Latest NASCAR Cup Series News

Latest NASCAR Cup Series News

More NASCAR Cup Series News

Ex-SHR Driver Reveals A Big Flaw in Gene Haas & Tony Stewart’s Ownership

Chase Briscoe reveals key differences between Joe Gibbs Racing and Stewart-Haas Racing, highlighting JGR's leadership culture.
Tony Stewart and Joe Gibbs

Despite Bitter Past, Kurt Busch Confesses Love for Brother Kyle in 6 Words

Kurt Busch is coming back to racing after a two-year hiatus, and he cannot help but reminisce about his time with his brother.
Kyle Busch and Kurt Busch

“Apologies in Advance”- SVG Dominates Unconventional Dirt Challenge Ahead of the Daytona 500

Shane van Gisbergen after a splendid Xfinity Season is continuing the domination in his off-season endeavours. That too in dirt racing!
NASCAR driver Shane van Gisbergen

Chris Rice Declares Bold Changes at Kaulig Racing Days After Life-Changing Reveal

With the 2025 season on the horizon, Kaulig Racing's president Chris Rice has set goals amongst the team's staff to prioritize health.
TALLADEGA, AL – APRIL 22: Chris Rice (Left), Team President of Kaulig racing talks to the owner of Kaulig Racing Matt Ka

When Kyle Larson’s Son Owen Adopted Unfiltered Tony Stewart’s Cuss Words

A few years ago, Kyle Larson learned a valuable lesson, to not allow Tony Stewart to babysit his children, unless he wanted them to swear.
Tony Stewart and Kyle Larson

“Never Had the Right Opportunity”- Rodney Childers Reveals Cup Star’s Heartbreaking Reality Forcing Complete Car Overhaul

Ahead of his new season, Justin Haley reminds his crew chief of his previously mediocre ride, and the latter is working hard to change that.
Rodney Childers

Dale Jr.’s Prodigy Stealing the Spotlight Has Fans Insinuating Trackhouse Racing Superstar’s Jeopardized Career

As Dale Jr.'s 18-year-old phenom makes history, what does it mean for Trackhouse Racing's current driver lineup?
July 2, 2023, Chicago, Illinois, USA: NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Driver, Shane van Gisbergen (91), celebrates his win f

Michael Jordan & Denny Hamlin’s Shocking Bowman Gray Rollback Disheartens NASCAR Fans

The 2025 season hasn't started and we already have a 'what if moment.' What if Tyler Reddick had driven that Michael Jordan scheme at BGS?
Denny Hamlin, Michael Jordan

“I’m Not Good…”- Brad Keselowski Discloses Stepping Away From Family Pedigree Behind Cup Team Ownership

Behind his successful team ownership role, Brad Keselowski has a family story - where he disconnected from his dad's talent.
NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 Qualifying

Jimmie Johnson Claps Back at Shaquille O’Neal’s Daytona Diss, Leaving Fans Stunned

Jimmie Johnson and Shaquille O'Neal engage in friendly banter on social media, leaving fans stunned at the unexpected crossover.
Jimmie Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal

SVG Makes an Honest NASCAR Confession Amid Shocking Cup Series Claim

Shane van Gisbergen makes a shocking revelation ahead of his debut Cup Series season as a full-time driver for Trackhouse Racing.
NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Practice & Qualifying Aug 12, 2023; Speedway, Indiana, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Shane V

Roger Penske’s Refusal Saving IndyCar From NASCAR’s Disgrace Wins Over Racing Community

After begrudgingly accepting NASCAR's playoff format, fans praise Roger Penske for dodging a crisis for the IndyCar Series.
Roger Penske

Shane Van Gisbergen’s Heartfelt Message to $22.15 Billion Worth Sponsor Wins Over NASCAR Fans

There is no doubt Shane van Gisbergen has been a breath of fresh air for NASCAR. In 2025, the Supercars champ is leading a sponsor comeback.
NASCAR Xfinity Series Wawa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola

Decorated Sports Journalist Sends 1-Word Message to Brad Keselowski & Co Amid RFK Racing Signing

Brad Keselowski's RFK Racing has recently appointed a veteran journalist to oversee marketing, PR and improve the team's media presence.
NASCAR: Cup Practice & Qualifying

Shocked Chase Briscoe Discloses Joe Gibbs’ “Eye-Opening” Superiority to Tony Stewart & Co

JGR's newest recruit, Chase Briscoe couldn't help but highlight a huge difference in how SHR lacked essentials that help drivers on track.
Joe Gibbs, Tony Stewart

