Kulwicki set new standard Apr 3, 2008
He was scolded by NASCAR and did not break out the crowd-pleaser until four years later when he edged Davey Allison and Bill Elliot for the Winston Cup Title in the final race in Atlanta ... The car that won the Winston Cup Title that was sponsored by Hooters, was called the Underbird ... Also, the car won one race and finished in the Top 5 seven times and in Top 10 Fourteen times en route to the Winston Cup Championship and earned $660,202 in race purses. (Petersburg Progress Index, VA)
Gordon no average good ol' boy Mar 26, 2008
The first time I met him was at the 2002 Daytona 500, when he was the reigning Winston Cup champion. It was the year after NASCAR's bitter-eyed alpha dog, Earnhardt Sr. the Intimidator died in a last-lap crash, and the maudlin crowd was in no mood to honor Gordon. (MSNBC -- Sports)
Despite a long history, Darlington Raceway hosts last Cup race on Labor Day weekend (2) Mar 26, 2008
Some considered the schedule change a double slap in the face to an area of the country that helped raise Winston Cup racing to its current stature as the premier motorsports circuit in the United States ... "I do understand the need to adapt to a changing environment, and I do see a need to be in California twice."I wish there was a way to keep it here on Labor Day weekend, but on the other hand, we can start a new tradition, and it'll be OK." That, at least, is what NASCAR is banking on. In... (Helena Independent Record)
From the broadcast booth to the driver’s seat Mar 8, 2008
Probably the best thing that ever happened to me at Rockingham, though, was being at the track when my brother clinched the NASCAR Winston Cup [now Sprint Cup] Championship in 1973. In addition to driving in the Carolina 500, Parsons plans to provide live, unedited analysis of the race from the cockpit of his race car. (Rockingham Daily Journal, NC)
Earnhardt Biopic Racing to Screen Feb 16, 2008
He won seven Winston Cup championships, and 76 career races, primarily from behind the wheel of his No. 3 Chevy. The movie has no director or studio distributor, but Fisher and Wick are expected to first approach Sony Pictures about possible distribution. (IGN FilmForce)
Promoter put some life into early races Feb 10, 2008
"He was responsible for putting on well over 1,100 races, including 25 Winston Cup events.". One of the highlights of the book is the last 80 pages, where Edgar Otto allows drivers, track owners and other racing officials to remember the late promoter. (Yahoo News -- Auto Racing)
Johnson will be chasing Yarborough this year Feb 1, 2008
back to the Sprint Cup (formerly the Nextel Cup and before that the Winston Cup) and stock cars. Back to a run at history. (San Diego Union-Tribune -- Sports)
Williams Elected to North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame Jan 31, 2008
RICHARD CHILDRESS - NASCAR team owner won six Winston Cup championships with Dale Earnhardt behind the wheel, the Busch Grand National championship in 2001 and the Truck Series title in 1995. Childress drove his own car from 1969 - 1981 and had six top-five and 76 top-10 finishes. (Tarheelblue.com)
Column: NASCAR season almost here Jan 30, 2008
The Winston Cup became the Nextel Cup. Now the Nextel Cup series becomes the Sprint Cup series. (Dowagiac News, MI)
Valley blossoms in sports Jan 27, 2008
Nov. 6, 1988: Alan Kulwicki wins the first Winston Cup race run at Phoenix International Raceway. The track began hosting two top-level NASCAR races a year in 2005. (AZCentral -- Sports)
Changes NASCAR wants focus on racing Jan 25, 2008
It had been called the Nextel Cup Series since 2004, and was the Winston Cup before that. To emphasize the desire to return the focus to racing, NASCAR was careful to make only slight changes this season. (Yahoo News -- Auto Racing)
NASCAR tweaks qualifying procedures Jan 22, 2008
Besides the competition tweaks, NASCAR has also undergone two name changes to its top series what was known forever as the Winston Cup Series became Nextel Cup in 2004 and is Sprint Cup starting this season. And its second-tier series becomes the Nationwide Series this season after 26 years as the Busch Series. (MSNBC -- Sports)
