	1972	Richard Petty	Richard L Petty	Dale Inman	Plymouth	8	$227,015
	1971	Richard Petty	Richard L Petty	Dale Inman	Plymouth	21	$309,225
	1970	Bobby Isaac	Nord Krauskopf	Harry Hyde	Dodge	11	$121,470
	1969	David Pearson	Holman-Moody	Jake Elder	Ford	11	$183,700
	1968	David Pearson	Holman-Moody	Jake Elder	Ford	16	$118,842
	1967	Richard Petty	Dale Inman	Dale Inman	Plymouth	27	$130,275
	1966	David Pearson	Cotton Owens	Cotton Owens	Dodge	14	$59,205
	1965	Ned Jarrett	Bondy Long	John Ervin	Ford	13	$77,966
	1964	Richard Petty	Richard L Petty	Dale Inman	Plymouth	9	$98,810
	1963	Joe Weatherly	Bud Moore	Bud Moore	Pontiac	3	$58,110
	1962	Joe Weatherly	Bud Moore	Bud Moore	Pontiac	9	$56,110
	1961	Ned Jarrett	W.G. Holloway Jr.	Bud Allman	Chevrolet	1	$27,285
	1960	Rex White	White-Clements	Louis Clements	Chevrolet	6	$45,260
	1959	Lee Petty	Lee Petty	Lee Petty	Plymouth	10	$45,570
	1958	Lee Petty	Lee Petty	Lee Petty	Oldsmobile	7	$20,600
	1957	Buck Baker	Buck Baker	Bud Moore	Chevrolet	10	$24,712
	1956	Buck Baker	Carl Kiekhaefer	Carl Kiekhafer	Chrysler	14	$29,790
	1955	Tim Flock	Carl Kiekhaefer	Carl Kiekhafer	Chrysler	18	$33,750
	1954	Lee Petty	Lee Petty	Lee Petty	Chrysler	7	$26,706
	1953	Herb Thomas	Herb Thomas	Smokey Yunick	Hudson	11	$27,300
	1952	Tim Flock	Ted Chester	B. B. Blackburn	Hudson	8	$20,210
	1951	Herb Thomas	Herb Thomas	Smokey Yunick	Hudson	7	$18,200
	1950	Bill Rexford	Julian Buesink	Julian Buesink	Oldsmobile	1	$6,175
	1949	Red Byron	Raymond Parks	Red Vogt	Oldsmobile	2	$5,800
	Overview
	Nascar has used various point systems since 1949 to determine the series champion, as well
	as the other top finishers. The current point system, adopted in 1975, gives points to every
	driver in the field, provided they entered the race prior to the entry deadline. The same
	point system is used for every race*, regardless of distance or type of track.
	For an explanation of the points system see the 'Points Explained' tab below.
	*No points are awarded for the following races:
	Budweiser Shootout
	Gatorade Duel #1
	Gatorade Duel #2
	Nextel All-Star Challenge.