Latest NASCAR Cup Series News

Latest NASCAR Cup Series News

More NASCAR Cup Series News

“All About $” – Fans Attack NASCAR After $7.7 Billion Wrecks Havoc in Their Pockets

NASCAR fans voice their frustrations over streaming changes and accessibility to practice and qualifying sessions.
NASCAR

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Gets His Own Detectives to Unravel a Mystery of His Father’s Legacy

Dale Earnhardt Jr. asks the NASCAR fans for help on social media in identifying the history of the No. 3 Chevy which was driven by his dad.
Dale Earnhardt Jr

Rick Hendrick’s Only Competition Drops Bomb on NASCAR’s OEM Motion Amidst Rumors

Roush Yates Engines CEO Doug Yates reveals his optimism at NASCAR's fourth OEM prospects in a conversation with Sirius XM NASCAR Radio.
NASCAR Cup Series Brickyard 400

Denny Hamlin Reveals His Desperate Demands to Rekindle His Lost Love for NASCAR

Denny Hamlin must have been bitterly disappointed to lose out on a 4th Daytona 500 win, but he was more upset about a bigger NASCAR issue.
NASCAR: Cup Series Playoff Media Day

Denny Hamlin Was Right About Daytona: A Deep Dive Into the Final Solution of the Great American Race

Potential solutions NASCAR should consider to improve the superspeedway package after Ryan Preece's bone-chilling crash at Daytona 500
NASCAR: DAYTONA 500

With F1 Resources and $2B Worth Partner, Jimmie Johnson Announces Major Global Aspirations

After a strong showing at the Daytona 500, Jimmie Johnson and Legacy Motor Club have been growing in confidence, enough for a bold plan.
Jimmie Johnson & F1

William Byron Breaks Silence on Sabrina Carpenter Dating Rumors

Hendrick Motorsports driver William Byron addresses the speculation linking him to pop culture icon Sabrina Carpenter on social media.
William Byron and Sabrina Carpenter

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Hopes to Preserve Priceless Memorabilia From Iconic Cup Series Debut at Daytona 500

The 2025 Daytona 500 was special for Junior for many reasons. But the number one has to be JRM's debut. And he's gonna remember it forever!
Dale Earnhardt Jr

‘Bummed’ Bubba Wallace Makes Peace With Daytona Heartbreak After Embracing Fatherhood

Despite suffering a setback at the Daytona 500, Bubba Wallace sports a smile on his face courtesy his adorable newborn baby.
Bubba Wallace family

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Confesses His Biggest Insecurity About the Intimidator’s NASCAR Legacy

In a candid conversation with Cleetus McFarland, Dale Earnhardt Jr. reflects on his deepest fear regarding his father's NASCAR legacy.
Dale Earnhardt, Sr. Poses With Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

Rick Hendrick Accused of ‘Burying’ Ross Chastain’s Real Persona as Fans Insinuate Trackhouse’s Exit From Chevy

After a disappointing start to the 2025 season, NASCAR fans blame Rick Hendrick for Ross Chastain losing his edge in the NASCAR Cup Series.
Ross Chastain and Rick Hendrick

Pressured by Brad Keselowski, Roger Penske Spills Truth on Reviving Joey Logano’s NASCAR Career

Roger Penske reveals how Brad Keselowski pushed to bring Joey Logano to Team Penske, leading to his career revival and three NASCAR championships.
Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski, Roger Penske

NASCAR Seeks Brad Keselowski & Co.’s Help as Director Clears Air on Ryan Preece’s Scary Daytona Flip

After Ryan Preece got into a second wreck in three years, he is concerned - but NASCAR is seeking his team owner's help to solve the issue.
Ryan Preece

Joey Logano Clears Air on Broken Ties With Joe Gibbs After Suffering “Worst Thing” for His NASCAR Career

It has been twelve years since Joey Logano joined Team Penske and also since he left a struggle-ridden phase of life.
Joe Gibbs and Joey Logano

Jimmie Johnson Profits From Tony Stewart’s NASCAR Exit, Lets Out Secret Behind Daytona 500 Success,

Jimmie Johnson credits the former SHR crew chief's strategic planning for his impressive third-place finish in the 2025 Daytona 500.
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 – Qualifying

After NASCAR’s Big Blow, Controversial Cup Series Team Faces $100,000 Loss for Horrific Daytona 500 Wreck

A newly rebranded NASCAR team has struggled with luck after its bid to feature a veteran racer was rejected ahead of the Daytona 500.
NASCAR: Bank of America ROVAL 400

Jimmie Johnson Breaks Silence on Rumors of Historic Tom Brady Partnership With Painful 5-Word Claim

Recently the IndyCar series got its biggest collaboration news. Jimmie Johnson with Tom Brady in the Indy 500. But JJ has made things clearer.
Jimmie Johnson Tom Brady

Jimmie Johnson Silences Fans With Strong Response as Allegations of “Ruining” His NASCAR Legacy Fly

Veteran racer Jimmie Johnson shares his thoughts on the No. 84 car struggling to be competitive in the last few years at Legacy Motor Club.
NTT IndyCar Series Gallagher Grand Prix – Practice

“I’d Have Smacked Him”: NASCAR Veteran Sends a Strong Message to Defend Dale Earnhardt Jr. Against Fans’ Hate

To be honest, armchair experts who criticize for the sake of it are not well-liked, and Kenny Wallace defended Dale Earnhardt Jr. from one.
NASCAR Test – Daytona

Rick Hendrick’s Health Conspiracy Bubble Gets Reality Check as Insider Clears the Air After Major Misunderstanding

Legendary racing team Hendrick Motorsports even more legendary owner's recent figure got his fans concerned
Rick Hendrick

Racing Community Embarrassed as NASCAR’s Financial Favoritism Toward Cup Series Spills Out

NASCAR's financial favoritism towards the Cup Series highlighted as fans react to prize money disparities ahead of the Ambetter Health 400.
HAMPTON, GA – MARCH 19: Fans watch a pack of cars enter turn four during the Ambetter Health 400 in the NASCAR, Motorspo

“It Wasn’t My Team”: Kevin Harvick Breaks Silence on Emotions of Handling Dale Earnhardt’s Death at RCR

Kevin Harvick opens up on how he replaced Dale Earnhardt after he tragically passed away during the Daytona 500.
Kevin Harvick, Dale Earnhardt Sr.

Kevin Harvick Exposes Chevy & Toyota’s Weakness Against Ford Amid Joey Logano’s Greedy Blunder

Kevin Harvick highlights Chevy and Toyota's struggles against Ford after Joey Logano's costly mistake at Daytona. Insights ahead of Atlanta!
NASCAR: Cup Series Playoff Media Day

NASCAR Director Breaks Silence on Controversial Daytona 500 Decision to Let Slip a Major Regret

After a wreck fest broke out at this year's Daytona 500, NASCAR tries to pacify fans about its caution flags with an explanation.
DAYTONA, FL – FEBRUARY 19: Ricky Stenhouse Jr ( 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Kroger/Cottonelle Chevrolet) and Kyle Larson ( 5

Jimmie Johnson Forced to Ditch Shaquille O’Neal Firesuit in Bizarre Daytona 500 Incident

Jimmie Johnson explains the reason behind why he was forced to not wear the Shaquille O Neal fire suit at the Daytona 500.
Untitled design (71)

Carl Edwards Confesses Failed ‘Silver-Spoon’ Narrative That Nearly Derailed His NASCAR Career

Carl Edwards was a top NASCAR driver in his heyday, and he recently confessed to nearly exploiting a connection with his cousin, Ken Schrader.

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