NASCAR
Active championship · 1949 - 2026NASCAR is the great American stock-car championship, built on speedways, short tracks, superspeedway drafting, team craft and a fan culture unlike anything else in motorsport.
The championship is often described through noise and horsepower, but its real texture is richer: tyre falloff, pit-road precision, manufacturer identity, playoff pressure and the rhythm of long races. NASCAR grew from regional stock-car roots into a national sporting institution, with Daytona, Charlotte, Talladega, Bristol and Martinsville carrying different meanings. This page brings together seasons, winners, drivers, teams, cars and tracks from that broad history.Interesting facts
- NASCAR is closely associated with American stock-car racing and oval-track culture.
- Its calendar includes superspeedways, intermediate ovals, short tracks, road courses and street-course experiments.
- The Daytona 500 is the championship's most famous single race.
Explore the championship
Seasons
Follow the championship season by season, from 1949 to 2026. Current status: Active championship.
Drivers
Explore driver profiles, standings, race starts and title battles. The title benchmark is Richard Petty.
Teams
See how teams shaped the championship through entries, standings and race wins. The title benchmark is Not available.
Tracks
Browse the circuits and venues that define this racing series. The most familiar stop is Daytona.
Races
Open the race and Grand Prix history behind the championship. The most frequent race is Martinsville NASCAR.
Cars
Compare winning cars, chassis and manufacturers across the results. The standout winner is Monte Carlo.
Season and race snapshot
| First race | 1949 Charlotte NASCAR |
|---|---|
| Latest race | 2026 Nashville NASCAR |
| Latest season | 2026 |
| Latest driver champion | Kyle Larson (2025) |
|---|---|
| Races with results | 2,836 |
Drivers by titles
Richard Petty
|
7 |
Dale Earnhardt
|
7 |
Jimmie Johnson
|
7 |
Jeff Gordon
|
4 |
Tony Stewart
|
3 |
Drivers by race wins
|
Richard Petty
|
202 |
David Pearson
|
105 |
|
Jeff Gordon
|
93 |
Bobby Allison
|
85 |
Darrell Waltrip
|
85 |
Teams by race wins
| Hendrick Motorsports | 321 |
| Petty Enterprises | 274 |
| Joe Gibbs Racing | 230 |
| Junior Johnson | 137 |
| Richard Childress Racing | 118 |
Most used tracks
| Daytona | 160 |
| Martinsville | 155 |
| Charlotte | 136 |
| Bristol | 131 |
| Darlington | 130 |
Most frequent races
| Martinsville NASCAR | 155 |
| Richmond NASCAR | 141 |
| Atlanta NASCAR | 135 |
| Bristol NASCAR | 131 |
| Darlington NASCAR | 130 |
Cars by race wins
Chevrolet Monte Carlo
|
366 |
Ford Thunderbird
|
184 |
Toyota Camry
|
131 |
Ford Taurus
|
100 |
Hudson Hornet
|
94 |
Championship by eras
| Era | Years | Seasons | Races |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 1949 - 1949 | 1 | 8 |
| 1950s | 1950 - 1959 | 10 | 417 |
| 1960s | 1960 - 1969 | 10 | 522 |
| 1970s | 1970 - 1979 | 10 | 336 |
| 1980s | 1980 - 1989 | 10 | 296 |
| 1990s | 1990 - 1999 | 10 | 309 |
| 2000s | 2000 - 2009 | 10 | 358 |
| 2010s | 2010 - 2019 | 10 | 360 |
| 2020s | 2020 - 2026 | 7 | 230 |
Championship FAQ
When did NASCAR start?
NASCAR starts on this timeline in 1949.
How many seasons are covered?
This championship page covers 78 seasons, from 1949 to 2026.
Who has the most driver titles?
Richard Petty sets the title benchmark here with 7 championships.
Which team has the most race wins?
Hendrick Motorsports is the leading team by race wins here, with 321 victories.
Which track appears most often?
Daytona is the most frequent venue on this championship page, with 160 races.