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The2005 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series was the 57th season ofprofessionalstock car racing in the United States and the 34th modern-era Cup series. The season began on Saturday, February 12. The ten-raceChase for the Nextel Cup started with theSylvania 300 on Sunday, September 18, and ended on Sunday, November 20, with theFord 400.
Tony Stewart was the dominant driver going into the ten race "playoff" with five wins. Going into thefinal race before the Chase for the Cup, Stewart had amassed a 209-point lead over his nearest competitor,Greg Biffle.Points are reset going into the Chase for the cup, and Stewart's lead was dropped to a 5-point margin. Leading into the final race before the Chase, ten racers were still mathematically contending for the final four spots in the Chase and only one point separatedJamie McMurray in 10th fromRyan Newman in 11th. In the end, the ten racers who qualified for the Chase for the Cup were:
Overall,Roush Racing was the dominant team going into the Chase for the Cup with five of the ten final racers from their organization (Biffle, Busch, Martin, Edwards, and Kenseth).
This was the first season since his rookie season thatJeff Gordon did not finish in the top 10 in points.The 2005 season was the only time Jeff Gordon failed to qualify for the Chase and one of only two seasons (alongside 1993) in which he did not finish in the top 10 in points.
The 2005 season was the first year of competition for theDodge Charger since1977, which replaced theDodge Intrepid, a model thatDodge dropped from its consumer lineup for the 2005 model year. The change did little to improve Dodge's fortunes as a distant third manufacturer in NASCAR Nextel Cup behindFord andChevrolet. In2004, Dodge won 4 of 36 cup races with the Intrepid. In 2005, the Charger won three races. The Charger was, however, much more of a success in theBusch Series, winning 10 of 32.
The 2005 season was the final year for theFord Taurus, which was replaced by theFord Fusion in the2006 season. In addition, two prominent drivers announced that this would be their final season in NASCAR:Mark Martin, and 1989 Winston Cup ChampionRusty Wallace. Wallace would stay with his word and retire at season's end, but Martin, however, would return for 2006 due to circumstances with Roush Racing andKurt Busch at the end of 2005. He would then run a limited schedule in 2007 and 2008, then drive full-timeHendrick Motorsports between 2009 and 2011, picking up an additional 5 wins with the team, and then finally run part-time again before officially retiring at the end of the 2013 season. Also,Ricky Rudd took a break after the 2005 season but returned at the beginning of 2007.
One of the biggest controversies prior to the start of the season involved the elimination of two races –Darlington andNorth Carolina Speedway inRockingham. The eliminated Rockingham race ends NASCAR's 38-year association with Rockingham. The races were replaced by new races atTexas andPhoenix. NASCAR also began moving start times later in the day starting this season; by 2007 the Daytona 500 finished in primetime.
Also, NASCAR announced in January 2005 that the owners of the teams in the top 35 of the previous year's standings would be guaranteed a starting spot in each of the first five races of the season. This further complicated the unique qualifying procedure for theDaytona 500 and severely affected the chances of some teams to make races after having a poor 2004. After the fifth race, the guaranteed starters were based on the current season's points, with changes possible from race to race depending on results.
The number of cars entered for each race was up slightly from the previous year. The Daytona 500 saw a dramatic increase in its car count from 45 to 56. The increase was in part attributable to a new NASCAR rule that allowedhard liquor brands to become sponsors on its race cars. Roush Racing (Crown Royal),Richard Childress Racing (Jack Daniels), andRobby Gordon Motorsports (Jim Beam) were the first to sign such deals.
At the end of the 2005 season, Chevrolet won theNASCAR Manufacturers' Championship after winning 17 events and garnering 259 points over second-placeFord who captured 16 victories and 246 points.[1]
| No. | Race | Pole position | Most laps led | Winning driver | Manufacturer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budweiser Shootout | Dale Jarrett | Greg Biffle | Jimmie Johnson | Chevrolet | |
| Gatorade Duel 1 | Dale Jarrett | Jeff Gordon | Michael Waltrip | Chevrolet | |
| Gatorade Duel 2 | Jimmie Johnson | Jimmie Johnson | Tony Stewart | Chevrolet | |
| 1 | Daytona 500 | Dale Jarrett | Tony Stewart | Jeff Gordon | Chevrolet |
| 2 | Auto Club 500 | Kyle Busch | Joe Nemechek | Greg Biffle | Ford |
| 3 | UAW-Daimler Chrysler 400 | Ryan Newman | Jimmie Johnson | Jimmie Johnson | Chevrolet |
| 4 | Golden Corral 500 | Ryan Newman | Jimmie Johnson | Carl Edwards | Ford |
| 5 | Food City 500 | Elliott Sadler | Rusty Wallace | Kevin Harvick | Chevrolet |
| 6 | Advance Auto Parts 500 | Scott Riggs | Tony Stewart | Jeff Gordon | Chevrolet |
| 7 | Samsung/Radio Shack 500 | Ryan Newman | Greg Biffle | Greg Biffle | Ford |
| 8 | Subway Fresh 500 | Jeff Gordon | Kurt Busch | Kurt Busch | Ford |
