List of NASCAR Xfinity Series champions

The NASCAR Xfinity Series Drivers' Championship is awarded by the chairman in NASCAR to the most successful Xfinity Series racing car driver over a season, as determined by a points system based on race results. The Drivers' Championship was first awarded in 1982, to Jack Ingram. The first driver to win multiple Championships was Sam Ard in 1983 and 1984. The current Drivers' Champion is Cole Custer who won his first NASCAR Xfinity Series championship in 2023.

The trophy of 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Brad Keselowski

As of the 2016 season, the Championship has been decided using NASCAR's "Playoff" system. 12 drivers qualify for the Playoffs; race winners are automatically locked in and the remainder is set by the highest non-winners in the points standings. Drivers can accumulate points that carry into the playoffs by winning a stage or the race itself (1 playoff point for a stage win, 5 playoff points for a race win). After qualifying for the Playoffs, drivers have their points reset to a significantly higher total than non-Playoff drivers, with bonus points added appropriately for stage and race wins. This method is also used for eliminating drivers who qualified for the Playoffs but didn't advance into the next round. The Xfinity Series Playoffs start with 12 drivers in the Round of 12, then cut off the lowest 4 non-winners in the points standings after 3 races. This process is repeated with the remaining drivers for the Round of 8, leaving 4 drivers still eligible to win the championship that season. Following the Round of 8, all previously accumulated playoff points are reset, leaving the "Championship 4" drivers all with an equal opportunity to win the championship in the 1-race final round at Homestead–Miami Speedway. Stage points also do not count for Playoff drivers in the final race. The highest-finishing driver out of the Championship 4 is then declared the champion.

Overall, Thirty-One different drivers have won the Championship, with Sam Ard, Jack Ingram, Larry Pearson, Randy LaJoie, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr., Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and Tyler Reddick holding the record for most titles, at two. Ard, Pearson, LaJoie, Earnhardt Jr., Truex Jr., Stenhouse Jr., and Reddick all have the record for most consecutive Drivers' Championships, with two consecutive championships. Chase Elliott is the youngest Xfinity Series champion; he was 18 years, 11 months, and 11 days old when he won the 2014 title.[1] Jack Ingram is the oldest Xfinity Series champion; he was 48 years, 9 months, and 29 days when he won the championship in 1985.[2]

