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President Bush welcomed 2005 champion Tony Stewart to the White House on Jan. 24, 2006, after Smoke won his second series title.Winning ways: GM looks to follow Inauguration trend
By NASCAR.COM
January 13, 2009
07:57 AM EST
January 13, 2009
07:57 AM EST
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Habits are hard to break -- especially if you're part of the Bowtie Brigade:
• Chevrolet enters the 2009 Cup Series season riding a six-year streak of Manufacturers' championships.
• Chevy drivers have won the past four Cup Series driver titles: Jimmie Johnson (2006-08) and Tony Stewart (2005).
But what may not be common knowledge is how well General Motors' drivers have performed during years in which the United States has had a Presidential Inauguration address:
• GM wheelmen have won the Cup Series title each year during the modern era.
Swear 'em in
Cup Series champions in Presidential Inauguration seasons
| Year | Driver | Make | President |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Tony Stewart | Chevrolet | George W. Bush |
| 2001 | Jeff Gordon | Chevrolet | George W. Bush |
| 1997 | Jeff Gordon | Chevrolet | Bill Clinton |
| 1993 | Dale Earnhardt | Chevrolet | Bill Clinton |
| 1989 | Rusty Wallace | Pontiac | George H. W. Bush |
| 1985 | Darrell Waltrip | Chevrolet | Ronald Reagan |
| 1981 | Darrell Waltrip | Buick # | Ronald Reagan |
| 1977 | Cale Yarborough | Chevrolet | Jimmy Carter |
| 1973 | Benny Parsons | Chevrolet % | Richard Nixon |
| 1969 | David Pearson | Ford | Richard Nixon |
| 1965 | Ned Jarrett | Ford | Lyndon B. Johnson |
| 1961 | Ned Jarrett | Chevrolet * | John F. Kennedy |
| 1957 | Buck Baker | Chevrolet | Dwight D. Eisenhower |
| 1953 | Herb Thomas | Hudson | Dwight D. Eisenhower |
| 1949 | Red Byron | Oldsmobile | Harry S Truman |
# -- Drove a Chevrolet in one of 31 starts
% -- Drove a Mercury in one of 28 starts
* -- Drove a Ford in five of 46 starts
% -- Drove a Mercury in one of 28 starts
* -- Drove a Ford in five of 46 starts
(And no -- there is not a period after the "S" in Truman's name. His middle "name" was simply the letter S, and should not have a period.)
Will a GM driver win the Cup Series title in 2009?
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