 | | Kurt Busch gave car owner Jack Roush his second consecutive Cup championship. Credit: Autostock |
By Dave Rodman, NASCAR.COM
November 28, 2004
10:17 AM EST (15:17 GMT)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. --- In 2004, NASCAR welcomed Nextel has title sponsor of its premier series and introduced the Chase for the Nextel Cup, a 10- race playoff that came after a 26-race "regular season."  |  | KNOW YOUR NASCAR | |
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The result was a dramatic run to the Chase, then an equally exciting stretch drive that culminated in the closest championship battle in NASCAR history. NASCAR's 56th season was most special for Kurt Busch, who became the youngest Cup champion since Jeff Gordon in 1997. Busch was only one of many who contributed to the first chapter in the Nextel Cup Series' statistical legacy. The numbers refer to the 36-race 2004 Cup season unless otherwise noted. 0 -- The number of victories by a rookie, breaking a five-year streak during which there was at least one. 0 -- The number of first-time race winners, breaking a 10-year streak during which there was at least one. 1 -- The number of Bud Poles won by Kurt Busch 1 -- The number of championships for Jimmy Fennig in 18 seasons as a crew chief 2 -- The number of consecutive championships for car owner Jack Roush in 17 years as a car owner 2 -- The number of consecutive manufacturers' championships for Chevrolet 2 -- The number of consecutive seasons in which Jimmie Johnson has finished second in the standings |  | | Kasey Kahne is one of four Nextel Cup drivers who became first-time Bud Pole winners in 2004. Credit: Autostock |
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2 -- The number of drivers who scored four consecutive Bud Poles, Jeff Gordon and Ryan Newman 3 -- The number of top-10 finishers in the standings with career best results: Kurt Busch (first), Jimmie Johnson (second) and Elliott Sadler (ninth) 4 -- The number of first-time Bud Pole winners, namely Greg Biffle, Kasey Kahne, Casey Mears and Brian Vickers 4 -- The number of consecutive seasons in which Jeff Gordon has finished in the top five in the point standings 4 -- The number of races won by Dodge 4 -- The number of seasons in which Kurt Busch has been a full-time Nextel Cup Series competitor. 4 -- The number of Bud Poles earned by Kasey Kahne, the most among Raybestos Rookie of the Year candidates. 4 -- The number of drivers who were in the top 10 in the series standings all season, namely Matt Kenseth, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Tony Stewart and Elliott Sadler 4 -- The number of times Bud Pole Qualifying was rained out 4.8 -- The average number of Chase drivers who finished in the top 10 in each of the 10 Chase races 5 -- The number of second-place finishes by Raybestos Rookie of the Year Kasey Kahne, which tied a rookie record 6 -- The number of different series champions in the past six seasons 6 -- Jimmie Johnson's season-ending string of top-10 finishes. The streak started at Lowe's Motor Speedway in October 6 -- The number of consecutive seasons during which Tony Stewart has finished in the top 10 in the point standings | | Nextel Cup Series | |
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8 -- In points, the difference between champion Kurt Busch and second- place Jimmie Johnson in the final series standings. It was the closest margin in NASCAR history 8 -- The number of wins acquired by Jimmie Johnson, a series high 8 -- The number of consecutive weeks that Kurt Busch held the lead in the standings to close the season 8 -- The number of drivers' championships won by Ford 8 -- The number of drivers who won in 2003 but failed to win in 2004, namely Bobby Labonte, Michael Waltrip, Ricky Craven, Bill Elliott, Kevin Harvick, Dale Jarrett, Robby Gordon and Terry Labonte 9 -- The number of Bud Poles earned by Ryan Newman, a series high. 9 -- The number of times Kurt Busch finished in the top 10 in the 10 Chase races, a series best 9 -- The number of consecutive seasons in which a Raybestos Rookie of the Year candidate has won a Bud Pole 10 -- The number of races won by Ford 11 -- Kurt Busch's number of career victories 11 -- The number of consecutive seasons in which Jeff Gordon has finished in the top 10 in the series standings 11 -- Dale Jarrett's streak of consecutive seasons with a victory, which ended in 2004. 