Despite Brad Keselowski’s Alliance, Gene Haas’ Ace Drops a Reality Check on Rising Expectations

Brad Keselowski's Cup series partner drops truth bomb ahead of much-anticipated return to the premier division
gene haas brad keselowski

Chase Elliott Given Bitter Reality Check That Crushed His Goal of “Destroying Everyone” in NASCAR

2020 NASCAR Cup Series Champions acknowledges what he had missed back in time and how needs more of the understanding on skilling it up.
NASCAR Cup Series YellaWood 500 – Qualifying

Bubba Wallace and Tyler “Pickles” Reddick Out of Sync Leave Fans in Stitches

Ahead of the NASCAR 2025 season, Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick have a bit of fun with their primary sponsor.
July 15, 2023, Loudon, NH, United States of America: NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Drivers, Bubba Wallace (23) and Tyler R

Roger Penske’s Latest Acquisition Highlights the Volatility of NASCAR’s Chicago Project

Could NASCAR's Chicago street race struggle the same way as the Music City GP before the event was taken over by Penske Entertainment?
The 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500

Bob Pockrass Gives a Concerning Verdict on Kyle Busch’s RCR Woes Heading Into 2025

After a disappointing 2024 campaign, Kyle Busch will be hoping to turn his lackluster form around in what could be his final season at RCR.
Kyle Busch and Bob Pockrass

Tony Stewart’s Protegês: Who Faces the Most Unpredictable Journey in 2025?

Among the drivers recently resettled from the Stewart Haas Racing team, is Chase Briscoe under the most pressure heading into 2025?
Untitled design (41)

Michael Jordan’s Battle Against NASCAR Could Carry a Heavy Cost for Others

With the ongoing anti-trust lawsuit against NASCAR heating up, could other Cup Series teams be caught in the crossfire?
NASCAR: Straight Talk Wireless 400

NASCAR Kicking Out Mike Wallace Pushes Joe Gibbs’ Ex-Star Into Daytona 500

After Mike Wallace had to bow his way out of the Daytona 500, Carl Long has affixed Chandler Smith as his replacement.
joe gibbs mike wallace

NASCAR Willing to Tweak Championship Race at Phoenix With Goodyear by Their Side

After debuting Goodyear's experimental tires in last year's races, NASCAR is prepared to take the tire game to Phoenix.
AVONDALE, AZ – NOVEMBER 06: Bubba Wallace ( 45 23XI Racing McDonald s Toyota) races during the NASCAR, Motorsport, USA C

Kyle Larson Shows Off Next-Gen Superiority Over His NASCAR Rivals With a Truth Bomb

HMS star driver Kyle Larson has been the most successful driver in the Next-Gen era despite not bagging a championship win.
AUTO: JUL 23 NASCAR Cup Series Highpoint 400

Brad Keselowski’s Dream to Follow Roger Penske’s $160 Billion Partner’s Path Revealed

Brad Keselowski's bold venture to address an important gap in the NASCAR mirrors his former boss mentor Roger Penske's ambitions
Roger Penske and 2012 NASCAR Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski

About NASCAR Cup Series

NASCAR Cup Series: Origin, Teams and More

What is the NASCAR Cup Series?

NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) is the authorizing body for stock-vehicle racing in North America. It was established in 1948 in Daytona Beach, Florida. Currently, the organization fields four types of tracks: Intermediate tracks, Superspeedways, Short Tracks and Road Courses.

USA Today via Reuters

NASCAR Cup Series Origin

The first-ever NASCAR race was held at Charlotte Fairgrounds Speedway on June 19, 1949 and Christian David "Jim" Roper was the victor after racer Glen Dunaway was disqualified for making illegal adjustments to his car.

Why is it named Cup Series? 


The NASCAR Cup Series is the pinnacle of the racing arrangement in the NASCAR classification. The arrangement started in 1949 and was called the Strictly Stock Division. The series was subsequently known as the Grand National Division from 1950 to 1970.

Then, in 1971, it started renting its naming rights to the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company and was alluded to as the NASCAR Winston Cup Series till 2003. From the next year onwards, the series came to be known as the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series till 2007 after a partnership with Nextel.

Sprint obtained Nextel in 2005 and 2008 saw the arrangement being renamed as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Sprint remained the sponsor of the NASCAR Cup from 2008 to 2016. It was reported in December 2016 that Monster Energy would be the sponsor; therefore, the arrangement was renamed the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series from 2017 to 2019.

However, after decades of name changes, in 2017, the organization finally decided to shed off its old image and simply be named as the NASCAR Cup Series, with series sponsors being called 'Premier Partners'.

