Sprint Communications acquired Nextel in 2005, and the series title transitioned from Nextel Cup to Sprint Cup beginning with the 2008 season. The change was administrative rather than structural; the fundamental format introduced under the Nextel Cup era — specifically the Chase for the Championship, a ten-race playoff segment run at the end of each season — continued and was modified during the Sprint years.
The Chase format had been introduced in 2004 to address criticism that championships were decided too early in the season. Under the Sprint Cup era the Chase expanded from 10 to 12 eligible drivers (2007 onward) and the field of contenders was reset to compressed point totals at the Chase's outset, intensifying the playoff competition. Stage racing — now a defining element of Cup Series races — was not introduced until 2017, so Sprint Cup racing maintained traditional full-race formats without intermediate stage points.
Sprint's title sponsorship concluded after the 2016 season, and Monster Energy took over naming rights for 2017. The NASCAR Cup Series has carried no entitlement sponsor since 2020.
During the Sprint Cup era a season comprised approximately 36 races across oval tracks ranging from short tracks (Bristol, Martinsville) to superspeedways (Daytona, Talladega) and intermediate ovals (Charlotte, Atlanta). The regular season fed into the Chase, which ran the final 10 races of the year. Points were awarded per finishing position across all races; bonus points for wins and laps led applied throughout.
Teams competed in purpose-built NASCAR stock cars — the Car of Tomorrow (CoT) platform from 2007 through 2012, replaced by the Generation 6 (Gen-6) car introduced in 2013. Manufacturers competing included [[chevrolet|Chevrolet]], [[ford-motorsport|Ford]], and [[toyota-gazoo-racing|Toyota]].
Sprint Cup Series champions, 2008–2016:
2008 — Jimmie Johnson, Hendrick Motorsports
2009 — Jimmie Johnson, Hendrick Motorsports
2010 — Jimmie Johnson, Hendrick Motorsports
2011 — Tony Stewart, Stewart–Haas Racing
2012 — Brad Keselowski, Team Penske
2013 — Jimmie Johnson, Hendrick Motorsports
2014 — Kevin Harvick, Stewart–Haas Racing
2015 — Kyle Busch, Joe Gibbs Racing
2016 — Jimmie Johnson, Hendrick Motorsports
Jimmie Johnson won five of the nine Sprint Cup titles in this era (2008–2010, 2013, 2016), including the five consecutive championships from 2006 to 2010 that remain a record in NASCAR's top series. Johnson's seven total Cup titles tie Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt for the all-time record.
[[nascar-cup-series|NASCAR Cup Series]] — the current name of the same series
[[jimmie-johnson|Jimmie Johnson]] — five-time Sprint Cup champion, seven-time overall
[[hendrick-motorsports|Hendrick Motorsports]] — dominant team of the Sprint Cup era
[[daytona-500|Daytona 500]] — the season-opening crown jewel race of the Sprint Cup calendar
[[tony-stewart|Tony Stewart]] — 2011 Sprint Cup champion
[[kyle-busch|Kyle Busch]] — 2015 Sprint Cup champion
[[team-penske|Team Penske]] — 2012 champion Brad Keselowski's team
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