Engines silenced for SW Virginia NASCAR team Jan 16, 2008
"The NASCAR game has changed dramatically since 1983 when brothers Larry, Ed, Jerry and Teddy McClure joined Morgan and formed Morgan-McClure Motorsports.Behind longtime crew chief Tony Glover and drivers such as Sterling Marlin, Ernie Irvan, and the late Bobby Hamilton, MMM won 14 races when the series was the Winston Cup. Hamilton posted the last victory in 1998 at Martinsville Speedway.The first NASCAR race for the Abingdon-based team was actually in 1983 at Daytona when Travis Tiller of... (Suffolk News Herald, VA)
NASCAR's sagging TV ratings a bad omen Jan 15, 2008
"I think it might be in a little more than a lull," said Darrell Waltrip, a three-time Winston Cup champion and current NASCAR analyst for Fox television. "Declining TV ratings in any sport is not a good sign. It's not a good sign for the sport, or the sponsor of the team. That is something, if I were in charge of NASCAR, I'd be saying, 'What do we got to do to stop this and fix this.'". (USA Today -- Sports)
HERD Racing, LLC, Puts Marshall Out Front Jan 15, 2008
It is with great pride and optimism that Marshall University has joined with Herd Racing, LLC, to enter one of the most popular forms of motor sports, the NASCAR Nationwide Series," states a letter from MU President Dr. Stephen J. Kopp, part of a large press and sponsorship packet. We, as a university, believe this collaboration has the potential to reach more than 50,000 fans at each track with 35 events during the year. In addition, 1.75 million fans watch the race from their homes every... (Goherd.com)
Kurt Busch Biography Jan 4, 2008
By August of that same year, Kurt was handed the opportunity to compete in the Winston Cup Series in the #97 John Deere Ford. His best finish in seven races in the ride that was eventually vacated by Chad Little was 13th at Lowe s Motor Speedway in October. (Suite101.com)
REAL AMERICAN HEROES: THE PETTYS Jan 1, 2008
Lee didn't start his Winston Cup racing career until he was 35 ... He won the first Daytona 500 (in 1959), and three Grand National (later Winston Cup) Championships in 1954, '58 and '59 ... Petty Enterprise drivers have claimed ten Grand National and Winston Cup Championships, won 271 races, and fielded over 2,300 cars in 2,100 events. (Brookneal Union Star, VA)
Pit Passes: By Bill Center Nov 22, 2007
Australian Marcos Ambrose's eighth-place finish in the NASCAR Busch Series standings was the highest ever by a non-North American driver and the highest finish in any NASCAR series by a non-U.S. driver since Canada's Earl Ross finished eighth in the premier Winston Cup division in 1974. CHECKERED FLAGS. (San Diego Union-Tribune -- Sports)
COMING FROM THE BACK OF THE PACK Nov 20, 2007
"Gordon Impressed EarlyBack when he was racing off-road at the Los Angeles Coliseum, Johnson was introduced by his supercross mentor, Rick Johnson (no relation), to then Chevrolet racing boss Herb Fishel.Fishel put Johnson in a factory-backed ride in the stadium series and brought him to the attention of Hendrick, who was in the midst of winning four Winston Cup championships in five years in the late '90s with Gordon and Terry Labonte.Jeff Gordon got to know Johnson after Johnson approached him... (Suffolk News Herald, VA)
NASCAR's Jeff Gordon already on top of the world Nov 17, 2007
Even if Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson wins the finale of NASCAR's Chase for the Championship and is presented the gleaming silver Nextel Cup trophy, Gordon will get to hold a prize more precious than any of his four previous Winston Cup championship trophies: daughter Ella Sofia, born to Gordon and his wife, Ingrid, June 20. "Well, when you go through becoming a first-time father, there is nothing that's going to top that," said Gordon, driver of the No. 24 Dupont Chevrolet. (Boston Globe)
Will Chad Knaus remain an unknown once he becomes a two-time Cup champion? Nov 16, 2007
