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The "Cup" is the trophy given to the champion of the NASCAR season. For many years RJ Reynolds sponsored the NASCAR points race and the series was called the Winston Cup. A few years ago sponsorship changed to Nextel. When Nextell took over the sponsorship the rules changed for how the season's winner was achieved.

Each race drivers are awarded points according to how they finish in the race. Bonus points are also awarded for leading a lap and leading the most laps. Under the new rules more points are given for winning a race. These points are added up each week and drivers are ranked according to their points accumulated.

Besides the prestige and trophy drivers receive a large bonus for winning the series cup. Under Winston the driver who had the most points after the 36 races won the "Cup".

Under the new rules the last 10 races are known as the race for the Cup. The top 12 (was 10 now 12) are awarded a set amount of points. Bonus points are given for each race the driver won. And as before each position in the finished race comes with a certain number of points. Since the points are usually much closer in the last 10 races under the new rules, it resembles a race or chase for right to win the Cup. Every win and each position carries more importance for the top drivers during the "chase" for the Cup.

Learn more about this author, Sherrill Fulghum.
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