What is the format of the Cup Series?

The NASCAR points system has been a complicated affair to say the least. Over the years, the organization has tried several iterations, namely the Latford system, the Chase and the current elimination playoffs format among others, to discern one that would be fair to each driver.

While the earlier system saw drivers being awarded points on the basis of prize money in a particular race, in 1972 a new format was introduced. This time the points were awarded on the basis of laps completed. However, even that came with its own flaws and just two years later, in 1974, the organization introduced point calculation based on a mathematical formula. However, given the complexity of the equation, Bill France Jr, the former CEO of NASCAR decided to step in and call upon his close friend Bob Latford, to come up with an efficient way, which later came to be known as Boot Hill Format or the Latford Model.

With equal points awarded in all races, as New York Times aptly put it: "Mr. Latford set up his points scale to reward consistency rather than flashes of brilliance, and drivers seem to like it that way."

This system was perhaps the longest-running one during that time, being replaced in 2003, by The Chase format. Currently, the NASCAR Cup Series operates on the Playoff Format. The schedule consists of 31 oval races, 4 road course races, one street track race, and 4 non-championship races to be held on ovals. This also includes 16 playoff races, with four elimination rounds, namely, Round of 16, Round of 12, Round of 4 and Championship 4.

NASCAR Cup Series Teams

As of 2024, the NASCAR Cup Series has 16 full-time teams participating and three manufacturers, namely Toyota, Chevrolet and Ford. As for the team with the most number of victories and championship, Hendrick Motorsports has has an undebatable upper hand, with 305 Cup Series wins and 14 drivers championships.

NASCAR Cup Series Venue

The first championship race was reportedly held at Martinsville Speedway, a half-mile oval, on October 16, 1949. Currently, the final race of a Cup season is held at the Phoenix Raceway, which is a one-mile, low-banked tri-oval race track located in Avondale, Arizona, near Phoenix.

USA Today via Reuters

NASCAR Cup Series Championship

The NASCAR Cup Series hosts three different championship under one name: The Driver's Championship, the Owner's Championship and the Manufacturer's Championship. The driver's championship as the name suggests is the award given to the driver that has emerged as the winner at the end of a season. On the other hand, the Owner's Championship aims to reward the team at the top of the points standings. The driver with the most championship wins are Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt and Jimmie Johnson. Additionally, Rick Hendrick-owned Hendrick Motorsports has won a record-breaking 14 championships till date.

On a similar note, the Manufacturer's Championship sees Original Equipment Manufacturers(OEMs) being awarded a championship based on how races their cars managed to dominate and the points accumulated. In this regard, US-based manufacturer Chevrolet has racked up the most Cup Series wins at 42, followed by Ford at 17, and Toyota at 3.

NASCAR Cup Series Track Types

As mentioned earlier, the NASCAR Cup series organizes its races on four different types of tracks, namely, Intermediate tracks, Superspeedways, Short Tracks and Road Courses.

When it comes to Intermediate tracks, it simply means "any track greater than one mile in length, with the exception of both Daytona and Talladega" according to the official NASCAR website and currently the Cup Series drivers compete on the following Intermediate tracks/Speedways :

  • Atlanta Motor Speedway (1.540-mile, Quad-Oval)
  • Charlotte Motor Speedway (1.500-mile Quad-Oval, including a 2.280 miles Road Course)
  • Darlington Raceway (1.366-mile, Egg-Shaped Oval)
  • Dover Motor Speedway (1.000-mile, Concrete Oval)
  • Homestead-Miami Speedway (1.500-mile, Oval)
  • Kansas Speedway (1.500-mile, Tri-Oval)
  • Las Vegas Motor Speedway (1.500-mile, Tri-Oval)
  • Michigan International Speedway (2.000-mile, D-Shaped Oval)
  • Nashville Superspeedway (1.333-mile, Tri-Oval)
  • New Hampshire Motor Speedway (1.058-mile, Paperclip Oval)
  • Phoenix Raceway (1.000-mile, Dogleg Oval)
  • Texas Motor Speedway (1.500-mile, Quad-Oval)
  • World Wide Technology Raceway (1.250-mile, Egg-Shaped Oval)

On the other hand, Superspeedways ae oval road courses of two miles or longer. Currently, the NASCAR Cup Series has the following Superspeedways:

  • Auto Club Speedway (2.000-mile, D-Shaped Oval; Currently not in use)
  • Chicagoland Speedway (1.500-mile, D-Shaped Oval; Currently not in use)
  • Daytona International Speedway (2.500-mile, Tri-Oval)
  • Kentucky Speedway (1.500-mile, D-Shaped Oval)
  • Pocono Raceway (2.500-mile, Triangular Oval)
  • Talladega Superspeedway (2.660-mile, Tri-Oval)

