All Stories NASCAR-CUP

After a crazy week of television appearances and functions, inaugural NEXTEL Cup series champion Kurt Busch finally got to collect his check. Busch was awarded 5.36 million dollars for his efforts in 2004, which led him to his first Cup ...

It came down to the last lap -- and even beyond -- to determine the inaugural NEXTEL Cup champion at Homestead-Miami Speedway. In the end, Kurt Busch drove the wheels off the No. 97 Roush Racing Ford to take fifth place and earn his first Cup ...

Greg Biffle made the move to pass Tony Stewart as the field received the final green flag, and just as Stewart appeared to run out of fuel. The race ended under the green-white-checkered rule as Biffle took the win in the season finale at the ...

Greg Biffle paced the final practice in his No. 16 Roush Racing Ford at Homestead-Miami Speedway for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup series finale on Sunday. Biffle has emerged as a strong contender to win the Ford 400; he qualified second and was quickest...

NASCAR Nextel Cup series points leader Kurt Busch made his stand going into the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Busch, who leads the standings by just 18 points, will start the No. 97 Roush Ford from the pole for the Ford ...

Earlier this season Mark Martin announced that 2005 will be his final year in NEXTEL Cup racing. After 23 years in NASCAR's premium league where he racked up 33 wins, Martin is the sentimental favorite to win the title. Press conference:...

A review of ESPN's upcoming Dale Earnhardt biopic Special to Motorsport.com by Bill King Charlotte, N.C., Nov. 16, 2004 - The house lights came up as images faded on the big screen. Three score ink-stained wretches and talking heads from...

With just two races remaining to decide the 2004 Cup series championship, no one is in better position to pull it off than four-time champion Jeff Gordon. Gordon trails leader Kurt Busch by just 41 points entering one of Gordon's strongest ...

This weekend NASCAR brings to a close a rich part of stock car racing history: on Sunday, the final Southern 500 will be run at Darlington Raceway. In a world where traditions are as sacred as used tissues, it might not come as a surprise that ...

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. dominated at Phoenix International Raceway to earn his sixth win of the season. Ryan Newman and Jeff Gordon mounted a charge on Earnhardt but a series of late-race cautions slowed their progress. Dale Earnhardt ...

When Mark Martin straps himself into his Roush Racing Ford Taurus to take the green flag on Sunday at Phoenix International Raceway, he will become the 13th driver in the modern history of NASCAR to make his 600th start. Mark ...

Robby Gordon piloting the No. 31 RCR Chevrolet turned the fastest lap in final practice for NEXTEL Cup teams. Gordon's lap of 130.312 mph bested the field b nearly one mile-per-hour. Robby Gordon. Photo by Kurt Dahlstrom. "The guys...

Ryan Newman captured his fourth consecutive pole tonight, for the Checker Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. Newman went out late in the session and knocked off rookie Brian Vickers, who had gone out second, and sits atop the grid ...

Jimmie Johnson, carrying photos of remembrance of the fallen passengers of flight 501 on the hood, wheeled his No. 48 Chevy into victory lane at Atlanta Motor Speedway. This was Johnson's third consecutive win, and first since the plane crash that...

It's hard to think of Kurt Busch as a late bloomer. The 26-year-old Las Vegas native has enjoyed a meteoric rise to stock car racing's highest level. Yet Busch always seems to save his best for last. Kurt Busch. Photo by Eric ...

As many had expected, Richard Childress Racing and Cingular Wireless announced that veteran driver Jeff Burton will assume driving duties of the No. 31 Chevy at the start of the 2005 season. Burton moves from the No. 30 RCR car and replaces Robby...

Speed demon Ryan Newman has seeming carved out a permanent spot at the top of the NEXTEL Cup series speed chart, scoring his third consecutive pole in Atlanta. Newman put down a lap of 191.575 mph to earn his series-high eighth pole of the ...

Jimmie Johnson took the lead for the final time on lap 439 to earn the first short track win of his career on the 0.75-mile Martinsville Speedway. The Henderick Motorsports' driver took his second consecutive win in the 'Chase for the...

Under threatening skies, NEXTEL Cup teams took to the short track at Martinsville Speedway for time-trial efforts after a forty minute delay due to AM showers, and "rocket man" Ryan Newman shattered the old track record by nearly two miles per...

Jimmie Johnson performed the season sweep of both NEXTEL Cup races at Lowe's Motor Speedway, by scoring the win in the UAW-GM 500. It is Johnson's fifth win of the season, which ties Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. for the most wins this ...

