THE WINNERS CIRCLE
and EXPLANATION

Updated 6-28-2009
EXPLANATION:

The Winner’s Circle Program, which starts each season with the top 10 winning drivers from the previous season, is designed to reward teams who have typified the best in NASCAR racing. Two “wild card” slots are available each year, making a total of 12 maximum spots open for the program in any season.

Teams are rewarded through prize money posted by each track running a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup event. A total of $130,000 is posted by each track for the Winner’s Circle participants for each of the races.

Kahne and the Evernham team are joining some of the biggest names in the sport on the Winner’s Circle Program, including #20-Tony Stewart, #48-Jimmie Johnson, #24-Jeff Gordon, #16-Greg Biffle, #6-Mark Martin, and #17-Matt Kenseth, as well as some of the sport’s rising stars such as #5-Kyle Busch, #99-Carl Edwards and #12-Ryan Newman.

Biffle led the selection process this season by winning six races in 2005. He was followed by reigning NASCAR NEXTEL Cup champion Stewart, who won five times last year. Newcomer Edwards was next with four victories. Johnson followed, having also won four races. (Ties are broken by finishing position in the final NASCAR NEXTEL Cup car owner point standings.) Biffle was second in points.

Following Johnson in the selection were Gordon (four wins, 11th in points) and Jamie McMurray, who replaced 2004 series champion Kurt Busch (three wins, 10th in points) at Roush Racing. The Winner’s Circle Program eligibility remains with a winning car owner in the event driver changes occur from one season to the next.

Kyle Busch (two wins in 2005 and 20th in points) was the next driver selected, followed by Martin (one win, fourth in points); Newman (one win, sixth in points); and Kenseth, the 2003 series champion (one win, seventh in points).

Each Winner’s Circle driver, on behalf of their car owner, makes several appearances during the season to assist tracks in publicizing their NASCAR NEXTEL Cup events. Kahne will join the others for scheduled appearances this season. Kahne, who will turn 26 in April, is in his third year driving a Dodge for Evernham. The Atlanta victory was the second in his NASCAR NEXTEL Cup career. Kahne’s first win came in the spring Richmond race a year ago. He also won Raybestos Rookie of the Year honors in 2004.(NASCAR PR)(3-24-2006)

#17-Matt Kenseth gets the first [of two] 2009 Wild Card with his win at Daytona in Feb 2009

#2-Kurt Busch gets the final [of two] 2009 Wild Card with his win at Atlanta in March 2009

#12-Ryan Newman gets the first [of two] 2008 Wild Card with his win at Daytona in Feb 2008

#18-Kyle Busch gets the final [of two] 2008 Wild Card with his win at Atlanta in March 2008

#5-Kyle Busch gets the first [of two] 2007 Wild Card with his win at Bristol in March 2007

#25-Casey Mears gets the final [of two] 2007 Wild Card with his win at Charlotte in May 2007

#2-Kurt Busch gets the final 2006 Wild Card with his win at Bristol in March 2006

NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series driver #9-Kasey Kahne has joined an elite group of drivers as a result of his victory in the Golden Corral 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 20, 2006. Kahne’s second career victory earned the Ray Evernham-owned #9 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge team a spot in NASCAR’s Winner’s Circle Program, if Kahne enters, qualifies and competes in the remaining 32 races on the schedule this season beginning with Sunday’s Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Kahne joins the Winner’s Circle Program as a “wild card,” leaving one more “wild card” slot open to an additional race winner this season that is not already in the program.

Cup Champion for each year is in RED

Check out the 1998 - 2010 charts I have prepared and maintained since 1998:


2010 Winners Circle
#Team# Driver/Team 2009 Wins2009 Owners
Points Pos
1 18 Kyle Busch
Joe Gibbs Racing		 38
2 5 Mark Martin
Hendrick Motorsports		 3 11
3 48 Jimmie Johnson
Hendrick Motorsports		 2 3
4 17 Matt Kenseth
Roush Fenway Racing		 210
5 14 Tony Stewart
Stewart-Haas Racing		 1 1
6 24 Jeff Gordon
Hendrick Motorsports		 1 2
7 2 Kurt Busch
Penske Championship Racing		 1 4
8 9 Kasey Kahne
Richard Petty Motorsports		 1 13
9 00 David Reutimann
Michael Waltrip Racing		 1 14
10 20 Joey Logano
Joe Gibbs Racing		 1 21
NE 09 Brad Keselowski
Phoenix Racing		 1 39
Wild Card   1st 2010 winner
not already in
Wild Card   2nd 2010 winner
not already in