| 9 | Aaron's 499 | Kevin Harvick | Jeff Gordon | Jeff Gordon | Chevrolet |
| 10 | Dodge Charger 500 | Kasey Kahne | Greg Biffle | Greg Biffle | Ford |
| 11 | Chevy American Revolution 400 | Kasey Kahne | Kasey Kahne | Kasey Kahne | Dodge |
| Nextel Open | Mike Bliss | Mike Bliss | Brian Vickers | Chevrolet | |
| Nextel All-Star Challenge | Ryan Newman | Ryan Newman | Mark Martin | Ford | |
| 12 | Coca-Cola 600 | Ryan Newman | Brian Vickers | Jimmie Johnson | Chevrolet |
| 13 | MBNA RacePoints 400 | Jimmie Johnson | Greg Biffle | Greg Biffle | Ford |
| 14 | Pocono 500 | Michael Waltrip | Brian Vickers | Carl Edwards | Ford |
| 15 | Batman Begins 400 | Ryan Newman | Tony Stewart | Greg Biffle | Ford |
| 16 | Dodge/Save Mart 350 | Jeff Gordon | Tony Stewart | Tony Stewart | Chevrolet |
| 17 | Pepsi 400 | Tony Stewart | Tony Stewart | Tony Stewart | Chevrolet |
| 18 | USG Sheetrock 400 | Jimmie Johnson | Matt Kenseth | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Chevrolet |
| 19 | New England 300 | Brian Vickers | Tony Stewart | Tony Stewart | Chevrolet |
| 20 | Pennsylvania 500 | Jamie McMurray | Kurt Busch | Kurt Busch | Ford |
| 21 | Allstate 400 at the Brickyard | Elliott Sadler | Tony Stewart | Tony Stewart | Chevrolet |
| 22 | Sirius Satellite Radio at The Glen | Tony Stewart | Tony Stewart | Tony Stewart | Chevrolet |
| 23 | GFS Marketplace 400 | Joe Nemechek | Kurt Busch | Jeremy Mayfield | Dodge |
| 24 | Sharpie 500 | Matt Kenseth | Matt Kenseth | Matt Kenseth | Ford |
| 25 | Sony HD 500 | Carl Edwards | Kyle Busch | Kyle Busch | Chevrolet |
| 26 | Chevy Rock & Roll 400 | Kevin Harvick | Kurt Busch | Kurt Busch | Ford |
| 27 | Sylvania 300 | Tony Stewart | Tony Stewart | Ryan Newman | Dodge |
| 28 | MBNA NASCAR RacePoints 400 | Ryan Newman | Kurt Busch | Jimmie Johnson | Chevrolet |
| 29 | UAW-Ford 500 | Elliott Sadler | Tony Stewart | Dale Jarrett | Ford |
| 30 | Banquet 400 presented by ConAgra Foods | Matt Kenseth | Mark Martin | Mark Martin | Ford |
| 31 | UAW-GM Quality 500 | Elliott Sadler | Elliott Sadler | Jimmie Johnson | Chevrolet |
| 32 | Subway 500 | Tony Stewart | Tony Stewart | Jeff Gordon | Chevrolet |
| 33 | Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 | Ryan Newman | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Carl Edwards | Ford |
| 34 | Dickies 500 | Ryan Newman | Matt Kenseth | Carl Edwards | Ford |
| 35 | Checker Auto Parts 500 | Denny Hamlin | Greg Biffle | Kyle Busch | Chevrolet |
| 36 | Ford 400 | Carl Edwards | Carl Edwards | Greg Biffle | Ford |
TheBudweiser Shootout was held on February 12, theDaytona International Speedway,Jimmie Johnson took the 70-lap night exhibition race fromRyan Newman andJeff Gordon.
Top Ten Results
The main story out of the Gatorade Duel was a racing accident betweenJimmie Johnson andKevin Harvick, which turned into a minor feud.Michael Waltrip won race one andTony Stewart won race two, where the controversial incident took place.
Race One Top Ten
Race Two Top Ten
The 2005Daytona 500 was run on Sunday, February 20, 2005.Dale Jarrett won the pole for the race.
Top 10 Results
TheAuto Club 500 was run on Sunday, February 27, 2005, and is run over 250 2-mile laps on a D oval atCalifornia Speedway, Fontana.
Magic Johnson gave the command to drivers to start their engines, and California governorArnold Schwarzenegger waved the green flag, which was taken by 19-year-oldKyle Busch. Busch became the youngest driver to ever take the green flag on pole position. Busch was still leading after the first lap, withBrian Vickers in second place.
Before the race,Greg Biffle had promised to reporters and commentators that he would have the lead within 5 laps. He also happened to promise to win the race.
Greg Biffle took the lead in only 4 laps, followed byMatt Kenseth in second place, and Biffle was still in the lead after 26 laps whenBill Elliott went into the wall. Biffle was immediately overtaken byMatt Kenseth after the restart.Dale Earnhardt Jr. pitted on lap 38, going down a lap, with problems on his left front tire.Carl Edwards took over the lead around lap 46.
On lap 59, Earnhardt – already a lap down – had another problem with his left front tire and the debris brought out the caution a lap later. Ultimately Earnhardt would end up 13 laps behind. Edwards was still in the lead when the caution came out. Kenseth took over the lap during the caution, and Edwards retook it within a lap. Kenseth recaptured the lead at lap 70.
Green flag pitstops started on lap 105. However, on lap 107, well before the green flag pitstops had cycled, a caution came out for debris.Joe Nemechek led on the restart on lap 116.Dave Blaney hit the wall on lap 143 leading to the third caution, with Nemechek still leading over Johnson. At the restart on lap 151, Nemechek was leading fromMark Martin and Jimmie Johnson with 26 cars on the lead lap. Within a lap, Johnson was second.
Another caution came out on lap 161 whenKasey Kahne went into the wall. At the restart, Johnson led over Nemechek, but after a three-car tussle for the lead, Nemechek led on lap 166. However, Nemechek's success was short-lived: around lap 180, engine problems saw him fall down the leader board and he had to retire. Edwards took over the lead. Harvick then took over with about 55 laps to go.