Sometimes it's hard to take Elliott Sadler seriously. The 29-year-old Virginian has an easy-going attitude and a great sense of humor. He looks as comfortable playing video games or basketball as he does behind the wheel of a race ...

Driver of the No. 8 Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Budweiser Chevrolet, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., was docked 25 championship driver points and fined $10,000 for use of foul language on live network television. The slip of the tongue came after Earnhardt won the...

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. didn't lead every lap, or dominate the day as DEI cars tend to do on restrictor plate race tracks. But, winning pit strategy at the races closing laps gave Earnhardt all he needed to wheel the No. 8 Budweiser Chevy into victory...

Joe Nemechek grabbed the Bud pole at Talladega Superspeedway in the No. 01 Chevrolet with a lap of 190.749 mph. This marks Nemechek's first pole of the 2004 season, and the seventh of his career. Joe Nemechek. Photo by Todd ...

Polesitter Joe Nemechek easily paced the field in final practice for NASCAR NEXTEL Cup teams at Talladega Superspeedway. Nemechek's lap of 196.358 mph bested the field by nearly one mile per hour. Joe Nemechek. Photo by Eric ...

Loudon, New Hampshire is a long way from the South Pacific island region of Vanuatu, but the two places may have more in common than ever before. This week they are both hosting the start of their own form of Survivor. The final top-10...

Ryan Newman grabbed the pole for the last race of NASCAR's "regular season" at Richmond International Raceway, and for a good reason. Newman must earn a good finish at RIR to ensure his position in the "NEXTEL Chase for the Championship" which ...

Pole sitter Ryan Newman has a lot too loose Saturday night at Richmond International Raceway. For a team that set a goal at the beginning of the season to win 10 races and 10 poles, they find themselves at the 26th event of the year just hanging...

Elliott Sadler wheeled the No. 38 Robert Yates Racing Ford to his second victory of the 2004 season. Sadler easily out-horsepowered Kasey Kahne and Mark Martin to earn his third career Cup series win in the final sprint to the finish ...

This weekend's race at California Speedway has been billed as the "finish under the lights", but for NASCAR veteran Bobby Labonte, he's just looking to finish at the front. Bobby Labonte. Photo by Kurt Dahlstrom. After posting wins in...

Rookie Brian Vickers grabbed his second pole of the season at California Speedway with a lap of 187.417 mph. Vickers bested the field by nearly a full mile-per-hour to garner his second career Budweiser pole award. Brian Vickers gets...

As the 2004 season starts to wind down, more changes are made prior to the final countdown in the Race for the Chase. Today, PPI Motorsports announced that Bobby Hamilton, Jr. will pilot the ...

Rusty Wallace, driver of the No. 2 Penske Racing Dodge, today announced that 2005 will be his final year on the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup tour. Wallace's final season will be nicknamed "Rusty's Last Call" and serve as a season long celebration of...

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. led 295 laps to become the only race car driver to ever sweep both NASCAR races at Bristol Motor Speedway. In one weekend, the DEI Budweiser Chevy driver notched his first Bristol wins in both the NASCAR Nextel Cup and Busch ...

Jimmie Johnson loves road racing. With his recent success on the two road courses on the NASCAR Nextel Cup circuit, that doesn't come as much of a surprise. Jimmie Johnson. Photo by Kurt Dahlstrom. Johnson, who joined the series...

After more than a year's wait, the deal between Richard Childress Racing and Jeff Burton is finally a done deal. Starting at Michigan, Burton will take over driving duties for the No. 30 RCR Chevrolet. Jeff Burton. Photo by Dan Helrigel...

Jimmie Johnson wheeled the No. 48 Hendrick Chevy to his fourth win this season in the Pennsylvania 500. Johnson took the lead at lap 32, and despite being jockeyed out of the top spot a few times, he easily fought his way back to the front every...

Jeremy Mayfield is hoping that a repeat performance of past success at Pocono Raceway will be his springboard into the top-10 in the championship points chase. Jeremy Mayfield. Photo by Todd Corzett. Mayfield, who claimed two of his...

Casey Mears took the top spot for the Pennsylvania 500 today with a fast lap of 171.720 mph. Mears took to the track late in the qualifying session, and bested the field by a small margin to win his first career pole in the NEXTEL...

Ryan Newman went out dead last -- and proved that he still has the hottest shoe in the garage. Newman's lap of 132.360 mph bested the field by nearly a mile-per-hour, and booted Jimmie Johnson off the pole; who had sat on top of the charts for...

