The NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Drivers' Championship is awarded by the chairman in NASCAR to the most successful O'Reilly Series racing car driver over a season, as determined by a points system based on race results. The Drivers' Championship was first awarded in 1982, to Jack Ingram. The first driver to win multiple Championships was Sam Ard in 1983 and 1984. The current Drivers' Champion is Jesse Love, who won his first series championship in 2025.
From 2017 to 2025, the championship was decided using a playoff format. 12 drivers qualified for the playoffs; race winners were automatically locked in and the remainder is set by the highest non-winners in the points standings. Drivers accumulated points that carried into the playoffs by winning a stage or the race itself (1 playoff point for a stage win, 5 playoff points for a race win). After qualifying, drivers had their points reset to a significantly higher total than non-playoff drivers, with bonus points added appropriately for stage and race wins. This method was also used for eliminating drivers who qualified for the playoffs but did not advance into the next round. The playoffs cut off the lowest four non-winners in the points standings after there races; this process was repeated with the remaining drivers for the Round of 8, leaving four drivers still eligible to win the championship that season. Following the Round of 8, all previously accumulated playoff points are reset, leaving the "Championship 4" drivers all with an equal opportunity to win the championship in the one-race final round where stage points did not count in the final race. The highest-finishing driver out of the Championship 4 was then declared the champion.
Overall, 35 different drivers have won the championship, with Sam Ard, Jack Ingram, Larry Pearson, Randy LaJoie, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr., Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and Tyler Reddick holding the record for most titles, at two. Ard, Pearson, LaJoie, Earnhardt Jr., Truex Jr., Stenhouse Jr., and Reddick all have the record for most consecutive Drivers' Championships, with two consecutive championships. Chase Elliott is the youngest Xfinity Series champion; he was 18 years, 11 months, and 11 days old when he won the 2014 title. Jack Ingram is the oldest series champion; he was 48 years, 9 months, and 29 days when he won the championship in 1985.
By season Points format History: List of NASCAR points scoring systems, NASCAR Chase Year Driver Owner Team
Make
GapFull Season Points Format 1982 Jack Ingram Jack Ingram 11 Pontiac
7 24 1 4495 47 1983 Sam Ard Howard Thomas 00 Oldsmobile
10 30 10 5454 84 1984 Sam Ard (2) Howard Thomas (2) 00 Oldsmobile (2)
8 26 7 4552 426 1985 Jack Ingram (2) Jack Ingram (2) 11 Pontiac (2)
5 22 2 4106 29 1986 Larry Pearson David Pearson Pearson Racing 21 Pontiac (3)
1 24 1 4514 7 1987 Larry Pearson (2) David Pearson (2) Pearson Racing (2) 21 Chevrolet
6 20 3 3959 394 1988 Tommy Ellis John Jackson 99 Buick
3 20 5 4281 295 1989 Rob Moroso Dick Moroso Moroso Racing 25 Oldsmobile (3)
4 16 7 4001 55 1990 Chuck Bown Hubert Hensley 63 Pontiac (4)
6 18 4 4372 200 1991 Bobby Labonte Bobby Labonte Labonte Motorsports 44 Oldsmobile (4)
2 21 2 4264 74 1992 Joe Nemechek Joe Nemechek NEMCO Motorsports 87 Chevrolet (2)
2 18 1 4275 3 1993 Steve Grissom Wayne Grissom Grissom Racing Enterprises 31 Chevrolet (3)
2 18 0 3846 253 1994 David Green Bobby Labonte (2) Labonte Motorsports (2) 44 Chevrolet (4)
1 14 9 3725 46 1995 Johnny Benson Jr. Bill Baumgardner BACE Motorsports 74 Chevrolet (5)
2 19 0 3688 404 1996 Randy LaJoie Bill Baumgardner (2) BACE Motorsports (2) 74 Chevrolet (6)
5 20 2 3714 29 1997 Randy LaJoie (2) Bill Baumgardner (3) BACE Motorsports (2) 74 Chevrolet (7)
5 21 2 4381 266 1998 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dale Earnhardt Dale Earnhardt, Inc. 3 Chevrolet (8)
7 22 3 4469 48 1999 Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2) Dale Earnhardt (2) Dale Earnhardt, Inc. (2) 3 Chevrolet (9)
6 22 3 4647 280 2000 Jeff Green Greg Pollex ppc Racing 10 Chevrolet (10)
6 27 7 5005 616 2001 Kevin Harvick Richard Childress Richard Childress Racing 2 Chevrolet (11)
5 24 4 4813 124 2002 Greg Biffle Jack Roush Roush Racing 60 Ford
4 25 5 4924 280 2003 Brian Vickers Ricky Hendrick Hendrick Motorsports 5 Chevrolet (12)
3 21 1 4637 14 2004 Martin Truex Jr. Dale Earnhardt Jr.Teresa Earnhardt Chance 2 Motorsports 8 Chevrolet (13)
