NASCAR Championship
The NASCAR Championship is the championship held in NASCAR's top stock car racing series. The championship is currently known as the Nextel Cup. From 1972 through 2003, it was called the Winston Cup; before 1972, it was known as the Grand National.Previous NASCAR season champions and earnings:
- 2003 - Matt Kenseth - $4,038,120
- 2002 - Tony Stewart - $4,695,150
- 2001 - Jeff Gordon - $6,649,080
- 2000 - Bobby Labonte - $4,041,750
- 1999 - Dale Jarrett - $3,608,829
- 1998 - Jeff Gordon - $6,175,867
- 1997 - Jeff Gordon - $4,201,227
- 1996 - Terry Labonte - $4,030,648
- 1995 - Jeff Gordon - $2,430,480
- 1994 - Dale Earnhardt - $3,400,733
- 1993 - Dale Earnhardt - $3,353,789
- 1992 - Alan Kulwicki - $2,322,561
- 1991 - Dale Earnhardt - $2,396,685
- 1990 - Dale Earnhardt - $3,083,056
- 1989 - Rusty Wallace - $2,247,950
- 1988 - Bill Elliott - $1,574,639
- 1987 - Dale Earnhardt - $2,099,243
- 1986 - Dale Earnhardt - $1,783,880
- 1985 - Darrell Waltrip - $1,318,735
- 1984 - Terry Labonte - $713,010
- 1983 - Bobby Allison - $828,355
- 1982 - Darrell Waltrip - $873,118
- 1981 - Darrell Waltrip - $588,926
- 1980 - Dale Earnhardt - $588,926
- 1979 - Richard Petty - $588,926
- 1978 - Cale Yarborough - $530,751
- 1977 - Cale Yarborough - $387,173
- 1976 - Cale Yarborough - $387,173
- 1975 - Richard Petty - $378,865
- 1974 - Richard Petty - $299,175
- 1973 - Benny Parsons - $114,345
- 1972 - Richard Petty - $227,015
- 1971 - Richard Petty - $309,225
- 1970 - Bobby Isaac - $121,470
- 1969 - David Pearson - $183,700
- 1968 - David Pearson - $118,842
- 1967 - Richard Petty - $130,275
- 1966 - David Pearson - $59,205
- 1965 - Ned Jarrett - $77,966
- 1964 - Richard Petty - $98,810
- 1963 - Joe Weatherly - $58,110
- 1962 - Joe Weatherly - $56,110
- 1961 - Ned Jarrett - $27,285
- 1960 - Rex White - $45,260
- 1959 - Lee Petty - $45,570
- 1958 - Lee Petty - $20,600
- 1957 - Buck Baker - $24,712
- 1956 - Buck Baker - $29,790
- 1955 - Tim Flock - $33,750
- 1954 - Lee Petty - $26,706
- 1953 - Herb Thomas - $27,300
- 1952 - Tim Flock - $20,210
- 1951 - Herb Thomas - $18,200
- 1950 - Bill Rexford - $6,175
- 1949 - Red Byron - $5,800