The most recent NASCAR Sprint Cup (formerly Nextel Cup and Winston Cup) series champion was Tony Stewart, who tied Carl Edwards in the 2011 Chase For the Sprint Cup, and was awarded the championship based on number of wins compared to Carl Edwards. After the 2003 Winston Cup season the name was changed to Nextel Cup. The winner of the last Championship under the title Winston Cup was Matt Kenseth in the 2003 series.
Jeff Gordon
Bobby Labonte won the Winston Cup Series championship in 2000 and Jeff Gordon was the 2001 champion.
2003 Winston Cup Series championTwo-time Daytona 500 winner (2009, 2012)2000 Winston Cup Series Rookie of the YearIROC XXVIII champion
Winston Cup Series 1971
Jeff Gordon was the 2001 Winston Cup champion.
1991 - USAC Rookie of the Year1995 - USAC Triple Crown champion1996 - IRL Rookie of the Year1997 - IRL champion1999 - Winston Cup Rookie of the Year2002 - Winston Cup Series champion2005 - Nextel Cup Series champion2006 - IROC XXX champion
In 2001, Kevin Harvick became the first and only driver to win both the Busch Series Championship and the Winston Cup Series Rookie of the Year Award in the same season.
Tony Stewart has won a total of 10 national series championships: 1987 World Karting Championship 1994 USAC Midget Series Champion 1995 USAC Midget Series Champion 1995 USAC Sprint Series Champion 1995 USAC Silver Crown Series Champion 1997 Indy Racing League Champion 2002 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Champion 2005 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Champion 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion 2006 International Race of Champions (IROC) Series Champion He has also won other events that classify their victors as "champions", such as the Brickyard 400.
1991 - USAC Rookie of the Year1995 - USAC Triple Crown champion1996 - Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year1996 - IRL Rookie of the Year1997 - IRL champion1999 - Winston Cup Rookie of the Year2002 - Winston Cup Series champion2005 - Nextel Cup Series champion2006 - IROC XXX champion2011 - Sprint Cup Series champion
1992 Winston Cup Series champion, Alan Kulwicki, died on April 1, 1993. He was killed in an airplane crash near Blountville, Tennessee.
Dale Earnhardt Sr.
Dale Earnhardt Sr. is a 7 time Winston Cup Champion. Dale won his championships in 1980, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993 and 1994.