By season

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YearDriverOwnerTeam NoMake St Ws TT P PtsGap
1982Jack IngramJack Ingram11Pontiac297241449547
1983Sam ArdHoward Thomas00Oldsmobile35103010545484
1984Sam Ard (2)Howard Thomas (2)00Oldsmobile (2)2882674552426
1985Jack Ingram (2)Jack Ingram (2)11Pontiac (2)275222410629
1986Larry PearsonDavid PearsonPearson Racing21Pontiac (3)31124145147
1987Larry Pearson (2)David Pearson (2)Pearson Racing (2)21Chevrolet2762033959394
1988Tommy EllisJohn Jackson99Buick3032054281295
1989Rob MorosoDick MorosoMoroso Racing25Oldsmobile (3)294167400155
1990Chuck BownHubert Hensley63Pontiac (4)3161844372200
1991Bobby LabonteBobby LabonteLabonte Motorsports44Oldsmobile (4)312212426474
1992Joe NemechekJoe NemechekNEMCO Motorsports87Chevrolet (2)31218142753
1993Steve GrissomWayne GrissomGrissom Racing Enterprises31Chevrolet (3)2821803846253
1994David GreenBobby Labonte (2)Labonte Motorsports (2)44Chevrolet (4)281149372546
1995Johnny Benson Jr.Bill BaumgardnerBACE Motorsports74Chevrolet (5)2621903688404
1996Randy LaJoieBill Baumgardner (2)BACE Motorsports (2)74Chevrolet (6)265202371429
1997Randy LaJoie (2)Bill Baumgardner (3)BACE Motorsports (2)74Chevrolet (7)3052124381266
1998Dale Earnhardt Jr.Dale EarnhardtDale Earnhardt, Inc.3Chevrolet (8)317223446948
1999Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2)Dale Earnhardt (2)Dale Earnhardt, Inc. (2)3Chevrolet (9)3262234647280
2000Jeff GreenGreg Pollexppc Racing10Chevrolet (10)3262775005616
2001Kevin HarvickRichard ChildressRichard Childress Racing2Chevrolet (11)3352444813124
2002Greg BiffleJack RoushRoush Racing60Ford3442554924280
2003Brian VickersRicky HendrickHendrick Motorsports5Chevrolet (12)343211463714
2004Martin Truex Jr.Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Teresa Earnhardt
Chance 2 Motorsports8Chevrolet (13)3462675173230
81
2005Martin Truex Jr. (2)Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Teresa Earnhardt (2)
Chance 2 Motorsports (2)8Chevrolet (14)356223493768
2006Kevin Harvick (2)Richard Childress (2)Richard Childress Racing (2)21Chevrolet (15)3593215648824
29
Kevin HarvickKevin Harvick Incorporated33
2007Carl EdwardsJack Roush (2)Roush Fenway Racing (2)60Ford (2)3542104805618
2008Clint BowyerRichard Childress (3)Richard Childress Racing (3)2Chevrolet (16)351290513221
2009Kyle BuschJoe GibbsJoe Gibbs Racing18Toyota3593035682210
2010Brad KeselowskiRoger PenskePenske Racing22Dodge3562955639445
2011Ricky Stenhouse Jr.Jack Roush (3)Roush Fenway Racing (3)6Ford (3)342263122245
2012Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (2)Jack Roush (4)Roush Fenway Racing (4)6Ford (4)336264125123
2013Austin DillonRichard Childress (4)Richard Childress Racing (4)3Chevrolet (17)33022711803
2014Chase ElliottDale Earnhardt Jr. (3)JR Motorsports9Chevrolet (18)333262121342
2015Chris BuescherJack Roush (5)Roush Fenway Racing (5)60Ford (5)332200119015
2016Daniel SuárezJoe Gibbs (2)Joe Gibbs Racing (2)19Toyota (2)33327240402
2017William ByronDale Earnhardt Jr. (4)JR Motorsports9Chevrolet (19)33422240345
2018Tyler ReddickDale Earnhardt Jr. (5)JR Motorsports (3)9Chevrolet (20)33220040405
2019Tyler Reddick (2)Richard Childress (5)Richard Childress Racing (5)2Chevrolet (21)33627540405
2020Austin CindricRoger Penske (2)Penske Racing22Ford (6)33625340405
2021Daniel HemricCoy GibbsJoe Gibbs Racing (3)18Toyota (3)33121440405
2022Ty GibbsCoy Gibbs (2)Joe Gibbs Racing (4)54Toyota (4)33723740405
2023Cole CusterTony StewartStewart-Haas Racing00Ford (7)33321640406

By driver

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DriverTotalSeasons
Sam Ard21983, 1984
Jack Ingram1982, 1985
Larry Pearson1986, 1987
Randy LaJoie1996, 1997
Dale Earnhardt Jr.1998, 1999
Martin Truex Jr.2004, 2005
Kevin Harvick2001, 2006
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.2011, 2012
Tyler Reddick2018, 2019
Tommy Ellis11988
Rob Moroso1989
Chuck Bown1990
Bobby Labonte1991
Joe Nemechek1992
Steve Grissom1993
David Green1994
Johnny Benson1995
Jeff Green2000
Greg Biffle2002
Brian Vickers2003
Carl Edwards2007
Clint Bowyer2008
Kyle Busch2009
Brad Keselowski2010
Austin Dillon2013
Chase Elliott2014
Chris Buescher2015
Daniel Suárez2016
William Byron2017
Austin Cindric2020
Daniel Hemric2021
Ty Gibbs2022
Cole Custer2023

By Manufacturer

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DriverTotalSeasons
Chevrolet211987,1992–2001,2003–2006,2008,2013–2014,2017–2019
Ford72002,2007,2011,2012,2015,2020,2023
Toyota42009,2016,2021,2022
Oldsmobile41983,1984,1989,1991
Pontiac41982,1985,1986,1990
Buick11988
Dodge12010

Regular Season Champions

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Since 2018 NASCAR has awarded a championship to the driver in the series with the most points heading into the playoffs with 2017 being grandfathered in.[3]

YearDriverOwner(s)/TeamsNo.(s)Man.(s)
2017Elliott SadlerDale Earnhardt Jr. (JR Motorsports)1Chevrolet
2018Justin AllgaierKelley Earnhardt Miller (JR Motorsports)7Chevrolet
2019Tyler ReddickRichard Childress (Richard Childress Racing)2Chevrolet
2020Austin CindricRoger Penske (Team Penske)22Ford
2021A. J. Allmendinger (1)Matt Kaulig (Kaulig Racing)16Chevrolet
2022A. J. Allmendinger (2)Matt Kaulig (Kaulig Racing)16Chevrolet
2023Austin HillRichard Childress (Richard Childress Racing)21Chevrolet

See also

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References

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