The late David Pearson is a NASCAR legend and a 3-time Winston Cup champion. His career spanned 27 years, from his debut in 1960 to his final race in 1986. Over the course of his career, he had raced for different teams and different manufacturers. Pearson enjoyed brief stints with Chevrolet, Dodge, Mercury, Ford, and Plymouth. However, a large portion of his career was with Pontiac, and there is an interesting story behind one of his Pontiac cars. In the 1971 season, Pearson was racing [https://www.nascarhall.com/blog/david-pearsons-wild-rides?sf262990933=1] for Nichels Engineering, in the #33 Pontiac GTO. At the time, Chris Vallo owned the car, and crew chief/mechanic Ray Nichels built it. Apparently, Vallo hired him and promised to invest millions of dollars into the team. During that 1971 season, Pearson drove the Pontiac in five races, and it was an absolute nightmare. READ MORE: Christmas Comes Early for NASCAR Fans as Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip’s Iconic Piece of Heritage Goes Up for Sale [https://www.essentiallysports.com/nascar-news-christmas-comes-early-for-nascar-fans-as-hall-of-famer-darrell-waltrips-iconic-piece-of-heritage-goes-up-for-sale/] HOW DID DAVID PEARSON PERFORM IN THAT PONTIAC? This was because it failed to finish any race, owing to a variety of engine issues. Pearson finished 43rd at Talladega, 34th at Charlotte, 33rd at Michigan, 35th at Darlington, and 36th at North Carolina. Of course, Nichels was not too impressed with the results and sued Vallo for $7 million. The lawsuit was for allegedly failing to pay for contracted services, and five years later, Vallo pled guilty. [https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/1000177.jpg] Vallo was charged with 17 different federal crimes, including income tax and bank fraud. In addition to that, he was also found guilty of possessing firearms. It didn’t affect David Pearson, because he moved onto the Bud Moore Engineering team for the 1972 season. He also had stints with Wood Brothers Racing and Donlavey Racing, winning six races that year for the former. Since then, he had gone on to snatch several race wins in the Winston Cup Series. Unfortunately, he never quite managed to win another Cup Series championship aside from his 1966, 1968 and 1969 titles. Nevertheless, he was able to prove that he was still competitive until his final season in 1986. WATCH THIS STORY: Scandalous NASCAR Hall of Famer Junior Johnson Preferred Life of Crime Over Racing for This Astounding Reason [https://www.essentiallysports.com/stories/nascar-news-scandalous-nascar-hall-of-famer-junior-johnson-preferred-life-of-crime-over-racing-for-this-astounding-reason/] 

Once upon a time, 3-time NASCAR champion David Pearson once drove for a racing
team owned by a person who was later arrested for fraud.

Dhruv George is a Senior NASCAR Author at EssentiallySports, with an impressive record of over 14K articles. From F1 driver Pierre Gasly to Moto2 rider Tony Arbolino, Dhruv has interviewed several racers, establishing himself as an authoritative voice in the world of motorsports. He not only writes engaging content but helps connect readers with some of the biggest racing names thanks to his ability to churn out exclusive interviews.

Dhruv's ambition extends beyond writing, as he aspires to host a successful motorsports podcast with some of the biggest stars in the industry, like Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin. When he's not writing about Stock Car Racing, Dhruv can be found reading and writing fan fiction.

Dhruv George

Dhruv George is a Senior NASCAR Author at EssentiallySports, with an impressive record of over 14K articles. From F1 driver Pierre Gasly to Moto2 rider Tony Arbolino, Dhruv has interviewed several racers, establishing himself as an authoritative voice in the world of motorsports.

Dhruv George | Senior NASCAR Author at EssentiallySports

EssentiallySports

https://www.staging.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/es_circle_black_logo.png

Dhruv George is a Senior NASCAR Author at EssentiallySports, with an impressive record of over 14K articles. From F1 driver Pierre Gasly to Moto2 rider Tony Arbolino, Dhruv has interviewed several racers, establishing himself as an authoritative voice in the world of motorsports. He not only writes engaging content but helps connect readers with some of the biggest racing names thanks to his ability to churn out exclusive interviews. Dhruv's ambition extends beyond writing, as he aspires to host a successful motorsports podcast with some of the biggest stars in the industry, like Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin. When he's not writing about Stock Car Racing, Dhruv can be found reading and writing fan fiction.