With 48 laps to goMichael Waltrip's engine blew, bringing out the 6th caution, and when the green came out with 41 laps to go, Harvick was leading in front of Kenseth and Gordon. With 34 laps to go, the 7th caution came out becauseJason Leffler was in trouble. Most of the leaders pitted, but cars that stayed out took the first six places on the restart, led by Kurt Busch. The race restarted with 29 laps to go.
With 25 laps to go, Busch and Biffle pulled out into a 2-second lead, vying together for first place.Greg Biffle finally retook the lead on lap 228 and kept it to win the race ahead ofJimmie Johnson andKurt Busch, with only 0.525 of a second separating the top three men.
Top Ten Results
Failed to qualify:Stanton Barrett (#92),Hermie Sadler (#66),Stan Boyd (#79),Eric McClure (#73),Kirk Shelmerdine (#27)
The UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 was run on Sunday, March 13, 2005, and is run over 267 laps of theLas Vegas Motor Speedway inLas Vegas, Nevada.
Ryan Newman started on the pole.Greg Biffle soon took over. The 1st caution came out on lap 12 whenDale Earnhardt Jr. touchedBrian Vickers coming into turn 1.Bobby Labonte andRicky Rudd were also involved. All 4 cars were out of the race. The race restarts on lap 20 andKurt Busch had the lead, only for Biffle took it again soon afterward.
Newman then got up to within 0.5 seconds of Biffle, and the lead remained for a long green-flag run; this would end on lap 59 whenRobby Gordon's engine blew up, bringing out the 2nd caution.Sterling Marlin stayed out to lead a lap but at the restart, Newman was led over byTravis Kvapil andGreg Biffle in 2nd and 3rd positions respectively. Shortly after the restart, a crash occurred on lap 65, whenMatt Kenseth nudged the back ofElliott Sadler's car; this would bring out the 3rd caution.Carl Edwards andTony Stewart were also involved, though the latter's car only received minor damage.
The race restarted came on lap 70 with Newman taking the lead, having Kvapil,Jimmie Johnson, and Biffle behind him. On lap 77, Kenseth went a lap behind after a tire went down as a result of his crash with Sadler earlier.
Lap 86 brought out the 4th caution whenJason Leffler, trying to get onto pit road, got pushed byKen Schrader. Most drivers pitted, withKasey Kahne ending up in the lead from Newman and Kvapil. Ku. Busch was leading from Johnson and Biffle when the 6th caution came out on lap 126. An error in the pits, however, saw Kvapil drop to 23rd place.
Jimmie Johnson took the lead on lap 147. On lap 175, the 7th caution flew for debris, with Johnson still out in front. Newman took the green from Johnson, Busch, and Biffle. The trouble occurred whenScott Riggs brought out the eighth caution with 74 laps to go, with Sadler getting the free pass.
Newman, Johnson, andJoe Nemechek led at the restart, with Johnson swiftly regaining the lead. Debris brought out yet another caution with 62 laps to go. Newman and Johnson battled for the lead at the restart. With 44 to go,Hermie Sadler crashed into the inside wall bringing out another caution with Johnson leading over Gordon. The battle resumed with 39 laps left. Newman got into the back of Gordon with 34 laps to go, which caused them to lose 3 positions.
With 15 to go,Jimmie Johnson had got a 1.5-second lead overKyle Busch, who was 5 seconds ahead of Ku. Busch. An error by Johnson lost him 0.8 seconds, but he then extended his lead again, and he won from the Busch brothers.
Top Ten Results
Failed to qualify:Johnny Sauter (#09),Kevin Lepage (#37),Stanton Barrett (#92),Stan Boyd (#79),Carl Long (#00),Kirk Shelmerdine (#27)
The Golden Corral 500 was held on March 20 atAtlanta Motor Speedway.
Carl Edwards won the race, edging out driverJimmie Johnson by .028 (28 thousandths) of a second. Johnson swapped the lead withGreg Biffle for most of the race.
Top Ten Results
Failed to qualify:Randy LaJoie (#34),John Andretti (#14),Stanton Barrett (#92),Carl Long (#00),Kirk Shelmerdine (#27),Hermie Sadler (#66),Morgan Shepherd (#89)
The Food City 500 was held on April 3 atBristol Motor Speedway.
Top Ten Results
Failed to qualify:Johnny Sauter (#09),Kevin Lepage (#37),Robby Gordon (#7),Randy LaJoie (#34),Brad Teague (#27),Jason Jarrett (#89)
The Advance Auto Parts 500 was held on April 10 atMartinsville.
Jeff Gordon won the race. He rallied from 3 laps down to win his sixth victory at Martinsville and his 71st career victory.Kasey Kahne was the runner-up andMark Martin finished third.
Top Ten Results
Failed to qualify:Stanton Barrett (#92),Jeff Fuller (#61),Kirk Shelmerdine (#27),Carl Long (#00)
The Samsung/Radio Shack 500 was held on April 17 atTexas Motor Speedway.
Greg Biffle had a dominating performance, leading 219 of 334 laps, en route to victory.Jamie McMurray was second andJimmie Johnson third.
Top Ten Results
Failed to qualify:Kevin Lepage (#37),Stanton Barrett (#92),Randy LaJoie (#34)
The Subway Fresh 500 was a night race held on April 23 atPhoenix International Raceway. This race was the first of two races held atPhoenix for the 2005Nextel Cup season after only running one race in previous years.
Kurt Busch won the race.Michael Waltrip was the runner-up, leading a DEI resurgence.Jeff Burton finished third.