The short tracks (less than 1 mile in length) that are part of NASCAR are:

  • Bristol Motor Speedway (0.533-mile, Oval)
  • Eldora Speedway (0.500-mile, Oval; Currently not in use)
  • Iowa Speedway (0.875-mile, Oval)
  • Knoxville Raceway (0.500-mile, Oval
  • Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum)
  • Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park (0.686-mile, Oval)
  • Martinsville Speedway (0.526-mile, Paperclip Oval)
  • Milwaukee Mile Speedway (1.015-mile, Oval)
  • North Wilkesboro Speedway (0.625-mile, Oval)
  • Richmond Raceway (0.750-mile, D-shaped Oval)

As for Road Courses, NASCAR makes use of the following race tracks:

  • Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (2.459-mile, Currently not in use)
  • Chicago Street Race (2.14 miles)
  • Circuit of the Americas (3.426-mile)
  • DAYTONA Road Course (4.170-mile, Currently not in use)
  • Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (2.400-mile, Currently not in use)
  • Portland International Raceway (1.967-mile, Currently not in use)
  • Road America(4.048-mile, Currently not in use)
  • Sebring Raceway (3.741 mi, Currently not in use)
  • Sonoma Raceway (1.99-mile)
  • Watkins Glen International (2.45-mile)

NASCAR Cup Series Crown Jewel Races

While NASCAR has several racetracks that it competes on, there are a couple venues that are held in high regards. Currently there are four such venues/races, namely the Daytona 500 held at the Daytona International Speedway, the Coca-Cola 500 held at the Charlotte Motor Speedway , the Brickyard 400/Verizon 200 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Southern 500 at the Darlington Raceway.

Till date, Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman and retired NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon has the most number of Crown Jewel race wins (21), followed by Legacy Motor Club team owner Jimmie Johnson (14) and retired NASCAR driver Bobby Allison (13).

via Imago

NASCAR Cup Series Cars

NASCAR is an ever-evolving sport and till date, there have been several iterations of the cars used during races. If we go back to the very inception of the sport, the first kind of vehicle that was used used to be called Generation - 1 (1948-1966), followed by Generation - 2 (1967-1980) and Generation - 3 (1981-1991). Later the Generation - 4 (1992 to 2007) was introduced , and then Generation - 5 (2007 -2012) and Generation - 6 (2013-2021) came into play. And currently, NASCAR features the Generation - 7 car that is also known as the Next-Gen.

Anothe notable model was the Generation - 5. Dubbed as the "Car of Tomorrow", this model featured flaunted prominent front splitters under the bumpers and larger rear wings. Apart from that, according to NASCAR, the car also had "significant safety advancements and a return to symmetrical bodies". 

USA Today via Reuters

NASCAR Cup Series debut at the Street Course

The NASCAR Cup Series has come a long way since its initial days. The organization has always been open to developments and one of the most exciting ones came in 2023,when the tourney made its Street Course debut at Chicago.

In a bid to turn make the schedule even more exciting, NASCAR officials were reportedly in talks with Chicago authorities for a number of years, with one attempt of a Chicago street race even dating back to the 1980s. However, owing to political pressure, that plan failed to materialize. Now, fast forward to four decades later and authorities were finally geared up to host an exciting, first-of-its-kind race in downtown Chicago.

USA Today via Reuters

Designed by race simulation video game developer iRacing, the race aimed to showcase the city's major landmarks such as the Buckingham Fountain, the Grant Park and the Soldier Field Stadium, among others.

The first iteration of the race came in July of 2023, with New Zealand born driver Shane van Gisbergen clinching victory in his first-ever NASCAR race. If that's not iconic, what is?

Full NameNASCAR Cup Series
Place of OriginCharlotte Fairgrounds Speedway
Year of Origin1949
First RaceNASCAR "Strictly Stock" Race, Charlotte Fairgrounds Speedway
Last RaceNASCAR Cup Series Spring Race at Martinsville Speedway, 2024
Crown Jewel RaceDaytona 500, Coca Cola 600, Brickyard 400/ Verizon 200, Southern 500
Drivers with the most ChampionshipsRichard Petty (7), Dale Earnhardt (7) and Jimmie Johnson(7)
Team with the most ChampionshipsHendrick Motorsports (14)
First ChampionRed Byron
Defending ChampionRyan Blaney (2023)
Defending TeamTeam Penske