nascar

Year Races Champion Car Owner Champion's Crew Chief Rookie of the Year Most Popular Driver Manufacturers' Championship
2020 36 Chase Elliott Rick Hendrick Alan Gustafson Cole Custer Chase Elliott Ford
2019 36 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Adam Stevens Daniel Hemric Chase Elliott Toyota
2018 36 Joey Logano Roger Penske Todd Gordon William Byron Chase Elliott Ford
2017 36 Martin Truex, Jr. Barney Visser Cole Pearn Erik Jones Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Toyota
2016 36 Jimmie Johnson Rick Hendrick Chad Knaus Chase Elliott Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Toyota
2015 36 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Adam Stevens Brett Moffitt Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Chevrolet
2014 36 Kevin Harvick Stewart Haas Racing Rodney Childers Kyle Larson Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Chevrolet
2013 36 Jimmie Johnson Rick Hendrick Chad Knaus Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Chevrolet
2012 36 Brad Keselowski Roger Penske Paul Wolfe Stephen Leicht Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Chevrolet
2011 36 Tony Stewart Stewart Haas Racing Darian Grubb Andy Lally Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Chevrolet
2010 36 Jimmie Johnson Rick Hendrick Chad Knaus Kevin Conway Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Chevrolet
2009 36 Jimmie Johnson Rick Hendrick Chad Knaus Joey Logano Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Chevrolet
2008 36 Jimmie Johnson Rick Hendrick Chad Knaus Regan Smith Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Chevrolet
2007 36 Jimmie Johnson Rick Hendrick Chad Knaus
Ron Malec Juan Pablo Montoya Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Chevrolet
2006 36 Jimmie Johnson Rick Hendrick Chad Knaus
Darian Grubb Denny Hamlin Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Chevrolet
2005 36 Tony Stewart Joe Gibbs Greg Zipadelli Kyle Busch Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Chevrolet
2004 36 Kurt Busch Jack Roush Jimmy Fennig Kasey Kahne Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Chevrolet
2003 36 Matt Kenseth Jack Roush Robbie Reiser Jamie McMurray Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Chevrolet
2002 36 Tony Stewart Joe Gibbs Greg Zipadelli Ryan Newman Bill Elliott Ford
2001 36 Jeff Gordon Rick Hendrick Robbie Loomis Kevin Harvick Dale Earnhardt Chevrolet
2000 34 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Jimmy Makar Matt Kenseth Bill Elliott Ford
1999 34 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Todd Parrott Tony Stewart Bill Elliott Ford
1998 33 Jeff Gordon Rick Hendrick Ray Evernham Kenny Irwin, Jr. Bill Elliott Chevrolet
1997 32 Jeff Gordon Rick Hendrick Ray Evernham Mike Skinner Bill Elliott Ford
1996 31 Terry Labonte Rick Hendrick Gary DeHart Johnny Benson, Jr. Bill Elliott Chevrolet
1995 31 Jeff Gordon Rick Hendrick Ray Evernham Ricky Craven Bill Elliott Chevrolet
1994 31 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Andy Petree Jeff Burton Bill Elliott Ford
1993 30 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Andy Petree Jeff Gordon Bill Elliott Chevrolet
1992 29 Alan Kulwicki Alan Kulwicki Paul Andrews Jimmy Hensley Bill Elliott Ford
1991 29 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Kirk Shelmerdine Bobby Hamilton Bill Elliott Chevrolet
1990 29 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Kirk Shelmerdine Rob Moroso Darrell Waltrip Chevrolet
1989 29 Rusty Wallace Raymond Beadle Barry Dodson Dick Trickle Darrell Waltrip Chevrolet
1988 29 Bill Elliott Harry Melling Ernie Elliott Ken Bouchard Bill Elliott Chevrolet
1987 29 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Kirk Shelmerdine Davey Allison Bill Elliott Chevrolet