Top Ten Results
Failed to qualify:Hermie Sadler (#66),Steve Portenga (#34),Brandon Ash (#02)
TheAaron's 499 was held on May 1 atTalladega Superspeedway.
Jeff Gordon won his third race of the season leading a dominating 139 of 194 laps for his 72nd careerNextel Cup win, winning four of his last five restrictor-plate races, holding offTony Stewart andMichael Waltrip during agreen-white-checkered finish.
The "Big One" struck at lap 132, when a few cars got together and spun in front of the field. In total, 25 cars were involved, making it one of the largest crashes in NASCAR history. There was also a six-car crash at lap 186, taking out a few of the leaders that had not been involved in the prior crash.
Scheduled distance: 188 laps. (501 mi, 807 km) Actual distance: 194 laps. (517 mi, 833 km)
Top Ten Results
Failed to qualify:Robby Gordon (#7),Kevin Lepage (#37),Kenny Wallace (#00),Stanton Barrett (#92)
The Dodge Charger 500 was held on May 7 atDarlington Raceway and was the first nighttime race held at the track. The race also broke twoNASCAR traditions by being the only race held at Darlington in 2005 and by running the race onMother's Day weekend.
Greg Biffle led a race-high 176 of 370 laps en route to his thirdNextel Cup victory of 2005. With four laps to go, Biffle's Roush Racing teammateMark Martin spun out (sliding into the apron) trying to pass third-place runner and pole-sitterKasey Kahne. Biffle took two tires on his final pit stop, while race leaderRyan Newman andKen Schrader stayed out. Newman was expecting more of the teams, like Schrader in the No. 49 Dodge, at the tail of the lead lap (18 in all) to stay out for track position. Newman accelerated on the restart, brake-checked Schrader to hold off the pack, and accelerated again, leaving Schrader spinning his tires. Biffle passed both of them on agreen-white-checkered finish restart.Jeff Gordon finished second, followed by Kahne, Martin, and Newman, who fell back three spots in two laps. Schrader finished in 18th position.
Scheduled distance: 367 laps. (500.322 mi, 805.26 km.) Actual distance: 370 laps. (505.42 mi, 813.4 km.)
Top Ten Results
Failed to qualify:Johnny Sauter (#09),Robby Gordon (#7),Tony Raines (#61),Morgan Shepherd (#89)
The Chevy American Revolution 400 was a night race held on May 14 atRichmond International Raceway.
Points leaderJimmie Johnson spun out and hit the wall on lap 81 and did it again while coming to pit road. He ended up finishing 40th and losing valuable ground in the points standings. TeammateJeff Gordon had similar problems on lap 165 and ended up finishing 39th and losing second place in the standings toGreg Biffle.Kasey Kahne led 242 of 400 laps and pulled away fromTony Stewart in the closing laps to win his first Nextel Cup race in 47 starts, followed byRyan Newman, rookieKyle Busch, andKevin Harvick. After winning this race, Kahne ended up accomplished several tasks during the weekend. He moved up four spots in the standings to 15th position, won the pole for this race and theBusch Series race the day before, was the first driver to win in the newDodge Charger in 2005, was the final driver to qualify for theNextel All-Star Challenge atLowe's Motor Speedway, became the fifth driver in 2005 to have won in all three NASCAR top series for his career, and gave Evernham Motorsports its second consecutive win at Richmond afterJeremy Mayfield's victory in September 2004.
Top Ten Results
Failed to qualify:Kevin Lepage (#37),Jeff Fuller (#34),Kirk Shelmerdine (#27),Carl Long (#00)
The Nextel-All Star Challenge was a non-points night race held on May 21 atLowe's Motor Speedway. The 90-lap race was divided into three segments with the final paying the most money. Also, the top six finishing cars from the first segment were inverted for the second segment. About half of the field was taken out of the race at lap 35 whenTony Stewart ran into the back ofJoe Nemechek which caused an incident in the infield between Nemechek andKevin Harvick.Mark Martin won the race, his second in the event.Elliott Sadler finished in second place. The rest of the top-5 wereNextel Open winnerBrian Vickers,Jeff Gordon, andJimmie Johnson, who are all teammates atHendrick Motorsports.Martin Truex Jr. was chosen in an internet fan poll as the final entrant for the event.
In theNextel Open qualifying race, Mike Bliss and Brian Vickers were promised a large bonus paycheck if they won the event and qualified in the All-Star Race. Bliss who started up front led the most laps and led to the white flag. In the final turn of the final lap, Vickers went underneath Bliss and wrecked him. Vickers beat a wrecking Bliss for the win, big paycheck, and the final and only left the spot in the All-Star Race. Bliss was visibly upset and said that Vickers should have been disqualified. Drivers, fans, and owners ridiculed Vickers for his move and sided with Bliss but the results were declared official.
Nextel Open Top Ten Results
Nextel All-Star Challenge Top Ten Results
Coca-Cola 600 was a night race held on May 29 atLowe's Motor Speedway, which was the fourth consecutive night race forNextel Cup in May 2005. This race had 22 caution flags which broke the previous record of 20 held by three races atBristol Motor Speedway. There was also one red flag that set up the final restart of the night. After approximately 51⁄2 hours of racing,Jimmie Johnson passedBobby Labonte at the start/finish line on the final lap to win his third straight Coca-Cola 600. The rest of the top-5 wereCarl Edwards,Jeremy Mayfield, andRyan Newman with notable mention given toKen Schrader in 9th, his second top ten of 2005 which had spearheaded his boom to 26th in the points standings.