https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/Dhruv-George-1-96x96.png

Dhruv George is a senior Motorsports author for EssentiallySports, having
authored nearly 12000 articles spanning different sports like F1, NASCAR,
Tennis, NFL, and eSports. He graduated with a PG Diploma in Journalism from the
Xavier Institute of Communications. Dhruv has also conducted interviews with F1
driver Pierre Gasly and Moto2 rider Tony Arbolino. He has been an ardent
follower of motorsports sport since 2001, holding Carlos Sainz Jr. and McLaren
in high regard.

https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/Dhruv_George.png

Christmas Comes Early for NASCAR Fans as Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip’s Iconic
Piece of Heritage Goes Up for Sale

during-his-tenure-with-the-wood-brothers-david-pearson-won-news-photo-1631823430 - EssentiallySports

during-his-tenure-with-the-wood-brothers-david-pearson-won-news-photo-1631823430

strong

{"1":0}{"1":18,"2":{"2":{"1":2,"2":1136076},"9":1}}

span

NASCAR Hall of Famer David Pearson Once Drove a Racecar Owned by a Man Who Would
Put Most Hollywood Criminals to Shame

Martin Truex Jr’s Crew Chief Makes Heartbreaking 4-Word Racing Admission

Racing Community Goes Berserk as Tony Stewart Drops Surprising ‘Fans Double’
Announcement Amidst Indy Return

Dodge’s NASCAR Legacy Walks the Tony Stewart Path as Ultimate Rescue Leaves Fans
Jaw-Dropped

Tony Stewart’s ‘Little Bi**Es’ Warning Goes Wrong After Last Lap Horror in the
Indy 800

“He’s Got Broad Shoulders”: Bubba Wallace Turning Resistant to Hate From NASCAR
Fans Claims Insider

US Army rides in style & safety! NASCAR champs win acclaim for reinforced Chevy troop carriers 

Hendrick Tech for Army Trucks

Rumors of SHR downsizing fly as sponsorships dry up & Michael Jordan’s team eyes a ‘bargain’


23XI Frontrunners For A Third Car?

We remember a racing legend whose name isn't as widely known as the brand he helped build.

Forgotten Brother Behind Chevrolet’s Legacy

Maximizing Success by Athlete Branding ft. Keenan Beasley

Behind the odds: Decoding 2024 NFL Draft

Championing Women in sport ft. Madisen Skinner

Delving into the business intricacies of the sports world ft. Chloe V. Mitchell

NASCAR

NASCAR Archives

LatestNASCAR - EssentiallySports News | EssentiallySports

<h1 style="text-align: center"><b>NASCAR Cup Series: Origin, Teams and More</b></h1>
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>What is the NASCAR Cup Series?</strong></h2>
NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) is the authorizing body for stock-vehicle racing in North America. It was established in 1948 in Daytona Beach, Florida. Currently, the organization fields four types of tracks: Intermediate tracks, Superspeedways, Short Tracks and Road Courses.

[caption id="attachment_2675743" align="alignnone" width="5162"]<img class="wp-image-2675743 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/2024-02-20T005209Z_1919194866_MT1USATODAY22564783_RTRMADP_3_NASCAR-DAYTONA-500.jpg" alt="NASCAR" width="5162" height="3322" /> Feb 19, 2024; Daytona Beach, Florida, USA; NASCAR Cup Series drivers Corey LaJoie (7), Kyle Busch (8) and A.J. Allmendinger (16) race three wide for the lead during the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports[/caption]
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>NASCAR Cup Series Origin</strong></h2>
The first-ever NASCAR race was held at Charlotte Fairgrounds Speedway on June 19, 1949 and Christian David "Jim" Roper was the victor after racer Glen Dunaway was disqualified for making illegal adjustments to his car.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">On this day in 1949, NASCAR held its first-ever "Strictly Stock" race.</p>
Thirty-three drivers raced at Charlotte Speedway, six of which were future NASCAR Hall of Famers. Jim Roper was declared the winner following a disqualification to Glenn Dunaway. <a href="https://t.co/yBUDRcRxVo">pic.twitter.com/yBUDRcRxVo</a>

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASCAR/status/1670832065690972160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 19, 2023</a></blockquote>

<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>Why is it named Cup Series? </strong></h2>
The NASCAR Cup Series is the pinnacle of the racing arrangement in the NASCAR classification. The arrangement started in 1949 and was called the Strictly Stock Division. The series was subsequently known as the Grand National Division from 1950 to 1970.

