Sprint Cup History

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The Sprint Cup Series has a rich history dating back to 1949 when it first started. The Sprint Cup is the highest level of NASCAR racing in the world and only the best race car drivers will be found driving in this series. The Sprint Cup originated in 1949 when it was known as the Strictly Stock Series. Then from 1950-1970 it was known as the Grand National Series, and from 1971-2003 it was known as the Winston Cup Series. In 2004 to present the Sprint Cup is known as the Nextel Cup Series.

The reason for the change of name over the years is in large part due to a new sponsor who would like to change the name of the series. Currently the sponsor is Sprint Nextel which is why it’s called the Nextel Cup Series.

The roots of the Sprint Cup Series started mainly in the Southeastern United States where most of the race tracks were located. Initially the Sprint Cup only raced a little over a half dozen races every season, but over the years more race tracks were added across the country to make the sport more widespread across the United States.