SI.com - Writers - Tim Tuttle: Knaus has been plotting winning course since a boy - Thursday November 15, 2007 1:34PM. Knowledge, tenacity has driven Knaus atop NASCAR. (SportsIllustrated.CNN -- Racing)
Editor's Mailbag Nov 14, 2007
Dangerous Dave wrote on Nov 13, 2007 2:37 PM:" Puma, the tobacco companies sell a dangerous product to people who know that the product is dangerous. It's not as if they are holding a gun to anyone's head. Besides, tobacco use has declined in the last 30 years. I don't smoke, and I was a kid when Joe Camel t-shirts were circulating and the big ticket in NASCAR was still the Winston Cup. I had toy race cars with cigarette brands painted on them. Somehow, the tobacco propaganda didn't snare me in,... (Albany Democrat-Herald, OR)
Race driver joins governor on his campaign trail Oct 31, 2007
His victories include three Winston Cup championships and a Daytona 500 crown. his is the backbone of our sport. (Columbus Commercial Dispatch, MS)
Sixty years strong Oct 18, 2007
Martinsville Speedway was one of eight tracks to host the inaugural 1949 season of NASCARs Strictly Stock division, later called Winston Cup and then NEXTEL Cup racing. It is the only original NASCAR track still hosting the highest division as of 2007. (Yahoo News -- Auto Racing)
Speedway exceeded initial dreams of founder Earles Oct 18, 2007
It now is the shortest track in the NEXTEL Cup Series formerly the Winston Cup Series but it is the only original NASCAR-sanctioned track still running NEXTEL Cup races. Due to its oval shape, the speedway sometimes has been called The Pretty Paper Clip. (Yahoo News -- Auto Racing)
Duo of Gordon and Johnson gets it done differently Oct 13, 2007
He was a model of consistency in the regular season, a la the old Winston Cup system he beat four times for the title. And he is doing what it takes in the playoffs. (Columbus Telegram, NE)
Locals rub elbows with Waltrip Oct 11, 2007
Waltrip, the younger brother of Hall of Famer Darrell, started racing Winston Cup in 1985. He made a name for himself racing for DEI. He has four career victories. (Chiefland Citizen, FL)
motor sports Infineon shows off all of its tricks in 2008 Oct 9, 2007
motor sports / Infineon shows off all of its tricks in 2008 (San Francisco Chronicle -- Sports)
Jeff Burton Biography Sep 14, 2007
Burton made his Winston Cup debut at Loudon, New Hampshire driving for Martocci ... In that five-year span, Burton accumulated 17 wins, and finished as high as third in the Winston Cup championship standings in 2000. (Suite101.com)
Deal Means AT&T's Logo Will Race NASCAR Tracks Until 2009 Sep 11, 2007
The car used to carry the orange jack of Cingular Wireless, which was allowed as a corporate sponsor despite Sprint-Nextel's exclusive sponsorship of what was once known as the Winston Cup. But when Cingular merged in January with ATwas eliminated as a brand, ATmpted to replace Cingular's corporate logo with its own. (Law.com)
Chase is on to drive up interest Sep 11, 2007
Kenseth turned the last title of NASCAR's Winston Cup era into a runaway after he finished with one win, 11 top fives, and a series-high 25 top 10s, clinching the title by 90 points over runner-up Jimmie Johnson with a fourth-place finish at Rockingham, N.C., in the season's penultimate event. The yawns were deafening. (Boston Globe -- Sports)
Car Earnhardt drove to win 75 visits Rio Rancho Sep 3, 2007
Scutt knows all about the Winston Cup Series and everything NASCAR.. That memorable 75th victory - Earnhardt won 76 in his career - was by a mere "one-thousandth of a second" over Bobby Labonte, he said. (Rio Rancho Observer, NM)
With the recent influx of F1 drivers, is stock-car racing abandoning its roots? Aug 31, 2007
We saw it with the technology revolution of open wheel championship racing in the 1980s and then there is the proverbial dog that didn't bark -- what we AREN'T seeing is as telling as what we are seeing; in this case what we aren't seeing is any particular lobby for seat-of-the-pants short trackers to race Winston Cup cars. Now this may be just a comparative fad; right now I don't particularly see Winston Cup becoming F1 lite as far as most of its drivers go. (SportsIllustrated.CNN)