Then, in 1971, it started renting its naming rights to the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company and was alluded to as the NASCAR Winston Cup Series till 2003. From the next year onwards, the series came to be known as the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series till 2007 after a partnership with Nextel.

Sprint obtained Nextel in 2005 and 2008 saw the arrangement being renamed as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Sprint remained the sponsor of the NASCAR Cup from 2008 to 2016. It was reported in December 2016 that Monster Energy would be the sponsor; therefore, the arrangement was renamed the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series from 2017 to 2019.

However, after decades of name changes, in 2017, the organization finally decided to shed off its old image and simply be named as the NASCAR Cup Series, with series sponsors being called 'Premier Partners'.
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>What is the format of the Cup Series?</strong></h2>
The NASCAR points system has been a complicated affair to say the least. Over the years, the organization has tried several iterations, namely the Latford system, the Chase and the current elimination playoffs format among others, to discern one that would be fair to each driver.

While the earlier system saw drivers being awarded points on the basis of prize money in a particular race, in 1972 a new format was introduced. This time the points were awarded on the basis of laps completed. However, even that came with its own flaws and just two years later, in 1974, the organization introduced point calculation based on a mathematical formula. However, given the complexity of the equation, Bill France Jr, the former CEO of NASCAR decided to step in and call upon his close friend Bob Latford, to come up with an efficient way, which later came to be known as Boot Hill Format or the Latford Model.

With equal points awarded in all races, as New York Times aptly put it: <em>"Mr. Latford set up his points scale to reward consistency rather than flashes of brilliance, and drivers seem to like it that way."</em>

This system was perhaps the longest-running one during that time, being replaced in 2003, by The Chase format. Currently, the NASCAR Cup Series operates on the Playoff Format. The schedule consists of 31 oval races, 4 road course races, one street track race, and 4 non-championship races to be held on ovals. This also includes 16 playoff races, with four elimination rounds, namely, Round of 16, Round of 12, Round of 4 and Championship 4.
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>NASCAR Cup Series Teams</strong></h2>
As of 2024, the NASCAR Cup Series has 16 full-time teams participating and three manufacturers, namely Toyota, Chevrolet and Ford. As for the team with the most number of victories and championship, Hendrick Motorsports has has an undebatable upper hand, with 305 Cup Series wins and 14 drivers championships.
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>NASCAR Cup Series Venue</strong></h2>
The first championship race was reportedly held at Martinsville Speedway, a half-mile oval, on October 16, 1949. Currently, the final race of a Cup season is held at the Phoenix Raceway, which is a one-mile, low-banked tri-oval race track located in Avondale, Arizona, near Phoenix.

[caption id="attachment_1351857" align="alignnone" width="1920"]<img class="wp-image-1351857 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/2022-11-07T003206Z_1075855806_MT1USATODAY19376372_RTRMADP_3_NASCAR-CUP-CHAMPIONSHIP.jpg" alt="Joey Logano NASCAR" width="1920" height="1289" /> Nov 6, 2022; Avondale, Arizona, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Joey Logano (22) races in the final laps of the Cup championship at Phoenix Raceway. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports[/caption]
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>NASCAR Cup Series Championship</strong></h2>
The NASCAR Cup Series hosts three different championship under one name: The Driver's Championship, the Owner's Championship and the Manufacturer's Championship. The driver's championship as the name suggests is the award given to the driver that has emerged as the winner at the end of a season. On the other hand, the Owner's Championship aims to reward the team at the top of the points standings. The driver with the most championship wins are Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt and Jimmie Johnson. Additionally, Rick Hendrick-owned Hendrick Motorsports has won a record-breaking 14 championships till date.

