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HardScrabble
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Some of these items I have put up before. But I don't think all of them in one post.
• Twenty-four different drivers have won NASCAR Winston Cup championships since 1949. There have been 13 different drivers to win the championship in the modern era.
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• Seven drivers have won three or more NASCAR Winston Cup (Grand National) titles in their career: Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty (seven each), Jeff Gordon (four) along with David Pearson, Lee Petty, Darrell Waltrip, Cale Yarborough (three each).
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• Jeff Gordon (2001) joined Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt (seven each) as the only drivers to win more than three NASCAR Winston Cup Championships. At age 30, Gordon became the youngest driver to win four championships. Petty’s fourth championship came in 1972 at age 35 while Earnhardt’s came in 1990 at age 39.
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• Bobby Labonte (2000) joined brother Terry as the only brothers to win NASCAR Winston Cup championships. Terry won his championships in 1984 and 1996.
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• Dale Jarrett (1999) became the second son of a former NASCAR Winston Cup (Grand National) Champion to also with the championship. Ned’s championships came in 1961 and 1965. Lee and Richard Petty are the other father-and-son champions.
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• The current point system was established in 1975. In that year Richard Petty clinched the championship with four races remaining, the earliest in the 25-year history of the current point system that a championship had been settled. He won the championship by 722 points over Dave Marcis.
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• Rick Hendrick posted his fourth championship as a car owner in 1998 (Jeff Gordon - 1995, ‘97, ‘98 and Terry Labonte 1996). It was the first time in history that an owner had won four straight championships Hendrick now has five championships and is fourth on the car owner’s championship list, behind Petty Enterprises (10), Junior Johnson (six) and Richard Childress (six).
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• In the modern era (1972-2001), a driver has won 10 or more races in 14 of the 30 seasons. Eight times, that driver went on to win the NASCAR Winston Cup championship: * Richard Petty won 10 races and the championship in 1974; then 13 races and the championship in 1975. * Cale Yarborough won 10 races and the championship in 1978. * Darrell Waltrip won 12 races and consecutive championships in 1981 and 1982. * Dale Earnhardt won 11 races and the championship in 1987. * Jeff Gordon scored 10 wins in 1997 and 13 in 1998 along with consecutive championships.
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• Jeff Gordon, Dale Jarrett and Mark Martin engaged in the closest three-way battle for the NASCAR Winston Cup championship in the modern era. At the end of the 1997 season, Gordon beat Jarrett by 14 points and third-place Mark Martin by 29.
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• In 1992, Alan Kulwicki was 278 points behind Bill Elliott, after Dover, with only six races remaining. Kulwicki captured the 1992 championship by a mere 10 points over Elliott, the closest points race in NASCAR Winston Cup history.
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• Dale Earnhardt (1993), Bobby Labonte (2000) and Jeff Gordon (2001) are the only NASCAR Winston Cup drivers to win the NASCAR Winston Cup championship without posting a victory on a short track.
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• The NASCAR Winston Cup points leader after race No. 20 went on to win the NASCAR Winston Cup championship in each of the last nine years (1993-2001).
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• Only five times in the modern era has the eventual NASCAR Winston Cup champion not posted a victory by the sixth race of the season (Benny Parsons - 1973, Darrell Waltrip - 1985, Terry Labonte - 1984 and 1996 and Dale Jarrett - 1999).
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• The leader of the NASCAR Winston Cup point standings at the mid-point of the season has gone on to become the NASCAR Winston Cup champion every year since 1993.
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• The winner of the Brickyard 400 has gone on to become the NASCAR Winston Cup champion in each of the last four years (1998 through 2001). Bill Elliott won at Indianapolis in 2002.
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• Under the current point system, that season’s NASCAR Winston Cup champion has never finished last in a race twice.
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• Jimmie Johnson is the first Rookie-of-the-Year contender to lead the NASCAR Winston Cup point standings.
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• Twenty-four different drivers have won NASCAR Winston Cup championships since 1949. There have been 13 different drivers to win the championship in the modern era.
.
• Seven drivers have won three or more NASCAR Winston Cup (Grand National) titles in their career: Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty (seven each), Jeff Gordon (four) along with David Pearson, Lee Petty, Darrell Waltrip, Cale Yarborough (three each).
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• Jeff Gordon (2001) joined Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt (seven each) as the only drivers to win more than three NASCAR Winston Cup Championships. At age 30, Gordon became the youngest driver to win four championships. Petty’s fourth championship came in 1972 at age 35 while Earnhardt’s came in 1990 at age 39.
.
• Bobby Labonte (2000) joined brother Terry as the only brothers to win NASCAR Winston Cup championships. Terry won his championships in 1984 and 1996.
.
• Dale Jarrett (1999) became the second son of a former NASCAR Winston Cup (Grand National) Champion to also with the championship. Ned’s championships came in 1961 and 1965. Lee and Richard Petty are the other father-and-son champions.
.
• The current point system was established in 1975. In that year Richard Petty clinched the championship with four races remaining, the earliest in the 25-year history of the current point system that a championship had been settled. He won the championship by 722 points over Dave Marcis.
.
• Rick Hendrick posted his fourth championship as a car owner in 1998 (Jeff Gordon - 1995, ‘97, ‘98 and Terry Labonte 1996). It was the first time in history that an owner had won four straight championships Hendrick now has five championships and is fourth on the car owner’s championship list, behind Petty Enterprises (10), Junior Johnson (six) and Richard Childress (six).
.
• In the modern era (1972-2001), a driver has won 10 or more races in 14 of the 30 seasons. Eight times, that driver went on to win the NASCAR Winston Cup championship: * Richard Petty won 10 races and the championship in 1974; then 13 races and the championship in 1975. * Cale Yarborough won 10 races and the championship in 1978. * Darrell Waltrip won 12 races and consecutive championships in 1981 and 1982. * Dale Earnhardt won 11 races and the championship in 1987. * Jeff Gordon scored 10 wins in 1997 and 13 in 1998 along with consecutive championships.
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• Jeff Gordon, Dale Jarrett and Mark Martin engaged in the closest three-way battle for the NASCAR Winston Cup championship in the modern era. At the end of the 1997 season, Gordon beat Jarrett by 14 points and third-place Mark Martin by 29.
.
• In 1992, Alan Kulwicki was 278 points behind Bill Elliott, after Dover, with only six races remaining. Kulwicki captured the 1992 championship by a mere 10 points over Elliott, the closest points race in NASCAR Winston Cup history.
.
• Dale Earnhardt (1993), Bobby Labonte (2000) and Jeff Gordon (2001) are the only NASCAR Winston Cup drivers to win the NASCAR Winston Cup championship without posting a victory on a short track.
.
• The NASCAR Winston Cup points leader after race No. 20 went on to win the NASCAR Winston Cup championship in each of the last nine years (1993-2001).
.
• Only five times in the modern era has the eventual NASCAR Winston Cup champion not posted a victory by the sixth race of the season (Benny Parsons - 1973, Darrell Waltrip - 1985, Terry Labonte - 1984 and 1996 and Dale Jarrett - 1999).
.
• The leader of the NASCAR Winston Cup point standings at the mid-point of the season has gone on to become the NASCAR Winston Cup champion every year since 1993.
.
• The winner of the Brickyard 400 has gone on to become the NASCAR Winston Cup champion in each of the last four years (1998 through 2001). Bill Elliott won at Indianapolis in 2002.
.
• Under the current point system, that season’s NASCAR Winston Cup champion has never finished last in a race twice.
.
• Jimmie Johnson is the first Rookie-of-the-Year contender to lead the NASCAR Winston Cup point standings.
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