Lately, Ford cars have dominated the Cup championship, especially in the Next Gen era. Since 2022, Team Penske has won three out of four championships, but in terms of wins, Toyota and Chevrolet continue to trade punches at the front.
Advertisement
Over NASCAR’s long history, individual car models have often told a richer story than manufacturers alone. While defunct marques such as Pontiac and Oldsmobile remain part of the historical ledger, among the active manufacturers in today’s garage, Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota, there are a few specific models that dominate in winning the record books. Looking strictly at wins, these five models stand tallest.
5. Chevrolet Impala
The Chevrolet Impala served as the weapon of choice for legends such as Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Sr., and his son Dale Earnhardt Jr. Across its NASCAR Cup Series lifespan, the Impala amassed 152 wins. Even beyond the racetrack, the Impala carried the reputation of Chevrolet’s flagship passenger car and ranked among the best-selling American automobiles.
Its NASCAR journey took a pivotal turn in 2007, when it replaced the Monte Carlo during the Car of Tomorrow era. That transition marked a shift in Chevrolet’s on-track identity, one that lasted until 2013, when the Impala itself made way for the Camaro.
4. Ford Thunderbird
The Ford Thunderbird made it to the top division of the sport in 1959 and collected six wins in its debut season. But its actual golden stretch arrived between 1978 and 1987, when the model became a weekly contender. The restyled 1982 Thunderbird ushered in a dominant run, piling up 150 victories in NASCAR’s premier series, including four Daytona 500 wins.
Overall, the Thunderbird closed its Cup resume with 184 wins. One of its most remembered moments came courtesy of Bill Elliott, who recorded a 212.809 mph qualifying lap at Talladega, a bar that remains untouched.
3. Ford Galaxie
Few cars blended subtle looks with brute force quite like the Ford Galaxie. Under its reserved sedan styling sat a fearsome 427 cubic-inch V8, developed primarily for competition but made street-legal to satisfy NASCAR regulations. Drivers such as Fred Lorenzen, Ned Jarrett, and Dan Gurney all steered Galaxies to wins, helping the model rack up 199 wins.
Ford’s commitment to the Galaxie extended beyond NASCAR, as it also campaigned the car in NHRA and FIA endurance events.
2. Toyota Camry
Toyota’s arrival in NASCAR’s top tier came in 2007 at the Ford 500, with the Camry serving as the manufacturer’s flagship entry, marking Toyota’s first full-time presence in the Cup Series. It made the Camry the first non-American model to compete at that level in decades. Through multiple redesigns, including the Camry TRD and the current Camry XSE in the Next Gen era, Toyota has remained committed to the model to date.
The Camry’s win tally reached a milestone when Denny Hamlin captured Toyota’s 200th Cup victory at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway last year. Subsequent wins by Christopher Bell at Bristol, Hamlin at Las Vegas, and Chase Briscoe at Talladega pushed the total to 203.
1. Chevrolet Monte Carlo
Although today’s Chevrolet-backed Cup teams run the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, the Monte Carlo remains Chevrolet’s most successful NASCAR model. Competing from 1971 through 2007, it delivered 24 of Chevrolet’s 31 manufacturer championships and 16 of its 23 driver titles. Gordon claimed all four of his championships in the Monte Carlo, while Dale Earnhardt Sr. also enjoyed sustained success behind the wheel.
Recognized for its long-hood proportions and wheelbase well-suited to stock car racing, the Monte Carlo compiled an unmatched 396 victories. Its reign ended after the 2007 season, when production ceased, and the Impala took over.