<img class="alignnone wp-image-1195372 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/ezgif.com-gif-maker-3-78.jpg" alt="Richard Petty Dale Earnhardt NASCAR" width="1850" height="1253" />

On a similar note, the Manufacturer's Championship sees Original Equipment Manufacturers(OEMs) being awarded a championship based on how races their cars managed to dominate and the points accumulated. In this regard, US-based manufacturer Chevrolet has racked up the most Cup Series wins at 42, followed by Ford at 17, and Toyota at 3.
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>NASCAR Cup Series Track Types</strong></h2>
As mentioned earlier, the NASCAR Cup series organizes its races on four different types of tracks, namely, Intermediate tracks, Superspeedways, Short Tracks and Road Courses.

When it comes to Intermediate tracks, it simply means <em>"any track greater than one mile in length, with the exception of both Daytona and Talladega" </em>according to the official NASCAR website and currently the Cup Series drivers compete on the following Intermediate tracks/Speedways :
<ul>
 	<li>Atlanta Motor Speedway (1.540-mile, Quad-Oval)</li>
 	<li>Charlotte Motor Speedway (1.500-mile Quad-Oval, including a 2.280 miles Road Course)</li>
 	<li>Darlington Raceway (1.366-mile, Egg-Shaped Oval)</li>
 	<li>Dover Motor Speedway (1.000-mile, Concrete Oval)</li>
 	<li>Homestead-Miami Speedway (1.500-mile, Oval)</li>
 	<li>Kansas Speedway (1.500-mile, Tri-Oval)</li>
 	<li>Las Vegas Motor Speedway (1.500-mile, Tri-Oval)</li>
 	<li>Michigan International Speedway (2.000-mile, D-Shaped Oval)</li>
 	<li>Nashville Superspeedway (1.333-mile, Tri-Oval)</li>
 	<li>New Hampshire Motor Speedway (1.058-mile, Paperclip Oval)</li>
 	<li>Phoenix Raceway (1.000-mile, Dogleg Oval)</li>
 	<li>Texas Motor Speedway (1.500-mile, Quad-Oval)</li>
 	<li>World Wide Technology Raceway (1.250-mile, Egg-Shaped Oval)</li>
</ul>
On the other hand, Superspeedways ae oval road courses of two miles or longer. Currently, the NASCAR Cup Series has the following Superspeedways:
<ul>
 	<li>Auto Club Speedway (2.000-mile, D-Shaped Oval; Currently not in use)</li>
 	<li>Chicagoland Speedway (1.500-mile, D-Shaped Oval; Currently not in use)</li>
 	<li>Daytona International Speedway (2.500-mile, Tri-Oval)</li>
 	<li>Kentucky Speedway (1.500-mile, D-Shaped Oval)</li>
 	<li>Pocono Raceway (2.500-mile, Triangular Oval)</li>
 	<li>Talladega Superspeedway (2.660-mile, Tri-Oval)</li>
</ul>
The short tracks (less than 1 mile in length) that are part of NASCAR are:
<ul>
 	<li>Bristol Motor Speedway (0.533-mile, Oval)</li>
 	<li>Eldora Speedway (0.500-mile, Oval; Currently not in use)</li>
 	<li>Iowa Speedway (0.875-mile, Oval)</li>
 	<li>Knoxville Raceway (0.500-mile, Oval</li>
 	<li>Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum)</li>
 	<li>Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park (0.686-mile, Oval)</li>
 	<li>Martinsville Speedway (0.526-mile, Paperclip Oval)</li>
 	<li>Milwaukee Mile Speedway (1.015-mile, Oval)</li>
 	<li>North Wilkesboro Speedway (0.625-mile, Oval)</li>
 	<li>Richmond Raceway (0.750-mile, D-shaped Oval)</li>
</ul>
As for Road Courses, NASCAR makes use of the following race tracks:
<ul>
 	<li>Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (2.459-mile, Currently not in use)</li>
 	<li>Chicago Street Race (2.14 miles)</li>
 	<li>Circuit of the Americas (3.426-mile)</li>
 	<li>DAYTONA Road Course (4.170-mile, Currently not in use)</li>
 	<li>Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (2.400-mile, Currently not in use)</li>
 	<li>Portland International Raceway (1.967-mile, Currently not in use)</li>
 	<li>Road America(4.048-mile, Currently not in use)</li>
 	<li>Sebring Raceway (3.741 mi, Currently not in use)</li>
 	<li>Sonoma Raceway (1.99-mile)</li>
 	<li>Watkins Glen International (2.45-mile)</li>
</ul>
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>NASCAR Cup Series Crown Jewel Races</strong></h2>
While NASCAR has several racetracks that it competes on, there are a couple venues that are held in high regards. Currently there are four such venues/races, namely the Daytona 500 held at the Daytona International Speedway, the Coca-Cola 500 held at the Charlotte Motor Speedway , the Brickyard 400/Verizon 200 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Southern 500 at the Darlington Raceway.

