Which Cup Series champ had the best overall year?

By NASCAR.COM
December 16, 2008
03:43 PM EST

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Jimmie Johnson is the second driver to win three consecutive Cup Series championships, joining Cale Yarborough (1976-78).

There have been 28 champions during the past 60 seasons. But who is the all-time greatest -- the driver with the most wins ... the most top-five finishes ... the most top-10s ... the best average finish?

• Check the stats and then weigh in with your choice for which Cup Series champion had the best overall season during his title run.

Champions, 1949-2008

Year	Driver	Races	Wins	Top-5s	Top-10s	Avg. Finish

2008	Jimmie Johnson	36 of 36	7	15	22	10.5
2007	Jimmie Johnson	36 of 36	10	20	24	10.8
2006	Jimmie Johnson	36 of 36	5	13	24	9.7
2005	Tony Stewart	36 of 36	5	17	25	9.9
2004	Kurt Busch	36 of 36	3	10	21	12.5
2003	Matt Kenseth	36 of 36	1	11	25	10.2
2002	Tony Stewart	36 of 36	3	15	21	12.6
2001	Jeff Gordon	36 of 36	6	18	24	11.0
2000	Bobby Labonte	34 of 34	4	19	24	7.4
1999	Dale Jarrett	34 of 34	4	24	29	6.8
1998	Jeff Gordon	33 of 33	13	26	28	5.7
1997	Jeff Gordon	32 of 32	10	22	23	9.6
1996	Terry Labonte	31 of 31	2	21	24	8.2
1995	Jeff Gordon	31 of 31	7	17	23	9.5
1994	Dale Earnhardt	31 of 31	4	20	25	8.0
1993	Dale Earnhardt	30 of 30	6	17	21	8.2
1992	Alan Kulwicki	29 of 29	2	11	17	10.6
1991	Dale Earnhardt	29 of 29	4	14	21	8.6
1990	Dale Earnhardt	29 of 29	9	18	23	8.0
1989	Rusty Wallace	29 of 29	6	13	20	10.3
1988	Bill Elliott	29 of 29	6	15	22	6.6
1987	Dale Earnhardt	29 of 29	11	21	24	5.9
1986	Dale Earnhardt	29 of 29	5	16	23	7.4
1985	Darrell Waltrip	28 of 28	3	18	21	7.3
1984	Terry Labonte	30 of 30	2	17	24	8.3
1983	Bobby Allison	30 of 30	6	18	25	7.0
1982	Darrell Waltrip	30 of 30	12	17	20	9.1
1981	Darrell Waltrip	31 of 31	12	21	25	7.2
1980	Dale Earnhardt	31 of 31	5	19	24	8.2
1979	Richard Petty	31 of 31	5	23	27	6.4
1978	Cale Yarborough	30 of 30	10	23	24	6.0
1977	Cale Yarborough	30 of 30	9	25	27	4.5
1976	Cale Yarborough	30 of 30	9	22	23	8.2
1975	Richard Petty	30 of 30	13	21	24	6.6
1974	Richard Petty	30 of 30	10	22	23	6.8
1973	Benny Parsons	28 of 28	1	15	21	10.1
1972	Richard Petty	31 of 31	8	25	28	4.7
1971	Richard Petty	46 of 48	21	38	41	4.2
1970	Bobby Isaac	47 of 48	11	32	38	6.8
1969	David Pearson	51 of 54	11	42	44	5.3
1968	David Pearson	48 of 49	16	36	38	5.8
1967	Richard Petty	48 of 49	27	38	40	5.0
1966	David Pearson	42 of 49	15	26	33	6.4
1965	Ned Jarrett	54 of 55	13	42	45	4.9
1964	Richard Petty	61 of 62	9	37	43	7.3
1963	Joe Weatherly	53 of 55	3	20	35	9.1
1962	Joe Weatherly	52 of 53	9	39	45	5.0
1961	Ned Jarrett	46 of 52	1	23	34	7.6
1960	Rex White	40 of 44	6	25	35	5.3
1959	Lee Petty	42 of 44	11	27	35	6.2
1958	Lee Petty	50 of 51	7	28	43	6.3
1957	Buck Baker	40 of 53	10	30	38	4.7
1956	Buck Baker	48 of 56	14	31	39	6.8
1955	Tim Flock	39 of 45	18	32	33	4.6
1954	Lee Petty	34 of 37	7	24	32	5.6
1953	Herb Thomas	37 of 37	12	27	31	5.2
1952	Tim Flock	33 of 34	8	22	25	7.6
1951	Herb Thomas	34 of 41	7	16	18	11.5
1950	Bill Rexford	17 of 19	1	5	11	10.9
1949	Red Byron	6 of 8	2	4	4	7.7

Note: 1972 began the modern era | Red = modern era record | Blue = all-time record

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