NASCAR
Which Drivers Had the Greatest Single-Season NASCAR Cup Series Records?
Over the weekend, Max Verstappen wrapped up what may be the most impressive single season ever seen in motorsports. Across 22 Formula 1 Grands Prix, Verstappen’s No. 1 Red Bull won an unprecedented 19 times. This elite level of dominance sealed up the Dutchman’s third-straight World Driver’s Championship weeks in advance. Put simply, F1 just had a nearly flawless run by a single driver and team. Have any NASCAR championship seasons had a similar level of driver supremacy? Here are a few of the absolute greatest season-long runs in NASCAR history.
Richard Petty – 1967
Title number two for Richard Petty went down as his most influential year behind a steering wheel. Over 48 starts in 1967, the No. 43 Plymouth went to victory lane an unbelievable 27 times. This included a run of 10-consecutive wins from August to October. Both of these stats are NASCAR records that will likely never be equaled. This season lives on in NASCAR lore, with one writer fatefully dubbing Petty ‘King Richard.’ That nickname and the legend of 1967 both live on more than five decades later.
Dale Earnhardt – 1987
Twenty years after Petty’s blistering run, another fiery competitor put the NASCAR world on notice. Dale Earnhardt took his third of seven championships in 1987, picking up 11 victories in the process. Much like Petty, Earnhardt’s banner year earned him an immortal nickname–The Intimidator. Earnhardt’s 1987 campaign is highlighted by ‘The Pass in the Grass’ against Bill Elliott in the All-Star Race. 1987 also saw the Richard Childress Racing No. 3 pick up a modern-era record four-straight victories and six of the opening eight races. This year marked Earnhardt and RCR’s second-straight title, helping cement one of NASCAR’s greatest dynasties.
Jeff Gordon – 1998
Earnhardt’s two-decade reign of terror only came to an end when Jeff Gordon asserted his own dominance. 1998 was a culmination of Gordon, Ray Evernham, and the Hendrick Motorsports No. 24 team being at their peak. ‘Wonder Boy’ was unmatched by anyone for a majority of this season, taking a modern-era record 13 victories.
Race number 13 of the year at Richmond was the last time the 24 finished poorly in 1998. Gordon would end this year with 20-straight top-10s. An average finish of 5.7 is hard to to even fathom today; this team was on another level entirely for their third title. Gordon closed out 1998 with back-to-back wins, taking this championship by more than 350 points.
Jimmie Johnson – 2007
Gordon’s protégé Jimmie Johnson immediately rivaled and soon surpassed his mentor’s career accolades. 2007 was an instant classic championship fight in the making, pitting both Hendrick juggernauts against each other. Johnson was coming off his first championship, while Gordon was trying to achieve the Drive for Five. Johnson’s Chad Knaus-led No. 48 team stamped their presence in this year’s Playoffs, with four consecutive victories. JJ ultimately took title number two with 10 wins and by 77 points over Gordon. This only began Johnson’s era of five-straight championships. Not only did Johnson beat Gordon’s four titles, he soon equaled Petty and Earnhardt with seven Cups.
Martin Truex Jr – 2017
Furniture Row Racing and Martin Truex Jr are a story that will likely stand the test of time among NASCAR’s all-time best pairings. The Denver, Colorado-based No. 78 team and MTJ won four times in 2016, only being eliminated from title contention early on in those Playoffs. 2017 saw the 78 team ascend to a superiority level not seen since Johnson. The Toyota group collected seven victories across the season. Their last win of 2017 was the winner-take-all finale at Homestead, putting an exclamation point on a monster season.
In the first year of Stage racing, Truex and the Cole Pearn-led team took to this format with ease, leading an astounding 2,253 laps. While Furniture Row ascended NASCAR’s ultimate mountaintop, their legend lives on equally for how quickly they flamed out. This team ceased to exist past 2018, forced to shut down over increased operating costs. Truex would move over to Joe Gibbs Racing, where he remains a regular threat for wins and championships.
Kyle Larson – 2021
Following Jimmie Johnson’s retirement, his spot at Hendrick Motorsports was filled with another young star destined for greatness. Year one in a rebranded No. 5 Chevrolet saw Kyle Larson take the Cup Series by storm. The reinstated phenom put together one of the most complete season-long runs ever witnessed. Larson took 10 wins, the All-Star Race, and ultimately the Bill France Cup. Larson reached unmatched territory for a 36-race season, with a record 2,581 laps led. Happening only two years ago, Larson’s domination is certainly the most fresh in mind out of all these great drivers.
Larson may have won 10 times that year, but he narrowly lost no fewer than another 10 races. In the years since, the Hendrick 5 team has remained the gold standard. Larson and Cliff Daniels are still an elite threat for wins and titles in the Next Gen era.
What Max Verstappen achieved in this Formula 1 season is a merely impossible level of domination for NASCAR. There are far too many races, quality teams, and outside factors to allow one car to win with that much unparalleled success. Many drivers have left their marks on a season in similar fashion however. The upcoming third year with the Next Gen car may just see a team inch closer to consistently stellar performance.
Written by Peter Stratta
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Photo Credits to Jared C. Tilton, Christian Petersen, and Chris Graythen/Getty Images