6 26 7 5173 230 81 2005 Martin Truex Jr. (2) Dale Earnhardt Jr. Teresa Earnhardt (2) Chance 2 Motorsports (2) 8 Chevrolet (14)
6 22 3 4937 68 2006 Kevin Harvick (2) Richard Childress (2) Richard Childress Racing (2) 21 Chevrolet (15)
9 32 1 5648 824 29 Kevin Harvick Kevin Harvick Incorporated 33 2007 Carl Edwards Jack Roush (2) Roush Fenway Racing (2) 60 Ford (2)
4 21 0 4805 618 2008 Clint Bowyer Richard Childress (3) Richard Childress Racing (3) 2 Chevrolet (16)
1 29 0 5132 21 2009 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Joe Gibbs Racing 18 Toyota
9 30 3 5682 210 2010 Brad Keselowski Roger Penske Penske Racing 22 Dodge
6 29 5 5639 445 2011 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Jack Roush (3) Roush Fenway Racing (3) 6 Ford (3)
2 26 3 1222 45 2012 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (2) Jack Roush (4) Roush Fenway Racing (4) 6 Ford (4)
6 26 4 1251 23 2013 Austin Dillon Richard Childress (4) Richard Childress Racing (4) 3 Chevrolet (17)
0 22 7 1180 3 2014 Chase Elliott Dale Earnhardt Jr. (3) JR Motorsports 9 Chevrolet (18)
3 26 2 1213 42 2015 Chris Buescher Jack Roush (5) Roush Fenway Racing (5) 60 Ford (5)
2 20 0 1190 153 Round Playoff format 2016 Daniel Suárez Joe Gibbs (2) Joe Gibbs Racing (2) 19 Toyota (2)
3 27 2 4040 2 2017 William Byron Dale Earnhardt Jr. (4) JR Motorsports 9 Chevrolet (19)
4 22 2 4034 5 2018 Tyler Reddick Dale Earnhardt Jr. (5) JR Motorsports (3) 9 Chevrolet (20)
2 20 0 4040 5 2019 Tyler Reddick (2) Richard Childress (5) Richard Childress Racing (5) 2 Chevrolet (21)
6 27 5 4040 5 2020 Austin Cindric Roger Penske (2) Penske Racing 22 Ford (6)
6 25 3 4040 5 2021 Daniel Hemric Coy Gibbs Joe Gibbs Racing (3) 18 Toyota (3)
1 21 4 4040 5 2022 Ty Gibbs Coy Gibbs (2) Joe Gibbs Racing (4) 54 Toyota (4)
7 23 7 4040 5 2023 Cole Custer Tony Stewart Stewart–Haas Racing 00 Ford (7)
3 21 6 4040 6 2024 Justin Allgaier Dale Earnhardt Jr.(6) Kelley Earnhardt Miller (4) JR Motorsports (4) 7 Chevrolet (22)
2 20 0 4035 6 2025 Jesse Love Richard Childress (6) Richard Childress Racing (6) 2 Chevrolet (23)
2 22 4 4040 69 race Chase format2026
Drivers in Italics have won at least one NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship. Drivers in Bold have won at least one NASCAR Cup Series championship.
By driver DriverTotalSeasonsSam Ard21983, 1984Jack Ingram1982, 1985Larry Pearson1986, 1987Randy LaJoie1996, 1997Dale Earnhardt Jr.1998, 1999Martin Truex Jr.2004, 2005Kevin Harvick2001, 2006Ricky Stenhouse Jr.2011, 2012Tyler Reddick2018, 2019Tommy Ellis11988Rob Moroso1989Chuck Bown1990Bobby Labonte1991Joe Nemechek1992Steve Grissom1993David Green1994Johnny Benson1995Jeff Green2000Greg Biffle2002Brian Vickers2003Carl Edwards2007Clint Bowyer2008Kyle Busch2009Brad Keselowski2010Austin Dillon2013Chase Elliott2014Chris Buescher2015Daniel Suárez2016William Byron2017Austin Cindric2020Daniel Hemric2021Ty Gibbs2022Cole Custer2023Justin Allgaier2024Jesse Love2025
By Manufacturer DriverTotalSeasonsChevrolet231987, 1992–2001, 2003–2006, 2008, 2013–2014, 2017–2019, 2024-2025Ford72002, 2007, 2011-2012, 2015, 2020, 2023Toyota42009, 2016, 2021-2022Oldsmobile41983, 1984, 1989, 1991Pontiac41982, 1985-1986, 1990Buick11988Dodge12010 Drives in Italics have won at least 1 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship Drives in Bold have won at least 1 NASCAR Cup Series championship.
Regular season champions From 2017–2025, NASCAR has awarded a championship to the driver in the series with the most points heading into the chase. YearDriverOwner(s)/TeamsNo.(s)Man.(s)2017Elliott SadlerDale Earnhardt Jr. (JR Motorsports)1Chevrolet2018Justin AllgaierKelley Earnhardt Miller (JR Motorsports)7Chevrolet2019Tyler ReddickRichard Childress (Richard Childress Racing)2Chevrolet2020Austin CindricRoger Penske (Team Penske)22Ford2021A. J. Allmendinger (1)Matt Kaulig (Kaulig Racing)16Chevrolet2022A. J. Allmendinger (2)Matt Kaulig (Kaulig Racing)16Chevrolet2023Austin HillRichard Childress (Richard Childress Racing)21Chevrolet2024Cole CusterGene Haas (Stewart–Haas Racing)00Ford2025Connor ZilischDale Earnhardt Jr. (JR Motorsports)88Chevrolet
See also NASCAR NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series List of NASCAR Cup Series champions List of NASCAR Truck Series champions List of NASCAR teams List of NASCAR tracks
References
External links Xfinity Series Drivers' and Manufacturers' Champions