Till date, Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman and retired NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon has the most number of Crown Jewel race wins (21), followed by Legacy Motor Club team owner Jimmie Johnson (14) and retired NASCAR driver Bobby Allison (13).

[caption id="attachment_1691261" align="alignnone" width="1920"]<img class="wp-image-1691261 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/Jimmie-Johnson-Jeff-Gordon.jpg" alt="Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon" width="1920" height="1280" /> January 20, 2017 - Charlotte, North Carolina, USA - Jimmy Johnson and Jeff Gordon introduce Rick Hendrick at the NASCAR Motorsport USA Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Friday, January 20, 2017, in Charlotte, N.C. Rick Hendrick was inducted into the Hall of Fame with Richard Childress, Mark Martin, Raymond Parks, and Benny Parsons. 2017 NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony - ZUMAw123 20170120_zap_w123_024[/caption]
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>NASCAR Cup Series Cars</strong></h2>
NASCAR is an ever-evolving sport and till date, there have been several iterations of the cars used during races. If we go back to the very inception of the sport, the first kind of vehicle that was used used to be called Generation - 1 (1948-1966), followed by Generation - 2 (1967-1980) and Generation - 3 (1981-1991). Later the Generation - 4 (1992 to 2007) was introduced , and then Generation - 5 (2007 -2012) and Generation - 6 (2013-2021) came into play. And currently, NASCAR features the Generation - 7 car that is also known as the Next-Gen.

Anothe notable model was the Generation - 5. Dubbed as the<em> "Car of Tomorrow"</em>, this model featured flaunted prominent front splitters under the bumpers and larger rear wings. Apart from that, according to NASCAR, the car also had <em>"significant safety advancements and a return to symmetrical bodies". </em>

[caption id="attachment_2651610" align="alignnone" width="3461"]<img class="wp-image-2651610 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/2024-02-16T030626Z_974940649_MT1USATODAY22533198_RTRMADP_3_NASCAR-BLUEGREEN-VACATIONS-DUEL-1-AT-DAYTONA.jpg" alt="" width="3461" height="2307" /> Feb 15, 2024; Daytona Beach, Florida, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Martin Truex Jr. (19) during the Bluegreen Vacations Duel 1 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports[/caption]
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>NASCAR Cup Series debut at the Street Course</strong></h2>
The NASCAR Cup Series has come a long way since its initial days. The organization has always been open to developments and one of the most exciting ones came in 2023,when the tourney made its Street Course debut at Chicago.

In a bid to turn make the schedule even more exciting, NASCAR officials were reportedly in talks with Chicago authorities for a number of years, with one attempt of a Chicago street race even dating back to the 1980s. However, owing to political pressure, that plan failed to materialize. Now, fast forward to four decades later and authorities were finally geared up to host an exciting, first-of-its-kind race in downtown Chicago.

[caption id="attachment_1911252" align="alignnone" width="1920"]<img class="wp-image-1911252 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/2023-07-03T052154Z_1117738559_MT1USATODAY20983749_RTRMADP_3_NASCAR-GRANT-PARK-220.jpg" alt="NASCAR" width="1920" height="1280" /> Jul 2, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; A general view as cars race along Grant Park during the Grant Park 220 of the Chicago Street Race viewed from the NEMA Chicago buliding. Mandatory Credit: Jon Durr-USA TODAY Sports[/caption]

Designed by race simulation video game developer iRacing, the race aimed to showcase the city's major landmarks such as the Buckingham Fountain, the Grant Park and the Soldier Field Stadium, among others.

The first iteration of the race came in July of 2023, with New Zealand born driver Shane van Gisbergen clinching victory in his first-ever NASCAR race. If that's not iconic, what is?