Top Ten Results
Failed to qualify:Jason Leffler (#11),Bobby Hamilton Jr. (#32),Hermie Sadler (#66),Boris Said (#36),Jeff Fuller (#34),Carl Long (#00),Tony Raines (#92),Mike Garvey (#75),Kirk Shelmerdine (#27),Greg Sacks (#13)
TheMBNA RacePoints 400 was held on June 5 atDover International Speedway.
Since rain washed out qualifying for the event, the race lineup was determined by the point standings,Jimmie Johnson was on the pole. TheMBNA RacePoints 400 had 7 cautions for a total of 33 laps of the 400 completed. The drama began early when on lap 41 an unintentional spin ofJeff Gordon byTony Stewart brought out the third caution. This endedJeff Gordon's day with a DNF, which also collectedRicky Rudd. At this point in the race,Kyle Busch was the leader. Just 11 laps later on lap 52,Bobby Labonte incurs another DNF with a blown engine. On lap 145,Kyle Busch reclaims the lead from race leaderElliott Sadler. On lap 285, the last caution of the race is brought out afterKasey Kahne hits the wall, and after pittingGreg Biffle takes the lead. On lap 374, the first in a series of green-flag pit stops takes place.Greg Biffle takes 4 tires on lap 375 whileJimmie Johnson pits for right sides only on lap 384. At the finish of the race,Greg Biffle collects his 4th victory of the season and backs his car into the front stretch wall during his burnout celebration.
Top Ten Results
Failed to qualify:Mike Skinner (#23),Kirk Shelmerdine (#27)
ThePocono 500 was held on June 12 atPocono Raceway.Michael Waltrip won the pole. This race had a scheduled distance of 200 laps, but because of the Green-White-Checkered finish, the race would go 201 laps. On the restart,Ken Schrader andBobby Labonte would tangle up into an accident, ending the race under caution.
Top Ten Results
Failed to qualify:Kirk Shelmerdine (#27),P. J. Jones (#34),Hermie Sadler (#80),Carl Long (#00)
TheBatman Begins 400 was held on June 19 atMichigan International Speedway.Ryan Newman won the pole.
Top Ten Results
Failed to qualify:Eric McClure (#92),Derrike Cope (#79),P. J. Jones (#34),Morgan Shepherd (#89)
TheDodge/Save Mart 350 was held on June 26 atInfineon Raceway.Jeff Gordon won the pole.
Top Ten Results
Failed to qualify:Brandon Ash (#02),Kevin Lepage (#37),Stanton Barrett (#92),Johnny Borneman III (#66),José Luis Ramírez (#52)
ThePepsi 400 was held on July 2 atDaytona International Speedway.
After a two and a half-hour rain delay, the Pepsi 400 finally started, but under a green-yellow start. This start was to allow the cars to dry the track where the jet-dryers could not, mostly in the turns close to the wall.Tony Stewart dominated the race, leading a 400-mile Daytona record 151 of the 160 laps. After the race, Tony Stewart climbed the fence in front of the tri-oval, near the starter's stand. In Victory Lane, he stated, "I'm just too damn fat to be climbing fences, but had to!"
The first laps were uneventful, up to the point of green-flag pit stops. On lap 35, coming around Turn 4,Jeff Gordon signaled to pit and slowed down.Jamie McMurray saw the signal and slowed down, but the driver behind him,Scott Riggs, did not. Riggs drove into the back end of McMurray, forcingMark Martin to take evasive measures to try to escape. Martin could not get out of the way, bounced off the wall, and created a nine-car pile-up in the process. Martin was out of the race and headed to the garage. Also collected in the wreck wasKurt Busch, whose car was wrecked beyond competitive form. Busch complained of the camera that he thought the current points system, that would reward him for taking a non-competitive car back on track, was stupid.Elliott Sadler ran out of gas on lap 39 and had to be pushed back to pit road, where he lost a lap. He was able to gain it back on lap 65 with the lucky dog award when the caution came out due to debris on the track.
On lap 101,Bobby Hamilton Jr.'s car hit the wall, right afterDale Jarrett andElliott Sadler pit, allowing them to take the lead. On lap 109, Sadler took the lead from Jarrett, only to give it back to Tony Stewart on lap 110.
Lap 141: Caution again, with the leaders on pit road. Tony Stewart takes four tires and nearly stalls, losing five spots, only to take them back on lap 145, in a four-wide pass.
Other cautions: Lap 69,Jeff Green; Lap 72,Michael Waltrip loses control due to a flat tire, also giving serious damage to the car ofGreg Biffle; Lap 113,Boris Said takes a spin in the grass; Lap 147, seven-car incident.
Top Ten Results
Failed to qualify:Mike Garvey (#66),Kenny Wallace (#00),Dan Pardus (#73),Morgan Shepherd (#89)
TheUSG Sheetrock 400 was held on July 10 atChicagoland Speedway, and it ended up being a story of tires. Five of the ten cautions were due to blown tires, and on the last caution, Dale Earnhardt Jr. took only two tires, giving him the lead.
Matt Kenseth arguably had the best car on the track, leading 176 of the 267 laps, 66% of the race, but on lap 243, a debris caution brought most of the field, including Kenseth, come to pit road, allowingScott Wimmer, who did not pit, to take the lead, followed by Earnhardt, and three cars between him and Kenseth. With one full lap of green-flag racing (249) before another caution, the race was essentially yellow until lap 255, and with only twelve laps, Kenseth was unable to pass four cars and Earnhardt.
Top Ten Results
Failed to qualify:Kenny Wallace (#92),Mike Garvey (#66),P. J. Jones (#34),Wayne Anderson (#75)
TheNew England 300 was held on July 17 atNew Hampshire International Speedway.