Feud of the Week: Bristol bums out; will Lil' E do same? Aug 29, 2007
This isn't your daddy's Winston Cup series -- this is the 21st Century Nextel/Sprint Cup. Life goes on. (CBS News)
Rockingham speedway is up for auction Aug 27, 2007
1989: Mark Martin wins his first career NASCAR Winston Cup win in the AC Delco 500 at Rockingham. Rusty Wallace and Dale Earnhardt collide midway through the race, causing major damage to Earnhardt's Chevrolet. (News & Observer -- Sports)
Jones runs second at Belleville Aug 4, 2007
Four-time NASCAR Winston Cup champion Jeff Gordon took the checkereds at Belleville in 1990 at age 19. Jason Leffler, Saturday's NASCAR Busch Series winner at O'Reilly Raceway Park in Clermont, Ind. (Olney Daily Mail, IL)
Canadians finish 1-2 in Montreal NASCAR practice Aug 4, 2007
was 30th, Mike McKenzie of Dartmouth, N.S., was 33rd and Trevor Boys of Calgary who raced regularly in the NASCAR Winston Cup series in the 1980s - was 34th. The days program was delayed by 30 minutes by a short but violent rain shower in late morning and by a quick repair to some asphalt on a hairpin turn on the track. (Toronto Star)
For Jeff Gordon, where does the time go Jul 29, 2007
"Gordon climbed behind the wheel at 5 and moved to Pittsboro at 13 because Indiana let him race 650-horsepower sprint cars three years younger than most states. He idolized Rick Mears and imagined racing in the Indianapolis 500 but instead found opportunities in stock cars.Gordon won 11 poles in his second year in the Busch Series, and by the end of that 1992 season he was driving a Winston Cup car for the Hendrick Motorsports powerhouse. Gordon cried when he won for the first time _ the 1994... (Columbus Telegram, NE)
Petty named North Carolinian of the Year Jul 28, 2007
The Associated Press CONCORD - Seven-time NASCAR Winston Cup champion Richard Petty was named North Carolinian of the Year on Thursday, joining Billy Graham, Dean Smith and others in receiving the honor from the North Carolina Press Association. Petty, 70, won a record 200 NASCAR Winston Cup races and seven Daytona 500 races ... Seven-time NASCAR Winston Cup champion Richard Petty accepts the North Carolinian of the Year Award from the North Carolina Press Association at Lowe's Motor Speedway in... (News & Observer -- Sports)
Stewart back in victory lane Jul 18, 2007
Wednesday July 18, 2007. The Union Star (434) 376-2795 Phone (434) 376-2676 Fax P.O. Box 180 241 Main Street Brookneal VA 24528. (Brookneal Union Star, VA)
'DALE' to Make Its Television Debut on CMT in an Exclusive Limited Run Jul 14, 2007
In his 22 seasons on the NASCAR Winston Cup Series circuit, he racked up an amazing 76 wins and seven championships, with career winnings totaling more than $41 million. A perpetual fan favorite, Earnhardt was nicknamed "The Intimidator" for his competitive instincts and highly aggressive driving style. (Yahoo! Wire -- Entertainment News)
Free-spending Bobby Ginn may join J.D. Stacy as the latest self-destructive owner. Jul 11, 2007
Determined to become a major player in what was then the Winston Cup series, Stacy sponsored a record seven cars in the '82 Daytona 500, gracing the quarterpanels of such NASCAR legends as Dave Marcis, Benny Parsons, and Terry Labonte. In the meantime, he put Tim Richmond behind the wheel of his own No. 2 Chevrolet, with plans to dominate the series through pure sponsorship dollars. (SportsIllustrated.CNN -- Racing)
Ex-NASCAR publicist sentenced in sex case Jul 10, 2007
Williams is a former publicist for NASCAR's Winston Cup series. Before his arrest, he and his wife co-owned a public relations firm that represented several NASCAR drivers. (SportsIllustrated.CNN -- Racing)
Old sage Long has advice for NASCAR execs Jul 10, 2007