Two months ago at Richmond International Raceway, Jeff Burton's ...

Tony Stewart says he didn't mean to do it. Ray Evernham says he needs his butt kicked. NASCAR surely will break out their ruler and slap Tony Stewart on the wrist, but clearly, fellow competitors have had enough. Tony Stewart. Photo by...

Tony Stewart's up-and-down weekend ended on the right note, in victory lane at Chicagoland Speedway's NASCAR Nextel Cup race today. Tony Stewart. Photo by Eric Gilbert. Stewart crashed in practice on Friday and was forced to qualify...

Four-time Cup series champion Jeff Gordon and his Hendrick Chevrolet No. 24 team are in the hunt to earn their fifth championship. After a spotty start to the season, Gordon has been pumped with new found fire. Pace laps: Jeff Gordon...

Jeff Gordon placed his Hendrick Motorsports Dupont Chevy on the Bud Pole at Chicagoland Speedway with a lap at 28.886 for a speed of 186.942 miles per hour, breaking the record set last year by Tony Stewart. Jeff Gordon. Photo by Jim ...

Tony Stewart has some unfinished business to take care of in Chicago. One year ago, Stewart started on the pole at Chicagoland Speedway and led a race-high 80 laps before finishing second to Ryan Newman. Stewart had the fastest car on the track...

Hendrick horsepower conquered the DEI powerplants to score a 1-2 finish for Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson in the Pepsi 400. Gordon and Johnson blasted to the front with seven laps to go, with Gordon earning the victory from the...

Hendrick horsepower conquered the DEI powerplants, earning Jeff Gordon the pole for the Pepsi 400 at Daytona International Speedway. This is Gordon's 50th career pole, and fourth this season. Jeff Gordon. Photo by Kurt Dahlstrom. "I...

NASCAR has once again proved that what is good for the goose isn't always good for the gander. Last season, racer Jimmy Spencer was parked for a race for a post-event fight with Kurt Busch, where Spencer attacked Busch while still strapped into...

After several weeks of lackluster results Robby Gordon and Team 31 head to the 1.99-mile road course in Sonoma, California with high hopes. Gordon won both road course events last season, and sees the race at Infineon as the best way to get out of...

Ryan Newman battled back from early troubles with his racecar and then held off a hard-charging Kasey Kahne in the closing laps to win the DHL 400 at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday. Ryan Newman. Photo by Eric Gilbert. Kahne...

Elliott Sadler turned in a fast lap of 187.125 miles per hour to pace the field during final practice session at Michigan International Speedway on Saturday. Elliott Sadler. Photo by Eric Gilbert. "We were really happy with the car,"...

Hendrick Motorsports teammates Jeff Gordon, Brian Vickers and Jimmie Johnson swept the first three spots in qualifying for the Michigan 400 this Sunday at Michigan International Speedway. Jeff Gordon. Photo by Eric Gilbert. Gordon, a...

Mark Martin survived one of the strangest races in the NASCAR annals to earn his first win of the season at Dover International Speedway. The win broke a 73-race winless streak for the No. 6 Roush Racing Ford team. Mark Martin. Photo by...

Jimmie Johnson, behind the wheel of the No. 48 Hendrick Chevy, classed the field all night long to earn his second win of the season. Johnson led 501 miles of 600 mile event, making it look easy as he sailed his Chevrolet into victory lane for...

Robby Gordon just couldn't catch a break on Sunday. Rain began to hammer down on the running of the 88th Indianapolis Motor Speedway early Sunday morning, delaying the start of the race by over an hour. Robby Gordon. Photo by Earl ...

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. driving the No. 8 Dale Earnhardt, Incorporated No. 8 Chevy posted the fastest time during final practice for NEXTEL Cup teams at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Earnhardt's lap of 184.351 mph bested the field by almost five ...

Jimmie Johnson went out dead last and but came out first, knocking Ryan Newman out of the top spot to earn his first Budweiser pole of the season. Newman, had gone out fourth and held the top spot throughout the session, until Johnson -- who went...

In two full seasons on the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup circuit, Ryan Newman has been a quick learner. He blends the steely nerve of a jet fighter pilot with the calculating thought process of a physics professor into a devastating combination that has...

Jimmie Johnson's hopes of another pair of back-to-back wins in the All-Star race and the Coca-Cola 600 went up in smoke late in the NEXTEL challenge after getting involved in a wreck on lap 11. The No. 48 Chevy managed to continue on, but did not...