The NASCAR Cup Series is the top tier of American stock-car racing — the championship where the sport's biggest names compete. It sits at the summit of NASCAR's three national series; for the organisation behind it and how the ladder fits together, see what NASCAR is.
Every team races the same spec chassis — the "Next Gen" car introduced in 2022 — badged as one of three manufacturers: Chevrolet, Ford or Toyota. These are purpose-built machines that only outwardly resemble showroom models, and they race wheel-to-wheel across a mix of circuits: mostly high-speed ovals, plus a handful of road courses and one street race.
A season spans 36 championship races, opening each February with the sport's biggest race, the Daytona 500, and running through to a November finale that decides the title. Along the way, each race is split into stages, and results feed a season-long points battle that culminates in a 16-driver playoff.
To go deeper, see how a race weekend works and how the points and playoffs work.