2009 Winners Circle
#Team# Driver/Team 2008 Wins2008 Owners
Points Pos
1 99 Carl Edwards
Roush Fenway Racing		 82
2 18 Kyle Busch
Joe Gibbs Racing		 810
3 48 Jimmie Johnson
Hendrick Motorsports		 6 1
4 16 Greg Biffle
Roush Fenway Racing		 2 3
5 31 Jeff Burton
Richard Childress Racing		 2 4
6 9 Kasey Kahne
Gillett Evernham Motorsports		 2 15
7 07 Clint Bowyer
Richard Childress Racing		 1 6
8 20 Tony Stewart
Joe Gibbs Racing		 19
9 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Hendrick Motorsports		 1 11
10 11 Denny Hamlin
Joe Gibbs Racing		 112
NE 12 Ryan Newman
Penske Racing		 1 17
NE 2 Kurt Busch
Penske Racing		 1 20
Wild Card17Matt KensethDaytona Win
2/15/2009		1st 2009 winner
not already in
Wild Card2Kurt BuschAtlanta Win
3/8/2009		2nd 2009 winner
not already in



2008 Winners Circle
#Team# Driver/Team 2007 Wins2007 Owners
Points Pos
1 48 Jimmie Johnson
Hendrick Motorsports		 10 1
2 24 Jeff Gordon
Hendrick Motorsports		 62
3 20 Tony Stewart
Joe Gibbs Racing		 36
4 99 Carl Edwards
Roush Fenway Racing		 39
5 17 Matt Kenseth
Roush Fenway Racing		 24
6 2 Kurt Busch
Penske Racing South		 27
7 07 Clint Bowyer
Richard Childress Racing		 13
8 5 Casey Mears
(Kyle Busch)
Hendrick Motorsports		 15
11 31 Jeff Burton
Richard Childress Racing		 18
10 29 Kevin Harvick
Richard Childress Racing		 110
NE 1 Martin Truex Jr.
Dale Earnhardt Inc.		 111
NE 11 Denny Hamlin
Joe Gibbs Racing		 112
NE 16 Greg Biffle
Roush Fenway Racing		 114
NE 88(25) Dale Earnhardt Jr
(Casey Mears)
Hendrick Motorsports		 115
NE 26 Jamie McMurray
Roush Racing		 118
NE 42 Juan Pablo Montoya
Ganassi Racing		 121
Wild Card12Ryan NewmanDaytona Win
2/17/2008		1st 2008 winner
not already in
Wild Card18Kyle BuschAtlanta Win
3/9/2008		2nd 2008 winner
not already in



2007 Winners Circle
#Team# Driver 2006 Wins2006 Owners
Points Pos
1 9 Kasey Kahne 68
2 48 Jimmie Johnson 5 1
3 29 Kevin Harvick 54
4 20 Tony Stewart 511
5 17 Matt Kenseth 42
6 11 Denny Hamlin 23
7 24 Jeff Gordon 26
8 16 Greg Biffle 213
9 8 Dale Earnhadt Jr. 15
10 31 Jeff Burton 17
NE 5 Kyle Busch 110
NE 25 Casey Mears
(Brian Vickers)		 115
NE 2 Kurt Busch 116
Wild Card5Kyle BuschBristol Win
3/25/2007		1st 2007 winner
not already in
Wild Card25Casey MearsCharlotte Win
5/27/2007		2nd 2007 winner
not already in



2006 Winners Circle
#Team# Driver 2005 Wins2005 Owners
Points Pos
1 16 Greg Biffle6 2
2 20 Tony Stewart 51
3 99 Carl Edwards4 3
4 48 Jimmie Johnson 4 5
5 26
was 97		 Jamie McMurray 38
6 24 Jeff Gordon3 11
7 5 Kyle Busch 220
8 6 Mark Martin 14
9 12 Ryan Newman 16
10 17 Matt Kenseth 17
NE 19 Jeremy Mayfield 110
NE 29 Kevin Harvick 114
NE 88 Dale Jarrett 115
NE 8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 119
NE 9 Kasey Kahne 123
Wild Card9Kasey KahneAtlanta win
3/20/2006		1st 2006 winner
not already in
Wild Card2Kurt BuschBristol WIn
3/26/2006		2nd 2006 winner
not already in
NE = Not Eligible, it's the top 10 by WINS then by owners points if tied

