Top 5 All-Time NASCAR Cup Series Winners

The NASCAR Cup Series began in 1949 as the Grand National Series. In 1972, Winston joined as a title sponsor, which also marked the beginning of the Cup era.

Let’s take a look at the top 5 in the series’ all-time winners list.

5. Jimmie Johnson and Cale Yarborough – 83 Wins

The only active driver in the list, Johnson could still move up a slot during his final season.

The seven-time champion is one of two active drivers with a win rate above the 10% mark. Johnson currently holds the record for the most wins at:

• Dover (11)
• Charlotte (8)
• Texas (7)
• Fontana (6)
• Las Vegas (4)
• Kansas (3)

Johnson’s first win came at his home track, Auto Club Speedway, during his rookie season in 2002. His most recent win was at the Spring Dover race in 2017.

Yarborough also has one of the series’ best win rates, with 83 victories in 560 starts. The three-time champion won his first race in 1965 at Valdosta Speedway.

His last win came at Charlotte in 1985. Yarborough was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2011.

4. Darrell Waltrip and Bobby Allison – 84 Wins

Allison made his debut in 1961, winning his first race five years later at Oxford Plains Speedway in 1966.

He raced in the series until 1988, scoring his final win at the Daytona 500 the same year. Allison won the title in 1983 and was part of the 2011 NASCAR Hall of Fame class.

Waltrip made his debut in the inaugural Winston Cup season, back in 1972. His first win came three years later at the Fairgrounds Speedway.

He continued to race in the series until 2000, although his last win came in 1992 at Darlington.

Waltrip holds the record for the most Coca-Cola 600 wins with five, as well as the most wins at Bristol (12).

The three-time champion was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2012.

3. Jeff Gordon – 93 Wins

Gordon famously made his first start at Atlanta in 1992, the final race of the season and also the last race of Richard Petty’s career.

The four-time champion won for the first time in only his second full season, at Charlotte in 1994.

He is also third in the all-time pole-position winners’ list with 81. Gordon currently holds the record for the most wins at Pocono Speedway (six), Sonoma Speedway and Indianapolis Motor Speedway (five).

Gordon was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2019, his first year of eligibility.

2. David Pearson

Pearson made his debut in 1960 and won his first race the following year at Charlotte. He continued to pile up wins and pole-positions over two decades.

The three-time champion led the series in wins on four occasions and was also the leader in poles on the other six occasions.

Pearson holds the record for the most wins at Darlington Speedways (10) and Michigan (9). He is second in the all-time pole-positions winners list in Cup Series history with 113.

His last win came at Darlington in 1980. Pearson was part of the 2011 NASCAR Hall of Fame class.

Petty scored 119 wins during the Grand National era, and another 81 during the Cup era.

The seven-time champion made his first start in 1958 at the Exhibition Stadium in Toronto, and went on to score his first win two years later at the Southern States Fairgrounds.

Petty holds the record for the most wins:

• Daytona (10)
• Martinsville (15)
• North Wilkesboro (15)
• Richmond (13)
• Rockingham (11)
• Nashville (9)

His last win came in 1984 at Daytona. Petty was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame as part of its inaugural class in 2010.

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