"You have to surround yourself with the best people. At Reynolds, we had absolutely incredible people, and they've all gone on to become successes in other places. "When we gave up Winston Cup (in 2003), because we had to, we figured when NASCAR negotiated the Nextel Cup sponsorship that they would pick up the whole R.J. Reynolds sports-marketing department. It was like a gift, a $1 million no-brainer. (Scripps Howard News Wire)
Nextel name loses out to Sprint in NASCAR series Jul 10, 2007
Formerly known as the Grand National Series, NASCAR's top racing league became the Winston Cup Series in 1972. The sponsorship relationship between NASCAR and Winston's parent company, , lasted for more than three decades. (Washington Business Journal, DC)
Nextel Cup to become Sprint Cup in 2008 Jul 10, 2007
Formerly known as the Grand National Series, Nascar's top racing league became known as the Winston Cup Series in 1972. The sponsorship relationship between Nascar and Winston's parent company, , lasted for more than three decades. (Orlando Business Journal)
Nextel Cup to be called Sprint Cup in 2008 Jul 9, 2007
NASCARs top series was called Grand National Series at its inception, and was called the Winston Cup Series when tobacco company R.J. Reynolds sponsored it from 1971 to 2003. But RJR asked out of its contract in 2003, and Nextel took over with a 10-year, $700 million deal. (MSNBC -- Sports)
NASCAR’s top series to be called Sprint Cup in 2008 Jul 8, 2007
NASCAR s top series was called Grand National Series at its inception, and was called the Winston Cup Series when tobacco company R.J. Reynolds sponsored it from 1971 to 2003. But RJR asked out of its contract in 2003, and Nextel took over with a 10-year, 700 million deal. (Columbia Daily Herald, TN)
Juan Montoya wins at Sonoma Jun 27, 2007
The last time a scenario like this occurred was in the Winston Cup Series on Aug. 7, 1977, when Darrell Waltrip relieved Donnie Allison and won at Talladega. Hamlin was in charge of the race after getting the lead on Lap 177. (Brookneal Union Star, VA)
Countdown is on for NASCAR racing at Kansas City speedway Jun 26, 2007
The first racing weekend there to feature a Winston Cup event, NASCAR's version of the big leagues, should draw more than 90,000 racing fans from Wichita, throughout the Midwest and beyond. Roll the Super Bowl and the Final Four together and you've got a NASCAR event, say the faithful. (Wichita Business Journal, KS)
Notes: Earnhardt's Car of Tomorrow Jun 24, 2007
to pass a lot of cars on pit row," Earnhardt said, saying he expected Gordon's team to take extraordinary measures in making up for starting at the back of the field by going with a daring strategy involving taking risks with fuel and tires. The name game: NASCAR's premier circuit is sponsored by Nextel, a corporation that is part of the Sprint Nextel corporate parent. Will the Nextel Cup become the Sprint Nextel Cup to reflect last year's merger of the telecommunications companies? NASCAR isn't... (San Francisco Chronicle -- Sports)
These days, only the tires are smokin' Jun 24, 2007
In those days, the premier series was known as the Winston Cup and anyone associated with NASCAR simply could sign up with sponsor R.J. Reynolds for "the weekly allotment." ... Jeff Gordon, typical of the current-day, health-conscious driver, has won four Winston Cups ... As for all those Winston Cups, Gordon was pragmatic about the sponsorship so critical to NASCAR, which enjoys the involvement of more Fortune 500 companies than any other sport. (San Francisco Chronicle -- Sports)
NASCAR great Irvan touting bike helmets Jun 24, 2007
From the series name known as the Winston Cup for decades before becoming the Nextel Cup to the new scoring system to the young gun drivers who now dominate the sport, t's definitely different, Irvan says ... In 1987, Irvan made his Winston Cup debut after the pair built a car and found a sponsor in NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt ... By 1994, Irvan was a dominant contender for the NASCAR Winston Cup Series Championship throughout the first 20 races of the season. (Carlisle Sentinel, PA)
Column: Get ready for another name change Jun 23, 2007