Tony Stewart dominated the race, leading 232 of the 300 laps, on his way to win his third race of the year. Qualifying in 14th position, he wasted little time in moving to the front, gaining seven spots in the first eight green-flag laps, seizing control of the race on lap 51. The only car that seemed remotely close to being able to catch Stewart, was that ofKurt Busch. Once Stewart took the lead, Busch was the only car that could catch up to and pass Stewart under the green flag, only to be passed again five laps later.
As part of his victory celebration, Tony Stewart again climbed thecatch fence up to the flag stand, similar to how he celebrated after the Pepsi 400, two races earlier. When later asked he commented: "Yes, it wore me out climbing the fence again. Yes, I'm still too old and too fat to do it. But I'm not going to stop, so I'll have to hire a trainer."
Top Ten Results
Failed to qualify:Joey McCarthy (#34),Derrike Cope (#52),Wayne Anderson (#75),Hermie Sadler (#92)
ThePennsylvania 500 was held on July 24 atPocono Raceway. Kurt Busch was the victor in the race that was lengthened by three laps due to the "Green-White-Checkered" rule.
Top Ten Results
Failed to qualify:Morgan Shepherd (#89),Hermie Sadler (#92),Carl Long (#00),Derrike Cope (#52)
TheAllstate 400 at the Brickyard was held on August 7 atIndianapolis Motor Speedway.
Tony Stewart won in front of his home state crowd inIndiana and for the fourth time in the season. A late-race crash byJimmie Johnson, combined with the win by Stewart, put him into the Nextel Cup points lead. As part of the victory celebration, Tony Stewart went to turn two, where a fan handed him a can of Coca-Cola. Then upon returning to the front stretch, Tony Stewart climbed the fence, along with the rest of his teammates. Kasey Kahne and Jeremy Mayfield finished 2nd and 4th for Evernham Motorsports. If Bill Elliott had finished in the top 10, all Evernham drivers would've finished in the top 10 for the first time that season.
Top Ten Results
Failed to qualify:Kevin Lepage (#37),Tony Raines (#92),Mike Garvey (#66),Stuart Kirby (#51),Mike Wallace (#4),P. J. Jones (#34),Morgan Shepherd (#89),Kenny Wallace (#00),Jimmy Spencer (#50)
TheSirius Satellite Radio at The Glen was held on August 14 atWatkins Glen International.
Tony Stewart was the victor in the race that was lengthened due to the "Green-White-Checkered" rule.
Top Ten Results
Failed to qualify:Scott Pruett (#39),Chris Cook (#87),Tom Hubert (#27)
TheGFS Marketplace 400 was held on August 21 atMichigan International Speedway.
Joe Nemechek sat on the pole. The race saw an unusually high number of drivers suffering from flat left-rear tires, includingJeff Green,Mike Bliss,Bobby Labonte,Kevin Harvick, andStuart Kirby. Overheating continued to be a problem at Michigan, with trash frequently getting caught in the grills of the cars.Johnny Benson lost his engine due to overheating. As the race ended, many drivers were running out of fuel. Some drivers pitted while others risked staying out to try to win.Jeremy Mayfield gambled on fuel mileage, taking the lead in the waning laps to win the race.
Top Ten Results
Failed to qualify:P. J. Jones (#34),Carl Long (#00),Eric McClure (#92),Bryan Reffner (#79),Morgan Shepherd (#89)
Note:Tony Stewart clinched a spot in the "Chase for the Cup" top ten as a result of this race.
TheSharpie 500 was held on August 27 atBristol Motor Speedway.Matt Kenseth won from the pole and led 415 of the 500 laps on his way to victory.Top Ten Results
Failed to qualify:Wayne Anderson (#75),Mike Garvey (#66),Johnny Sauter (#09),Morgan Shepherd (#89),P. J. Jones (#34),Tony Raines (#37)
Note:Jimmie Johnson,Greg Biffle, andRusty Wallace clinched spots in the "Chase for the Cup" top ten as a result of this race, with two races until the "chase" is locked in.
TheSony HD 500 was held on September 4 atCalifornia Speedway. In the next-to-the-last race prior to the Chase for the Nextel Cup,Kyle Busch, at 20 years, 4 months, 2 days, became the youngest driver ever to win a Nextel Cup race. The race was lengthened by five laps due to the "Green-White-Checkered" rule.Carl Edwards sat on the pole.Dale Earnhardt Jr. ended his chase hopes after the car expired the engine with 38 laps to go.
Top Ten Results
Failed to qualify:P. J. Jones (#34),John Andretti (#4)
Note:Mark Martin andKurt Busch clinched spots in the "Chase for the Cup" top ten as a result of this race, with only one race left until the "chase" is locked in.
TheChevy Rock and Roll 400 was held on September 10 atRichmond International Raceway.Kevin Harvick sat on the pole after winning theBusch Series race the night before. Coming into the race, which was the final race before the Chase for the 2005 NEXTEL Cup,Ryan Newman,Jeff Gordon,Elliott Sadler,Dale Jarrett, andKevin Harvick were on the outside looking in at an eleventh place and lower.Jamie McMurray andTony Raines got into each other at lap 362, ending McMurray's chances to get into the Chase for the Cup.
Kevin Harvick led many of the laps early on, but fell behind late and ended up finishing 10th.Kurt Busch won his third race of the season.
Top Ten Results
Failed to qualify:Wayne Anderson (#75),Stanton Barrett (#95),Carl Long (#00),Hermie Sadler (#92),Morgan Shepherd (#89),Joey McCarthy (#34),Kirk Shelmerdine (#27)
Making The Chase - This was the final race to determine the contenders for the Chase for the Nextel Cup. Those final ten contenders were:
The first number is the number of points on the old system. Following the race, the Chase contenders had their points reset to the second number. For the complete coverage of the playoff, along with driver results, see the2005 Chase for the NEXTEL Cup section.