11 -- The number of DNFs posted by Jeff Green, the most among drivers who competed in every race. 11 -- The number of times the point lead changed hands, including after Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s 25-point penalty in October. 12 -- Drivers who qualified for every race without using a provisional: Joe Nemechek, Rusty Wallace, Mark Martin, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Ryan Newman, Jeremy Mayfield, Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick, Robby Gordon, Jamie McMurray, Jeff Green and Kurt Busch 12 -- The number of different Bud Pole winners 13 -- The number of top-five finishes posted by Kasey Kahne, the most among Raybestos Rookie of the Year candidates. 13 -- The number of owner wins earned by Rick Hendrick, tops among Nextel Cup team owners 13 -- The number of different race winners |  | | Dale Eanrhardt Jr. led the Nextel Cup Series in race earnings in 2004. Credit: Autostock |
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14 -- The number of top-five finishes posted by Kasey Kahne, the most among Raybestos Rookie of the Year candidates 15 -- The number of times in the Modern Era that the driver winning the most races in a season has also been the champion, most recently by Jeff Gordon in 2001 15 -- Mark Martin's active streak of top-20 finishes, which started at Watkins Glen in August 17 -- The number of drivers who made their first career starts 18 -- The number of consecutive seasons in which there has been a first-time Bud Pole winner 19 -- The number of times Kasey Kahne was the highest finishing Raybestos Rookie of the Year candidate 20 -- Jimmie Johnson's series-leading total of top-five finishes 22 -- The number of races won by Chevrolet 24 -- Kasey Kahne's age in years, making him the youngest Raybestos Rookie of the Year Award winner since Jeff Gordon, who was 22 in 1993 25 -- Jeff Gordon's series-leading total of races led, also his series-leading total of top-10 finishes 26 -- Ryan Newman's series-leading number of top-25 starts 26 -- The number of Bud Poles won in the past three seasons by Ryan Newman 26 -- Kurt Busch's age in years, making him the youngest champion since Jeff Gordon in 1997 26 -- The number of premier series champions in NASCAR's 56 seasons that did not lead the series in wins the year they were crowned champion 27 -- The number of drivers who have won championships in NASCAR's premier division 28 -- The total number of manufacturers' championships won by Chevrolet 35 -- The number of weeks in which Kurt Busch was in the top-10 in the series standings 55 -- Kurt Busch's series-leading number of bonus points scored in the 10 Chase races |  | The grand finale | |
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71 -- Matt Kenseth's series-leading number of consecutive weeks in the Cup series top-10, since Rockingham in spring 2003 96 -- In points, Kurt Busch's largest lead in the championship, following Martinsville in October. 150 -- The number of Cup series starts made by Kurt Busch. 198.24 -- Bobby Labonte's total of unfinished miles, the least of any series regular with 36 starts. 239 -- The number of points Jimmie Johnson gained on leader Kurt Busch in the last six Chase races 320 -- Eleventh-place Jamie McMurray's final margin in the standings over 12th place Bobby Labonte, worth nearly $1 million and a trip to the stage at the Nextel Cup awards ceremony 400 -- Bobby Labonte's consecutive career starts 506 -- The final margin between leader Kurt Busch and 10th-place Jeremy Mayfield in the standings 556 -- Chevrolet's victory total since 1949, two better than Ford's 554 wins 752 -- Ricky Rudd's record number of consecutive starts 1,312 -- Jimmie Johnson's series-leading total of laps led 1,667.33 -- Brendan Gaughan's total of unfinished miles, the most of any series regular with 36 starts 2,013.66 -- Jimmie Johnson's series-leading total of miles led 7,201,380 -- In dollars, Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s series-leading total of race-purse earnings | 