2005 Winners Circle
#Team# 2004 Wins2004 Owners
Points Pos
1 48 8 2
2 8 6 5
3 24 5 3
4 97 3 1
5 20 2 6
6 12 2 7
7 17 2 8
8 38 2 9
9 16 2 17
10 6 1 4
NE 19 1 10
NE 2 1 16
NE 01 1 18
WC991Atlanta
Win 3/20/05
WC291Bristol
Win 4/3/2005
NE = Not Eligible, it's the top 10 by WINS then by owners points if tied

2004 Winners Circle
#Team# 2003 Wins2003 Owners
Points Pos
1 12 8 6
2 97 4 11
3 48 3 2
4 24 3 4
5 8 2 3
6 20 2 7
7 15 2 15
8 31 2 16
9 18 2 8
10 17 1 1
NE* 29 1 5
NE* 9 1 9
NE* 5 1 10
NE* 16 1 20
NE* 88 1 25
NE* 25 1 26
NE* 32 1 27
WC381Texas
Win 4/4/04
WC21Martinsville
Win 4/18/04
NE = Not Eligible, it's the top 10 by WINS then by owners points if tied

2003 Winners Circle
#Team# 2002 Wins2002 pts pos
1 17 5 9
2 97 4 3
3 20 3 1
4 24 3 4
5 48 3 5
6 40 3 8
7 88 2 10
8 8 2 12
9 9 2 14
10 22 2 26
NE* 6 1 2
NE* 12 1 6
NE* 28 1 11
NE* 15 1 15
NE* 18 1 17
NE* 10 1 21
NE* 29 1 22
WC151Daytona
Win 2003
WC181Atlanta
Win 3/2003


 
2002 Winners Circle
#Team# 2001 Wins2001 pts pos
1 24 6 1
2 88 4 5
3 20 3 2
4 8 3 9
5 40 2 3
6 28 2 4
7 18 2 6
8 29 2 7
9 99 2 10
10 2 1 8
NE* 1 1 11
NE* 22 1 15
NE* 9 1 16
NE* 55 1 19
NE* 21 1 22
NE* 33 1 24
NE* 32 1 25
NE* 15 1 28
NE* 31 1 29
WC221Daytona
Win 2/2002
WC171Rockingham
Win 2/2002




2001 Winners Circle
#Team# 2000 Wins2000 pts pos
1 20 6 6
2 18 4 1
3 99 4 3
4 2 4 7
5 24 3 9
6 29(was 3) 2 2
7 88 2 4
8 8 2 17
9 12 2 21
10 6 1 8
NE* 22 1 10
NE* 1 1 11
NE* 17 1 14
NE* 25 1 22
WC151Daytona
Win 2/2001
WC11Rockingham
Win 2/2001


  
2000 Winners Circle
#Team# 99 Wins1999 pts pos
1 24 7 6
2 99 6 5
3 18 5 2
4 88 4 1
5 20 3 4
6 3 3 7
7 6 2 3
8 2 1 8
9 5 1 12
10 43 1 17
NE* 42 1 30
WC221Darlington
Win 3/2000
WC81Texas
4/2000




1998 Winners Circle
#Team# 97 Wins1997 pts pos
124101
28872
3643
49935
510217
6516
71817
8219
928114
1043116
missed98123
WC31Daytona
Win 2/98
WC41Martinsville
Win 4/98
  
1999 Winners Circle
#Team# 98 Wins1998 pts pos
124131
2672
38833
49925
51826
6214
71217
8318
9519
104111
missed10121
WC431Martinsville
Win 4/99
WC201Richmond
Win 9/99


NE = Not Eligible, it's the top 10 by WINS then by owners points if tied

FROM 2000: The top 10 winners from the previous season go on the Winner's Circle for the next year. Most wins is the first criteria. Ties are broken by owner points. This is a car owner program NOT a driver program, so if a driver leaves a winning team, the team stays in the Winner Circle NOT the driver (unless he goes to another winning team).

Keep in mind, it is a car owner program so if one of these drivers leaves his team after this year, the new driver would be the one on the program instead of the old driver, like what happened in 1998 with both (#28) Kenny Irwin-Ernie Irvan and with (#43) John Andretti-Bobby Hamilton.

The two wild card spots go to the first two drivers to win during the current season who are not already on the program.

Each team receives from NASCAR a minimum of $261,000 (as of 2000). But there is a stipulation: Teams must enter all scheduled races. Additionally, up to two Winner's Circle positions are added after a season begins, based on number of wins. Any ties are broken by who ranks higher in car owner points standings.

Also any team that is in the top 30 in owners points is guaranteed $8000 if they make a race (as of 2000). That's worth $272,000 a year to a team.

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