<img class="alignnone wp-image-2804674 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/F0HhwcqXoAI3_zb.jpeg" alt="" width="2048" height="1365" />
<table style="width: 75.2357%;height: 264px">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 42.239%;height: 24px"><span style="font-weight: 400">Full Name</span></td>
<td style="width: 237.884%;height: 24px">NASCAR Cup Series</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 42.239%;height: 24px"><span style="font-weight: 400">Place of Origin</span></td>
<td style="width: 237.884%;height: 24px">Charlotte Fairgrounds Speedway</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 42.239%;height: 24px"><span style="font-weight: 400">Year of Origin</span></td>
<td style="width: 237.884%;height: 24px">1949</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 42.239%;height: 24px"><span style="font-weight: 400">First Race</span></td>
<td style="width: 237.884%;height: 24px">NASCAR "Strictly Stock" Race, Charlotte Fairgrounds Speedway</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 42.239%;height: 24px"><span style="font-weight: 400">Last Race</span></td>
<td style="width: 237.884%;height: 24px">NASCAR Cup Series Spring Race at Martinsville Speedway, 2024</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 42.239%;height: 24px"><span style="font-weight: 400">Crown Jewel Race</span></td>
<td style="width: 237.884%;height: 24px"><span style="font-weight: 400">Daytona 500, Coca Cola 600, Brickyard 400/ Verizon 200, Southern 500</span></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 42.239%;height: 24px"><span style="font-weight: 400">Drivers with the most Championships</span></td>
<td style="width: 237.884%;height: 24px">Richard Petty (7), Dale Earnhardt (7) and Jimmie Johnson(7)</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 42.239%;height: 24px"><span style="font-weight: 400">Team with the most Championships</span></td>
<td style="width: 237.884%;height: 24px">Hendrick Motorsports (14)</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 42.239%;height: 24px"><span style="font-weight: 400">First Champion</span></td>
<td style="width: 237.884%;height: 24px">Red Byron</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 42.239%;height: 24px"><span style="font-weight: 400">Defending Champion</span></td>
<td style="width: 237.884%;height: 24px">Ryan Blaney (2023)</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 42.239%;height: 24px"><span style="font-weight: 400">Defending Team</span></td>
<td style="width: 237.884%;height: 24px">Team Penske</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
&nbsp;

NASCAR Cup Series

Here's everything you need to know about the NASCAR Cup Series, its Origin, Teams, History, Venues, Crown Jewel Races and more!

NASCAR Cup Series: Origin, Teams and More

NASCAR Cup Series Archives

[caption id="attachment_455751" align="aligncenter" width="1920"]<img class="size-full wp-image-455751" src="https://www.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/GettyImages-1282746779.jpg" alt="Wood Brothers Racing driver Matt DiBenedetto in the race at Texas" width="1920" height="1280" /> FORT WORTH, TEXAS - OCTOBER 28: Matt DiBenedetto, driver of the #21 Menards/Richmond Ford, drives during the NASCAR Cup Series Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)[/caption]
<h2>Wood Brothers Racing: 2021 Latest News, Stats, Schedule, Drivers</h2>
The Wood Brothers Racing is an American stock vehicle racing group that contends in the NASCAR Cup Series at present. Glen and Leonard Wood founded the team in 1950. Further from 2006 to 2008, the team merged with JTG Racing.

The Wood Brothers Racing is the oldest operating team in the field, running from 1950. Further, they have built a matured relationship with the Ford Motor Company, along with the use of No. 21 in their vehicles. Currently, the team is in association with Team Penske for technical terms.

The team has experienced a turnover of $30 million in its entire period of existence in the motorsport realm.
<h2>Achievements</h2>
Starting in 2020, the team contends in the Cup Series, basically. However, it ran in the Craftsman Truck Series for a short period too.

The team stepped foot for the Cup Series in 1953, and marked its arrival in the Craftsman Truck Series in 2006. Subsequently, the team has competed in 1692 races - 1615 races in the Cup Series and 77 races in the Craftsman Truck Series.

