While the NFL culminates each season with the Super Bowl, NASCAR begins its campaigns with the Daytona 500, its most emblematic event. This 500-mile race at the Daytona International Speedway, in Daytona Beach, Florida, is known as the “Super Bowl of NASCAR” due to its popularity and prestige.
The Brickyard 400 is the next jewel in the crown on the NASCAR calendar for 2025. But, what exactly are these “jewels in the crown”? Below, we present everything you need to know about the most important races in the NASCAR Cup Series.
What are the “crown jewel” races in NASCAR?
Just as golf and tennis have their “majors” tournaments, NASCAR has its own prestigious races. Winning one of these races significantly boosts a driver’s career.
In NASCAR, the four “crown jewels” are the most important races in the category. Although the list has evolved throughout NASCAR’s history, there are currently four races that stand out above the rest.
What are the four “crown jewel” races of NASCAR?
The “crown jewel” races of the NASCAR Cup Series are the Daytona 500, the Coca-Cola 600, the Southern 500, and the Brickyard 400.
Daytona 500
The Daytona 500 inaugurates the NASCAR season every February since 1982. The race consists of 200 laps in three stages, with a track length of 2.5 miles, totaling 500 miles. Richard Petty, “The King”, is the driver with the most victories in this race, with a record of seven wins. Cale Yarborough is in second place with four victories.
Coca-Cola 600
Considered one of the most challenging races in NASCAR, the Coca-Cola 600 covers 600 miles, distributed over 400 laps, on a 1.5-mile oval at the Charlotte Motor Speedway, in Concord, North Carolina. Darrell Waltrip holds the record for the most wins in this race, with five.
Southern 500
The first Southern 500 was run in 1950, being the oldest 500-mile race on the NASCAR Cup Series calendar. It is held at Darlington Raceway, in Darlington, South Carolina, with a distance of 367 laps on a 1.366-mile asphalt track. Jeff Gordon has won the Southern 500 six times, more than any other driver.
Brickyard 400
The most recent addition to NASCAR’s “crown jewels”, the Brickyard 400, takes place at the famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The race was added to the Cup Series schedule in 1994. Jeff Gordon leads with five victories.
Which driver has the most wins in the “jewels of the crown” races?
Jeff Gordon tops the list with 17 wins in “crown jewel” races. He won the Southern 500 six times, the Brickyard 400 five times, and the Coca-Cola 600 and Daytona 500 three times each.
How many drivers have achieved the NASCAR “Grand Slam” (winning the four “crown jewel” races in the same season)?
No Cup Series driver has managed to win all four “crown jewel” races in a single season. Jeff Gordon came close in 1997, winning three of the four (Daytona 500, Coca-Cola 600, and Southern 500).
How many drivers have achieved the NASCAR “Grand Slam” (winning the four “crown jewel” races in their career)?
Four drivers, Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick, and Jimmie Johnson, have won all four “crown jewel” NASCAR races in their respective careers.
