| One of the biggest events on America's sporting | | | | born. Richard Petty, son of previous NASCAR Cup |
| calendar and the most important of NASACAR's | | | | Series champion Lee Petty, who won twenty seven |
| racing series is the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. | | | | races back in 1967, is the most successful driver ever |
| Nextel took over sponsorship of the NASACAR Cup | | | | in the NASCAR Cup Series. The NASCAR Cup Series |
| Series back in 2004. The series was previously called | | | | was born to promote the sport of racing which |
| the Grand National and later, the NASCAR Winston | | | | started out with little reward on dirt tracks. The first |
| Cup Series. After taking over sponsorship, the Cup | | | | driver in a NASCAR Cup Series to collect winnings in |
| Series was changed to give new NASACAR drivers a | | | | excess of $100,000 was Richard Petty. |
| better chance and also to make it more competitive. | | | | Winning the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series depends not |
| The NASCAR Nextel Cup "Race to the Chase" was | | | | only on the skills of the drivers but also on designers |
| established which added more excitement, much like | | | | who work year round on improving cars for |
| a "playoff" system. After 26 races the top ten | | | | participation in the series, and on the dedicated crews |
| drivers in points are eligible to compete for the Cup in | | | | who support cars as they race for the cup. These |
| the last 10 races of the season. As with other | | | | days, NASCAR crew chiefs use computer simulations, |
| NASCAR series, the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series | | | | to help them judge how cars are likely to perform in |
| rewards drivers can for wins and for laps led. Five | | | | the series. Most agree that the most important thing |
| bonus points are awarded to drivers who lead a | | | | is a strong, durable engine, which can make all the |
| whole lap during a race. | | | | difference when it comes to winning the NASCAR |
| The NASCAR Nextel Cup Series incorporates the | | | | cup. |
| Nextel Cup Driver's Championship and the Nextel Cup | | | | Corporate interest in the telecommunications |
| Owner's Championship, each of which operates a | | | | company was revived by Nextel's sponsorship of the |
| separate Chase for the Championship. Sometimes | | | | NASCAR Cup Series. The Sprint corporation recently |
| owner's points will differ from drivers' points over the | | | | purchased Nextel, creating Sprint Nextel. It's |
| course of a cup series. These days it is rare for | | | | expected that next year's premiere racing |
| owners and drivers in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series | | | | competition will have it's name changed from the |
| to be the same people. This is partly because the | | | | NASCAR Nextel Cup Series to the NASCAR Sprint |
| structure of the modern NASCAR Nextel Cup Series | | | | Cup Series. NASCAR is continually evolving and |
| races favour multiple car teams. | | | | reinventing itself to appeal to provide increased value |
| The youngest person to win the NASCAR Cup Series | | | | to it's sponsors, to provide more safety to the |
| is Bill Rexford, back in 1950 when the Cup Series was | | | | drivers and to appeal to the masses. |