The team has aced 99 races over the course of its existence in the Cup Series. Further, it achieved 120 pole positions, 119 in the Cup Series, and 1 at the Craftsman Truck Series.
<h2>Drivers</h2>
The current lineup of Wood Brothers Racing fields the No. 21 for Matt DiBenedetto.
<h3>Wood Brothers Racing: Quick Facts</h3>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="175">OWNERS</td>
<td width="180">Leonard Wood

Glen Wood</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="175">SERIES</td>
<td width="180">NASCAR Cup Series</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="175">BASE</td>
<td width="180">Stuart, Virginia Mooresville, North Carolina</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="175">RACE DRIVERS</td>
<td width="180">21. Matt DiBenedetto</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="175">SPONSORS</td>
<td width="180">21. Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire &amp; Auto Center, Menards (Quaker State, FVP Batteries, Richmond Water Heaters, Moen, Knauf Insulation, Red Kap, Dutch Boy Paint, Monster Energy, Duracell, Tuscany Faucets, Wrangler), Reese/Draw Tite, NewFordTech.com</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="175">MANUFACTURER</td>
<td width="180">Ford</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="175">FOUNDED</td>
<td width="180">1950</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="175">LATEST RACE</td>
<td width="180">Cup Series:
2020 Season Finale 500 (Phoenix)
Craftsman Truck Series:
2008 Ford 200 (Homestead)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="175">RACE VICTORIES</td>
<td width="180">99</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="175">POLE POSITION</td>
<td width="180">120</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

Wood Brothers Racing

FORT WORTH, TEXAS &#8211; OCTOBER 28: Matt DiBenedetto, driver of the #21 Menards/Richmond Ford, drives during the NASCAR Cup Series Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) Wood Brothers Racing: 2021 Latest News, Stats, Schedule, Drivers The Wood Brothers Racing is an American stock vehicle racing group that contends in the NASCAR Cup Series at present. Glen and Leonard Wood founded the team in 1950. Further from 2006 to 2008, the team merged with JTG Racing. The Wood Brothers Racing is the oldest operating team in the field, running from 1950. Further, they have built a matured relationship with the Ford Motor Company, along with the use of No. 21 in their vehicles. Currently, the team is in association with Team Penske for technical terms. The team has experienced a turnover of $30 million in its entire period of existence in the motorsport realm. Achievements Starting in 2020, the team contends in the Cup Series, basically. However, it ran in the Craftsman Truck Series for a short period too. The team stepped foot for the Cup Series in 1953, and marked its arrival in the Craftsman Truck Series in 2006. Subsequently, the team has competed in 1692 races &#8211; 1615 races in the Cup Series and 77 races in the Craftsman Truck Series. The team has aced 99 races over the course of its existence in the Cup Series. Further, it achieved 120 pole positions, 119 in the Cup Series, and 1 at the Craftsman Truck Series. Drivers The current lineup of Wood Brothers Racing fields the No. 21 for Matt DiBenedetto. Wood Brothers Racing: Quick Facts  OWNERS Leonard Wood Glen Wood  SERIES NASCAR Cup Series  BASE Stuart, Virginia Mooresville, North Carolina  RACE DRIVERS 21. Matt DiBenedetto  SPONSORS 21. Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire &amp; Auto Center, Menards (Quaker State, FVP Batteries, Richmond Water Heaters, Moen, Knauf Insulation, Red Kap, Dutch Boy Paint, Monster Energy, Duracell, Tuscany Faucets, Wrangler), Reese/Draw Tite, NewFordTech.com  MANUFACTURER Ford  FOUNDED 1950  LATEST RACE Cup Series: 2020 Season Finale 500 (Phoenix) Craftsman Truck Series: 2008 Ford 200 (Homestead)  RACE VICTORIES 99  POLE POSITION 120

Wood Brothers Racing Archives

LatestWood Brothers Racing - EssentiallySports News | EssentiallySports

title

Once upon a time, 3-time NASCAR champion David Pearson once drove for a racing team owned by a person who was later arrested for fraud.

description

link

NASCAR Hall of Famer David Pearson Once Drove a Racecar Owned by a Man Who Would Put Most Hollywood Criminals to Shame

https://www.essentiallysports.com/nascar-news-nascar-hall-of-famer-david-pearson-once-drove-a-racecar-owned-by-man-who-would-put-most-hollywood-criminals-to-shame/

https://www.facebook.com/essentiallysports

https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/during-his-tenure-with-the-wood-brothers-david-pearson-won-news-photo-1631823430.jpg

NASCAR Hall of Famer David Pearson Once Drove a Racecar Owned by a Man Who Would Put Most Hollywood Criminals to Shame

How did David Pearson perform in that Pontiac?