TheSylvania 300 was held on September 18 atNew Hampshire International Speedway.Tony Stewart sat on the pole and led most of the laps in the first race of the Chase to the NASCAR Nextel Cup, battling withRyan Newman in the final laps and ultimately finishing second behind him.Kurt Busch, one of the ten Chase drivers, was involved in an incident withScott Riggs early on that set him 66 laps behind the leader. After pulling into the garage, Busch stormed to Riggs' pit and had words with his crew chief,Rodney Childers. Busch finished 35th.
Several other incidents also happened during the race.Kyle Busch got tangled withKasey Kahne, who was sent hard into the wall. Kahne, who was out for the day, maneuvered his wrecked car in front of Busch under caution. Kahne was later fined $25,000 and docked 25 points and was placed on probation for the remainder of the season. Later on,Michael Waltrip andRobby Gordon got together, ending Gordon's day. On the following caution lap, Gordon tried to ram Waltrip's car with his wrecked car and on the lap after that, Gordon threw his helmet at Waltrip's passing car. In the subsequent live interview onTNT, Gordon called Waltrip a "piece of s**t", and TNT quickly ended the interview. Gordon was later fined $35,000, docked 50 points and like Kahne, was placed on probation for the remainder of the season for the two incidents. Waltrip was fined $10,000 and docked 25 points for apparently using anobscene gesture, but Waltrip andDEI contested the fine with NASCAR and it was overturned. Following that incident, NASCAR waved the red flag to stop the field and clean the track, but also warned all teams and crew chiefs to restrain themselves from further retributive incidents.
In a side note to this incident, Gordon put the helmet up for auction oneBay for the benefit of his race team's sponsorHarrah's relief efforts ofHurricane Katrina, and Waltrip signed the helmet as well. At one point, bidding was stopped at $10 million(US) because the bidding was getting out of hand. When the auction reopened, internet gambling siteGoldenpalace.com won the bidding, paying $51,100 (US).
Top Ten Results
Failed to qualify:Carl Long (#00),Morgan Shepherd (#89),Stanton Barrett (#95),Mike Garvey (#66),Tony Raines (#37),Kirk Shelmerdine (#27)
TheMBNA NASCAR RacePoints 400 was held on September 25 atDover International Speedway.Ryan Newman sat on the pole and won theBusch Series race the day before. Several Chase for the Cup contenders had difficulties with tire problems that caused them to finish poorly, includingMatt Kenseth (35th),Greg Biffle (13th), andKurt Busch (23rd), who led the most laps in the race.Jimmie Johnson battled his teammateKyle Busch at the end of the race, but Johnson was able to hold on to win. With the win, Johnson moved into the lead in the Chase for the Nextel Cup.
The race was extended by four laps because of thegreen-white-checkered finish rule.
Top Ten Results
Failed to qualify:Morgan Shepherd (#89),Hermie Sadler (#92),Ryan McGlynn (#08),Joey McCarthy (#34)
TheUAW-Ford 500 was held on October 2 atTalladega Superspeedway. The race was peppered by some early wrecks at thisrestrictor-plate race. On lap 19,Jimmie Johnson spunElliott Sadler which caused a large wreck that also ended the day forMark Martin,Dale Earnhardt Jr., andMichael Waltrip, who was sent flipping twice across the track. On lap 66,Ryan Newman spunCasey Mears, leading to a 10-car accident that also took outJeff Burton,Greg Biffle, and sentScott Riggs tumbling end over end.
The leaders battled at the end of the race, but afterKen Schrader got a flat tire and brought out the yellow on lap 185 of 188,Dale Jarrett took the checkered in a race that was extended by 2 laps due to thegreen-white-checkered finish rule but ended before the end of the final lap due to the caution coming out for an accident byKyle Petty.
Also, parts of the movieTalladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby were filmed during this race.
Top Ten Results
Failed to qualify:Bobby Hamilton Jr. (#32),Johnny Sauter (#09),Morgan Shepherd (#89)
Note: AlthoughHamilton Jr. had failed to qualify hisPPI Motorsports Chevrolet, his team bought the No. 92Front Row Motorsports entry that was to be driven byMike Skinner and put Hamilton in the car. Skinner's team bought the No. 34Mach One Racing entry thatHermie Sadler had qualified. Skinner drove the car, leaving Sadler without a ride.
TheBanquet 400 was held on October 9 atKansas Speedway.Matt Kenseth sat on the pole.Mark Martin got his first victory of the season asRoush Racing cars finished 1–2–3. Chase for the Nextel Cup drivers finished in the top seven positions. The race also marked the Nextel Cup debut forDenny Hamlin, who finished 32nd.
Top Ten Results
Failed to qualify:Robby Gordon (#7),Wayne Anderson (#61),Tony Raines (#37),Carl Long (#00),Greg Sacks (#13),Eric McClure (#34)
The race held on October 15 atLowe's Motor Speedway was delayed by the finish of theSouthern California-Notre Dame college football game which was being broadcast onNBC by forty-five minutes and ended after midnight (EDT) because of thegreen-white-checkered finish rule. The race was marred by multiple tire problems, similar to the2005 United States Grand Prix where tires seemed to "self-destruct" on their own. This was caused by a recent levigation of the track andGoodyear failing to bring an adequate tire to the track. Even with drivers driving at 75% speed, tires continued to explode due to excessive heat in the right-front tire. Not even series point leader and eventual championTony Stewart was exempt. At one point, NASCAR even considered calling the race, although they ended up throwing caution flags instead. When the smoke cleared,Jimmie Johnson won his fourth straight points-paying race at Lowe's and surged into a tie withTony Stewart for the top of the standings. Stewart, who has five wins, holds the tie-breaker and retained the lead, finishing 25th. The top three finishers were involved in the2005 Chase for the Nextel Cup.