1986 29 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Kirk Shelmerdine Alan Kulwicki Bill Elliott Chevrolet
1985 28 Darrell Waltrip Junior Johnson Jeff Hammond Ken Schrader Bill Elliott Chevrolet
1984 30 Terry Labonte Billy Hagan Dale Inman Rusty Wallace Bill Elliott Chevrolet
1983 30 Bobby Allison Bill Gardner Gary Nelson Sterling Marlin Bobby Allison Chevrolet
1982 30 Darrell Waltrip Junior Johnson Jeff Hammond
Mike Hill
Doug Richert Geoffrey Bodine Bobby Allison Buick
1981 31 Darrell Waltrip Junior Johnson Tim Brewer Ron Bouchard Bobby Allison Buick
1980 31 Dale Earnhardt Rod Osterlund Doug Richert Jody Ridley Bobby Allison Chevrolet
1979 31 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Dale Inman Dale Earnhardt David Pearson Chevrolet
1978 30 Cale Yarborough Junior Johnson Tim Brewer
Travis Carter Ronnie Thomas Richard Petty Chevrolet
1977 30 Cale Yarborough Junior Johnson Herb Nab Ricky Rudd Richard Petty Chevrolet
1976 30 Cale Yarborough Junior Johnson Herb Nab Skip Manning Richard Petty Chevrolet
1975 30 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Dale Inman Bruce Hill Richard Petty Dodge
1974 30 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Dale Inman Earl Ross Richard Petty Chevrolet
1973 28 Benny Parsons L.G. DeWitt Travis Carter Lennie Pond Bobby Allison Chevrolet
1972 31 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Dale Inman Larry Smith Bobby Allison Chevrolet
1971 48 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Dale Inman Walter Ballard Bobby Allison Plymouth
1970 48 Bobby Isaac Nord Krauskopf Harry Hyde Bill Dennis Richard Petty Dodge
1969 54 David Pearson Holman-Moody Jake Elder Dick Brooks Bobby Isaac Ford
1968 49 David Pearson Holman-Moody (47 races)
Roy Trantham (1 race) Jake Elder Pete Hamilton Richard Petty Ford
1967 49 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Dale Inman Donnie Allison Cale Yarborough Ford
1966 49 David Pearson Cotton Owens Cotton Owens James Hylton Darel Dieringer Ford
1965 55 Ned Jarrett Bondy Long (53 races)
Jabe Thomas (1 race) John Ervin Sam McQuagg Fred Lorenzen Ford
1964 62 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Dale Inman Doug Cooper Richard Petty Ford
1963 55 Joe Weatherly Bud Moore (34 races)
Cliff Stewart (10 races)
Floyd Powell (2 races)
Wade Younts (2 races)
Pete Stewart (1 race)
Major Melton (1 race)
Worth McMillion (1 race)
Petty Enterprises (1 race)
Possum Jones (1 race) Bud Moore Billy Wade Fred Lorenzen Ford
1962 53 Joe Weatherly Bud Moore (51 races)
Fred Harb (1 race) Bud Moore Tom Cox Richard Petty Pontiac
1961 52 Ned Jarrett B.G. Holloway (44 races)
Ned Jarrett (2 races) Bud Allman Woodie Wilson Joe Weatherly Chevrolet
1960 44 Rex White White-Clements (37 races)
Beau Morgan (1 race)
Scotty Cain (1 race)
L.D. Austin (1 race) Louis Clements David Pearson Rex White Chevrolet
1959 44 Lee Petty Petty Enterprises Lee Petty Richard Petty Jack Smith Chevrolet
1958 51 Lee Petty Petty Enterprises Lee Petty Shorty Rollins Glen Wood Chevrolet
1957 53 Buck Baker Buck Baker (25 races)
Hugh Babb (15 races) Bud Moore Ken Rush Fireball Roberts Ford
1956 56 Buck Baker Carl Kiekhaefer (44 races)
James Satcher (3 races)
John Whitford (1 race) Carl Kiekhaefer Curtis Turner Ford
1955 45 Tim Flock Carl Kiekhaefer (38 races)
H. Westmoreland (1 race) Carl Kiekhaefer Tim Flock* Oldsmobile
1954 37 Lee Petty Petty Enterprises (36 races)
Gary Drake (1 race) Lee Petty Blackie Pitt Lee Petty* Hudson
1953 37 Herb Thomas Herb Thomas Smokey Yunick Lee Petty* Hudson
1952 34 Tim Flock Ted Chester B.B. Blackburn Lee Petty* Hudson
1951 41 Herb Thomas Herb Thomas (30 races)
Marshall Teague (2 races)
H. Westmoreland (1 race)
Leonard Tippett (1 race) Smokey Yunick
1950 19 Bill Rexford Julian Buesink Julian Buesink
1949 8 Red Byron Raymond Parks Red Vogt Curtis Turner

