The all-time list of NASCAR Cup Series champions starts with Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt and Jimmie Johnson, all of whom have seven career championships. It is an exclusive club of just 34 total drivers who have won a championship at NASCAR’s top level.
Below is the list of all-time champions in the NASCAR Cup Series.
Last update: Following 2021 season
| Year | Car | Champion | Make | Wins | Poles | Margin of Victory |
| 2021 | 5 | Kyle Larson | Chevrolet | 10 | 2 | 5 |
| 2020 | 9 | Chase Elliott | Chevrolet | 5 | 1 | 5 |
| 2019 | 18 | Kyle Busch (2) | Toyota | 5 | 1 | 5 |
| 2018 | 22 | Joey Logano | Ford | 3 | 1 | 5 |
| 2017 | 78 | Martin Truex Jr. | Toyota | 8 | 3 | 5 |
| 2016 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson (7) | Chevrolet | 5 | 1 | 3 |
| 2015 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Toyota | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| 2014 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Chevrolet | 5 | 8 | 1 |
| 2013 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson (6) | Chevrolet | 6 | 3 | 19 |
| 2012 | 2 | Brad Keselowski | Dodge | 5 | 0 | 39 |
| 2011 | 14 | Tony Stewart (3) | Chevrolet | 5 | 1 | 0* |
| 2010 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson (5) | Chevrolet | 6 | 2 | 39 |
| 2009 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson (4) | Chevrolet | 7 | 4 | 141 |
| 2008 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson (3) | Chevrolet | 7 | 6 | 69 |
| 2007 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson (2) | Chevrolet | 10 | 4 | 77 |
| 2006 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson | Chevrolet | 5 | 1 | 56 |
| 2005 | 20 | Tony Stewart (2) | Chevrolet | 5 | 3 | 35 |
| 2004 | 97 | Kurt Busch | Ford | 3 | 1 | 8 |
| 2003 | 17 | Matt Kenseth | Ford | 1 | 0 | 90 |
| 2002 | 20 | Tony Stewart | Pontiac | 3 | 2 | 38 |
| 2001 | 24 | Jeff Gordon (4) | Chevrolet | 6 | 6 | 349 |
| 2000 | 18 | Bobby Labonte | Pontiac | 4 | 2 | 265 |
| 1999 | 88 | Dale Jarrett | Ford | 4 | 0 | 201 |
| 1998 | 24 | Jeff Gordon (3) | Chevrolet | 13 | 7 | 364 |
| 1997 | 24 | Jeff Gordon (2) | Chevrolet | 10 | 1 | 14 |
| 1996 | 5 | Terry Labonte (2) | Chevrolet | 2 | 4 | 37 |
| 1995 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Chevrolet | 7 | 8 | 34 |
| 1994 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt (7) | Chevrolet | 4 | 2 | 444 |
| 1993 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt (6) | Chevrolet | 6 | 2 | 80 |
| 1992 | 7 | Alan Kulwicki | Ford | 2 | 6 | 10 |
| 1991 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt (5) | Chevrolet | 4 | 0 | 195 |
| 1990 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt (4) | Chevrolet | 9 | 4 | 26 |
| 1989 | 27 | Rusty Wallace | Pontiac | 6 | 4 | 12 |
| 1988 | 9 | Bill Elliott | Ford | 6 | 6 | 24 |
| 1987 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt (3) | Chevrolet | 11 | 1 | 489 |
| 1986 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt (2) | Chevrolet | 5 | 1 | 288 |
| 1985 | 11 | Darrell Waltrip (3) | Chevrolet | 3 | 4 | 101 |
| 1984 | 44 | Terry Labonte | Chevrolet | 2 | 2 | 65 |
| 1983 | 22 | Bobby Allison | Buick | 6 | 0 | 47 |
| 1982 | 11 | Darrell Waltrip (2) | Buick | 12 | 7 | 72 |
| 1981 | 11 | Darrell Waltrip | Buick | 12 | 11 | 53 |
| 1980 | 2 | Dale Earnhardt | Chevrolet | 5 | 0 | 19 |
| 1979 | 43 | Richard Petty (7) | Chevrolet | 5 | 1 | 11 |
| 1978 | 11 | Cale Yarborough (3) | Oldsmobile | 10 | 8 | 474 |
| 1977 | 11 | Cale Yarborough (2) | Chevrolet | 9 | 3 | 386 |
| 1976 | 11 | Cale Yarborough | Chevrolet | 9 | 2 | 195 |
| 1975 | 43 | Richard Petty (6) | Dodge | 13 | 3 | 722 |
| 1974 | 43 | Richard Petty (5) | Dodge | 10 | 7 | 567.45 |
| 1973 | 72 | Benny Parsons | Chevrolet | 1 | 0 | 67.15 |
| 1972 | 43 | Richard Petty (4) | Plymouth | 8 | 3 | 127.9 |
| 1971 | 43 | Richard Petty (3) | Plymouth | 21 | 9 | 364 |
| 1970 | 71 | Bobby Isaac | Dodge | 11 | 13 | 51 |
| 1969 | 17 | David Pearson (3) | Ford | 11 | 14 | 357 |
| 1968 | 17 | David Pearson (2) | Ford | 16 | 12 | 126 |
| 1967 | 43 | Richard Petty (2) | Plymouth | 27 | 18 | 6028 |
| 1966 | 6 | David Pearson | Dodge | 14 | 7 | 1950 |
| 1965 | 11 | Ned Jarrett (2) | Ford | 13 | 9 | 3034 |
| 1964 | 43 | Richard Petty | Plymouth | 9 | 8 | 5302 |
| 1963 | 8 | Joe Weatherly (2) | Pontiac | 3 | 6 | 2228 |
| 1962 | 8 | Joe Weatherly | Pontiac | 9 | 6 | 2396 |
| 1961 | 11 | Ned Jarrett | Chevrolet | 1 | 4 | 830 |
| 1960 | 4 | Rex White | Chevrolet | 6 | 3 | 3936 |
| 1959 | 42 | Lee Petty (3) | Plymouth | 10 | 2 | 1830 |
| 1958 | 42 | Lee Petty (2) | Oldsmobile | 7 | 4 | 644 |
| 1957 | 87 | Buck Baker (2) | Chevrolet | 10 | 5 | 760 |
| 1956 | 300B | Buck Baker | Chrysler | 14 | 12 | 686 |
| 1955 | 300 | Tim Flock (2) | Chrysler | 18 | 19 | 508 |
| 1954 | 42 | Lee Petty | Chrysler | 7 | 3 | 283 |
| 1953 | 92 | Herb Thomas (2) | Hudson | 11 | 10 | 646 |
| 1952 | 91 | Tim Flock | Hudson | 8 | 4 | 106 |
| 1951 | 92 | Herb Thomas | Hudson | 7 | 4 | 146.2 |
| 1950 | 60 | Bill Rexford | Oldsmobile | 1 | 0 | 110.5 |
| 1949 | 22 | Red Byron | Oldsmobile | 2 | 0 | 117.5 |
* Won the championship based on tiebreaker for wins – five vs. Carl Edwards’ one.