With many of us still calling NASCAR's top series the Winston Cup, get ready for another name change. It is all but a foregone conclusion the series will be re-branded as the Sprint Cup series for the 2008 season. (Niles Star, MI)
NASCAR not switching title sponsors just yet Jun 21, 2007
The series, sponsored by R.J. Reynolds tobacco, was known as the Winston Cup from 1972-2003. Posted. (USA Today -- Sports)
Kentucky Speedway: The timeline Jun 17, 2007
After successfully staging Busch and Craftsman Truck series races, Las Vegas Motor Speedway hosts the Winston Cup Las Vegas 400 on March 1, increasing Cup races on the schedule to 33. LVMS owners immediately make plans to sell the track and cash in on their investment. (Yahoo News -- Auto Racing)
NASCAR team notes Jun 14, 2007
Gordon, who has four Cup championships to his credit when it was the Winston Cup, would like nothing more than to add a Nextel Cup to his resume. "I had reservations about the 'Chase for the NASCAR Nextel Cup' when it was first introduced," Gordon said. (USA Today -- Sports)
Next big thing? Jun 14, 2007
Ribbs also raced in NASCAR's Winston Cup series, but never triumphed in five seasons on the IndyCar circuit or in NASCAR.. Todd last year became the first black driver to win in the premier Top Fuel class of the National Hot Rod Association series. (San Diego Union-Tribune -- Sports)
Its official: Earnhardt to join Hendick Jun 14, 2007
NASCAR Winston Cup driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., right, listens to sister, Kelley Earnhardt, left, at an event in Concord, N.C., in this Jan. 25, 2003 file photo. Harold Hinson -- AP Photo. (Modesto Bee, CA)
Bill France Jr. expanded the regional sport his father founded in 1948 into the multi-billion-dollar enterprise it is today. Jun 6, 2007
At the time of the leadership transition, the sport had even taken on a title sponsor for the first time, as R.J. Reynolds tobacco agreed to sponsor the top-level series that would eventually be known as Winston Cup. Additionally, the schedule had been downsized, from the days of racing three times in a week to a mere 31 races on the schedule in '72. (SportsIllustrated.CNN -- Racing)
Motor Sports obituary: Bill France; built NASCAR into U.S. phenomenon Jun 6, 2007
The dozens of annual races in the Winston Cup series (in 2004, Nextel became the title sponsor) paid tens of millions of dollars in prize money and often attracted crowds of 150,000. Merchandise sales reached $2 billion a year. (International Herald Tribune -- Sports)
Bill France Jr. remembered as NASCAR's driving force Jun 5, 2007
1986: NASCAR drops "Grand National" from its top division and renames it the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. 1989: Every race is televised for the first time. (USA Today -- Sports)
Timeline of the life of William C. France Jun 5, 2007
1971: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., through its Winston cigarette brand, signs on as title sponsor for NASCAR's premier racing series; for more than three decades it was known as the Winston Cup Series ... 1974: France asks his staff to come up with a new Winston Cup points system, one that rewards drivers for consistent finishes ... By the middle of the 1980s, most Winston Cup races are broadcast live on television. (Daytona Beach News Journal)
France Made NASCAR A National Sport Jun 5, 2007
" Schooling Took Place On Track France was born in Washington on April 4, 1933. He came to Florida a year later when his father and his wife, Anne, relocated to Daytona Beach with $25 and plans to open a garage. In late 1947, when his father met with other area racing promoters atop Daytona Beach's Streamline Hotel and laid the groundwork for the creation of NASCAR, France was a student at nearby Seabreeze High School. France graduated from Seabreeze, where he played basketball, and attended the... (Tampa Bay Online, FL -- News)
Burton's team makes quick logo switch May 20, 2007
Parsons, a former Winston Cup champion and television analyst, died of lung cancer in January. His widow is raising funds for a museum near North Wilkesboro, N.C.. (San Diego Union-Tribune -- Sports)