Just call it manifold destiny.

Sunday evening at Phoenix Raceway, the coronation of Chase Elliott became official. The promise that became the potential finally resulted in the payoff. The kid is still a couple of weeks shy of his 25th birthday, but to longtime NASCAR fans he feels so much older than that. They have known him for nearly every single day of his life.

They first learned of his birth via news release, the son of the legend Bill Elliott, born just two weeks after his father led 17 laps and ran fourth behind Dale Earnhardt at the family's home racetrack, Atlanta Motor Speedway. The following February, infant Chase was carried on his father's hip as they strolled to Awesome Bill's Ford Thunderbird on the grid of the Daytona 500.

We watched little Chase toddle through the Cup Series garage holding his father's hand. We saw him sitting in the laps of Earnhardt, Rusty Wallace and other stock car racing demigods whom the rest of us had to stand in line to meet. We watched him on television, snowboarding in Colorado in the tracks of his dad nearly as soon as he could walk. We saw him featured in Sports Illustrated, alongside golfer Jordan Spieth as the can't-miss future stars of their sports. He was 13.

They say that as your kids grow older their bodies and faces change, but their eyes do not. When you look into your child's eyes, the frame around them might be different, but what's looking back at you is still the same. Perhaps that's why so many people were caught off guard by their emotions when NBC's in-car cameras captured Chase Elliott's eyes watering with tears, so much so that he had to flip up his visor to dry them with his gloves. When he did that, there in high definition were those eyes so many race fans have peered into for so long.

Heck, even his father, who spent most of his NASCAR Hall of Fame career showing the emotional spectrum of a city park statue, was whooping and jumping up and down on pit road after his son clinched the Cup.

"I just think about all of the people who worked so hard to get me to this point today," Chase Elliott said Sunday night, after holding off a late charge from Joey Logano to earn his 11th career race win and first championship. "I think about my family, all of the crew members who built all of those race cars for me, Rick Hendrick for hiring me. Jimmie Johnson, who ran his last race tonight, and Jeff Gordon, both of whom took me under their wings as teammates and mentors. There were a lot of people who supported me. Even when there were a lot of people who didn't."

Yes, there have always been plenty of those, too. Even for the son of a beloved NASCAR legend. Bill Elliott won 44 races, the 1988 NASCAR title, and was voted Most Popular Driver an astonishing 16 times. But being the kid of a legend comes with nonstop criticism, no matter the sport. In racing, that noise is as loud as the race cars themselves, a "silver spoon" perception that those drivers haven't actually earned the equipment they wheel, the jobs they land or the sponsorships that paid for all of the above.

Chase Elliott has spent his life shrugging off those critiques publicly, but privately they have always eaten at him. That's why he has always been so serious, even from a very young age, stressed out by self-inflicted pressure. When his career started 0-for-98 in his quest for a first Cup Series race win, it wore on him emotionally. Even when he started winning regularly -- three victories each in 2018 and 2019, only his third and fourth full-time seasons -- he lost sleep during the offseason over his failure to make it to the season's final race as one of the four title contenders.

