NASCAR introduced the Strictly Stock division in 1949 as the top tier of its sanctioned racing. The inaugural season comprised eight races on seven dirt ovals and the Daytona Beach beach/street course. The first race was held at Charlotte Speedway on 19 June 1949; Jim Roper was declared the winner after the disqualification of Glenn Dunaway, and Red Byron became the first series champion. In 1950 the division was renamed the Grand National Division to project a more professional image. Of the first 221 races in the series' history, 198 were held on dirt tracks. The opening of Darlington Raceway in 1950 introduced the first paved track over one mile in length.
The "modern era" began in 1972 following the entry of the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company (RJR) as title sponsor. The series was renamed the Winston Cup Series, the schedule was cut from 48 to 31 races, dirt tracks and short events were removed, and a minimum prize fund of $30,000 was established. In 1974, a points system designed by Bob Latford ensured that top drivers had an incentive to compete in every event; this system remained standard until 2004.
The 1979 Daytona 500 proved a pivotal moment for the series' national profile: broadcast live flag-to-flag on network television for the first time, a last-lap crash between Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison that spilled into a televised fistfight involving Bobby Allison significantly amplified public interest. The 1990s brought a commercial boom, headlined by the inaugural Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1994. A landmark $2.4 billion television deal with Fox, Turner, and NBC was secured in 1999.
In 1987, Bill Elliott set a world stock-car speed record of 212.809 mph during qualifying at Talladega. A tyre failure suffered by Bobby Allison in the subsequent race sent his car into the catch fence, injuring several spectators; NASCAR responded by mandating restrictor plates at Talladega and Daytona to limit top speeds, a rule that remained in force until 2019 when tapered spacers replaced them.
The 2011 season concluded with the first-ever points tie in series history: Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards finished level, with Stewart awarded the championship on a tiebreaker of five season wins against Edwards' one.
RJR ended its 33-year title sponsorship in 2003. The series was subsequently known as the Nextel Cup (2004–2007) and the Sprint Cup (2008–2016). Monster Energy served as title sponsor from 2017 to 2019. From 2020, NASCAR adopted a tiered "Premier Partners" model featuring Busch Beer, Coca-Cola, Xfinity, and Freeway Insurance. The championship trophy has been redesigned at each sponsorship transition; the Sprint Cup trophy was produced by Tiffany & Co. in silver, and the Monster Energy trophy was a 68-pound aluminium chalice bearing the outlines of all 23 tracks on the schedule. Under the current model the trophy is named the Bill France Cup in honour of NASCAR's founder.
A points-and-playoff format known as the NASCAR Chase was introduced in 2004. The system has evolved into its current form in which 16 drivers enter a "Chase Grid" and are progressively eliminated across four rounds, leaving a "Championship 4" group whose highest finisher is crowned series champion.
As of 2023, Chevrolet is the most successful manufacturer in Cup Series history with 851 wins and 42 manufacturers' championships. Jimmie Johnson holds the record for most consecutive titles, winning five from 2006 through 2010. Exhibition events have been held in Japan and Australia, with points-paying races staged in Montreal and Mexico City. In 2023, Hendrick Motorsports entered a modified Next Gen Cup car at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, finishing 39th overall.
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