Sprint Cup Series
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (often shortened to Sprint Cup or the Cup Series) is the top racing series of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR). The series is named for its current sponsor, the Sprint Corporation, and has been known by other names in the past. It was originally known as the Strictly Stock Series (1949) and shortly became the Grand National Series (1950–1970). While leasing its naming rights to R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, it was known as the Winston Cup Series (1971–2003). A similar deal was made with Nextel in 2003, becoming the Nextel Cup Series (2004–2007) and it became the Sprint Cup after Sprint acquired Nextel in 2005. The name "Sprint" refers specifically to the subsidiary of Japanese telecommunications company SoftBank which is the entitlement sponsor; sprint car racing is a separate racing discipline.
The drivers' champion is determined by a point system where points are given according to finishing placement and laps led. The season is divided into two segments. After the first 26 races, 16 drivers, selected primarily on the basis of wins during the first 26 races, are seeded based on their total number of wins and compete in the last 10 races with the difference in points greatly minimized. This is called the Chase for the Championship.
2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
The 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series was the 60th season of professional stock car racing in the United States. The season was contested over thirty-six races, and began on February 9 at Daytona International Speedway with the Budweiser Shootout exhibition race, followed by the 50th Daytona 500 on February 17. The season continued with the 2008 Chase for the Sprint Cup beginning on September 14 with the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and concluded with the Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 16.
As a result of the merger between Sprint Corporation and Nextel Communications, NASCAR's premier series was renamed as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series beginning with the 2008 season, The sseason marked the first season that the Car of Tomorrow was used for the entire season after being used for select races during the 2007 season. Coors Light also replaced Budweiser as the Official Beer of NASCAR, thereby becoming the new sponsor of the Pole Award given to pole winner in each Sprint Cup Series race. However, Budweiser was still the official sponsor for Bud Shootout at Daytona in February. Jimmie Johnson of Hendrick Motorsports was crowned champion at season's end, making him only the second driver in NASCAR's top division to win three championships in a row, with the first being Cale Yarborough.
2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series
The 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series was the 59th season of professional stock car racing in the United States. Beginning on February 10 at Daytona International Speedway with the Budweiser Shootout, the season ended on November 18 at Homestead-Miami Speedway with the Ford 400. The Chase for the Nextel Cup started with the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway and was contested over the final ten races.
The season was final year that the NASCAR Cup Series was known as the Nextel Cup Series. As a result of the 2005 merger of Nextel Communications with Sprint Corporation, and the subsequent decision by the newly named Sprint Nextel Corporation, the name of the series was changed to the Sprint Cup Series for 2008. Jimmie Johnson of Hendrick Motorsports won his second consecutive championship, with teammate Jeff Gordon finishing second. Chevrolet captured the NASCAR Manufacturers' Championship with 26 wins, and 290 points over second place Ford who had 7 wins and 208 points. Dodge finished third with 3 wins and 178 points and Toyota finished out with no wins, but 116 points.
Sprint Cup (trophy)
The Sprint Cup Trophy is the trophy presented to the championship winner of the premier series of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR). It is made of sterling silver with a wood base and was created by renowned silversmiths Tiffany & Co., whose other major championship trophies in sports have included the World Series (Major League Baseball) Commissioner's Trophy, the NFL's Vince Lombardi Trophy, given to the champions of the Super Bowl and the Larry O'Brien Trophy, handed to the playoff champions of the NBA following the NBA Finals.
The trophy is 24 inches (61 cm) tall and weighs 27 pounds (12 kg). It was designed in 2003 by Bruce Newman and was first awarded in 2004 to series champion Kurt Busch and the latest one being awarded to Kyle Busch in 2015. The Sprint Cup is awarded to the driver who scores the most points after the Chase for the Sprint Cup at a post season awards banquet in Las Vegas (formerly New York City) in December and is crowned the champion for that season. The winner maintains permanent possession of the trophy, some teams will display the trophy in their race shop. Also teams who have not won a Sprint Cup will usually have a reserved display case located in their race shop for the trophy.
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