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"For me, it's always been a fear of letting people down," he confessed at Daytona in February, on the eve of a Daytona 500 in which he led 23 laps but finished 17th. "I think because of my name and my dad, two things I am so proud of, the bar has always been so high in people's minds. But my bar has always been higher than that. All of that is why my friends and family seem to always be reminding to me to enjoy it all a little more than I have."

The most vocal preacher of that sermon has always been his father. Bill Elliott always looked pretty miserable at the racetrack, even at the height of his powers in the 1980s. He famously hid beneath his race car to avoid reporters when he was racing for the uber-hyped Winston Million dollar bonus at Darlington in 1985. After winning his Cup title three years later, he declared to photographers at the Winston Cup Awards in New York, "The good news is that tomorrow morning y'all can't follow me home to Dawsonville [Georgia]!"

But that very year, he met his future wife, Cindy, who was one of those photographers. They married in 1992. When they had Chase, suddenly stoic, old Awesome Bill from Dawsonville couldn't stop smiling. Now it's the dad's job to remind his son to do the same, a task he took very seriously over the days leading into the Phoenix season finale.

Chase Elliott received solid advice before Sunday's event at Phoenix -- "Enjoy it" -- and a postrace hug from his Hall of Fame father, Bill, after winning it. AP Photo/Ralph Freso
"Me, I've been a nervous wreck," Bill Elliott, 65, said Sunday night. He was speaking of his son's need to win at Martinsville Speedway one week ago simply to make it into the Championship 4, and then the title bout itself. "But I reminded him all week long to enjoy his self. All we want as race car drivers is to put ourselves in a position to win a championship. He did that. So, I reminded him to enjoy it. Don't be so worried that you don't enjoy it. I wish someone had told me that when I was driving."

Chase Elliott was appreciative of his father's efforts to keep things on the lighter side leading into the finale.

"He told me, 'Man, all you have to do is beat three other guys, how hard is that?!'" the son recalled of his father's weeklong drive toward lighthearted advice. "He worked hard to keep me loose. I appreciated that so much. Just now, when I got out of the car and he hugged me for the first time, that's what he kept screaming. 'I told you that you could do it!' And he was right. I think his advice all week worked out pretty well."

Yes, it did. Now the Elliotts are only the third father-son duo to both become NASCAR Cup Series champions, joining Lee and Richard Petty and Ned and Dale Jarrett, all of whom are alongside Bill Elliott in the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Chase Elliott is the third-youngest champion in NASCAR's 72-year history and its youngest since Gordon in 1995.

"The sky is the limit for Chase," Johnson said after taking time from his own postrace celebration of a career to congratulate his Hendrick Motorsports teammate, two decades his junior. The seven-time Cup champion finished fifth in his final event as a full-time NASCAR racer, just behind the Championship 4.

"When I came along, there were zero expectations of me. Chase has had these impossible expectations from others since the day he was born. But he's never backed down from that challenge. The reality is that he is an insanely talented race car driver. Sponsors and opportunities and even your last name, none of that drives the race car. The person behind the wheel does. And he's a wheelman."

In May 2010, I stood with a group of people on a viewing platform that overlooked Turn 3 at just-reopened Rockingham Speedway. We watched the youngsters and veterans alike of the USAR Pro Cup Series try to manhandle their machines, careening out of control as they entered the infamous sandblasted, rock-filled treacherous corner. One by one the cars slid sideways and slapped the outside retaining wall. Except for one. The No. 9 Ford kept diamond-cutting the turn without so much as a tire squeal, launching itself into Turn 4 and rocketing out of sight down the frontstretch.

It was being driven by 14-year-old Chase Elliott.

I was on that platform with Bobby Allison, the NASCAR Hall of Famer who competed against Chase's father and himself begat a pair of race car-driving sons. Allison grabbed my shoulder, pointed into the turn below and laughed. "You know who teaches someone how to drive like that?"

I replied, "His dad?"

"Hell no," Bobby Allison said, laughing. "Only God can teach you how to drive like that. When you're born, you can either do that or you can't. One day that kid will be a champion."

That day is today.