The strong 2008 seasons by #48-Jimmie Johnson, #99-Carl Edwards and #18-Kyle Busch (from Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota, respectively) has made this year’s Manufacturers’ Championship one of the most heated – and coveted – in history. With three races remaining in the Sprint Cup Series season, only five points separate the top three in the Manufacturers’ Championship standings. Chevrolet took the lead for the first time in 22 races after Jimmie Johnson’s second-place finish at Atlanta. Chevrolet, with 198 points, now leads Toyota by one point and Ford by five. Dodge, with 138 points, is 60 points out. Ford entered the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup trailing Toyota by 18 points. But three wins in seven Chase races has cut the deficit by 13. Toyota and Ford are looking to end a five-year run on championships by Chevrolet. The last time a non-Chevrolet outfit won the title was 2002 (Ford). Over NASCAR’s history, Chevrolet has captured 31 of the 58 championships (53%). Even if Chevrolet does hold on to win its sixth consecutive Manufacturers’ Championship, it would still fall short of its own record of nine consecutive titles (1983-1991). Below is a year-by-year breakdown of the Manufacturers’ Champions.(NASCAR PR), for rules, standings, race by race best, drivwers who have scored manufacturers points, all-time manufacturer wins, see my 2008 Manufacturers Championship page.(10-30-2008)