Top Ten Results
Failed to qualify:Boris Said (#36),Carl Long (#00),Jimmy Spencer (#50),Mike Garvey (#37),P. J. Jones (#92),Stanton Barrett (#95)
TheSubway 500 was held on October 23 atMartinsville Speedway.Tony Stewart led the most laps, butHendrick Motorsports driverJeff Gordon had the emotional victory, winning almost a year after the tragic plane crash that took the lives of all ten on board, including several members of the Hendrick family.
Top 10 Finishers
Failed to qualify:Chad Chaffin (#92),Joey McCarthy (#34),Carl Long (#00),Mike Garvey (#75),Morgan Shepherd (#89),Wayne Anderson (#61)
The Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 was held October 30 atAtlanta Motor Speedway.
Top Ten Finishers
Failed to qualify:J. J. Yeley (#80),Boris Said (#36),Bobby Hamilton Jr. (#32),Johnny Sauter (#09),Robby Gordon (#7),Stuart Kirby (#51),Mike Wallace (#4),Jimmy Spencer (#50),Mike Garvey (#75),Morgan Shepherd (#89),Shane Hall (#96)
The inauguralDickies 500 was held November 6 atTexas Motor Speedway.Carl Edwards won the race – his second in a row – leading a one-two-three finish forRoush Racing. Edwards became the tenth different winner in the races held at "The Great American Speedway."
Top Ten Finishers
Failed to qualify:Reed Sorenson (#39),Stuart Kirby (#51),P. J. Jones (#92),Johnny Sauter (#09),Robby Gordon (#7),Carl Long (#00)
TheChecker Auto Parts 500 was held November 13 atPhoenix International Raceway.Denny Hamlin, who hadn't competed in a full season in NEXTEL Cup at the time, won the pole. The race was surrounded by controversy when defending championKurt Busch was cited for reckless driving and was reported by a cop to have "had the whiff of alcohol", although he was below the legal limit of .08 in Arizona when it was discovered Kurt Busch actually had .18 in alcohol. Due to his actions, he was suspended byRoush Racing for the rest of the season, andKenny Wallace took the wheel of the 97 car. Ironically, his brotherKyle won the race, and in victory lane, he criticized the media for their handling of the case.
Top Ten Finishers
Failed to qualify:Brandon Ash (#02),Bryan Reffner (#51),Mike Wallace (#4),Kevin Lepage (#66),Derrike Cope (#00),P. J. Jones (#92),Morgan Shepherd (#89)
TheFord 400 was held November 20 atHomestead-Miami Speedway.Carl Edwards won the pole and was part of a 1–2–3–4 finish forRoush Racing. Meanwhile, Edwards,Greg Biffle,Tony Stewart, andJimmie Johnson each had a mathematical chance to win the championship. However, Johnson crashed out at Lap 127 with a blown tire in Turn Three. Despite the fact that Edwards and Biffle finished upfront while Stewart finished 15th, Stewart still clinched the championship. The race was also the last forRusty Wallace; he retired afterward, having competed in NASCAR Cup racing for 25 years. He finished his career-ending season with an 8th-place points finish. He would finish his career with 55 wins, 36 poles, 202 top 5s, 349 top 10s, and the 1989 Winston Cup Series Championship.
Top Ten Finishers
Failed to qualify:Chad Chaffin (#92),Mike Garvey (#51),Derrike Cope (#00),Morgan Shepherd (#89),Carl Long (#80)
(key) Bold - Pole position awarded by time.Italics - Pole position set by owner's points standings. * – Most laps led.
| Pos. | Driver | DAY | CAL | LVS | ATL | BRI | MAR | TEX | PHO | TAL | DAR | RCH | CLT | DOV | POC | MCH | SON | DAY | CHI | NHA | POC | IND | GLN | MCH | BRI | CAL | RCH | NHA | DOV | TAL | KAN | CLT | MAR | ATL | TEX | PHO | HOM | Pts. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tony Stewart | 7* | 17 | 10 | 17 | 3 | 26* | 31 | 33 | 2 | 10 | 2 | 24 | 15 | 29 | 2* | 1* | 1* | 5 | 1* | 7 | 1* | 1* | 5 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 2* | 18 | 2* | 4 | 25 | 2* | 9 | 6 | 4 | 15 | 6533 | |||
| 2 | Greg Biffle | 25 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 29 | 1* | 41 | 13 | 1* | 6 | 6 | 1* | 30 | 1 | 14 | 36 | 11 | 5 | 17 | 21 | 38 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 13 | 27 | 2 | 3 | 20 | 7 | 20 | 2* | 1 | 6498 | |||
| 3 | Carl Edwards | 12 | 5 | 14 | 1 | 26 | 38 | 19 | 7 | 32 | 9 | 21 | 3 | 16 | 1 | 5 | 38 | 33 | 39 | 12 | 4 | 12 | 19 | 4 | 24 | 4 | 21 | 19 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 10 | 26 | 1* | 1 | 6 | 4* | 6498 | |||
| 4 | Mark Martin | 6 | 7 | 30 | 4 | 31 | 3 | 20 | 16 | 33 | 4 | 15 | 28 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 15 | 39 | 10 | 15 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 17 | 16 | 11 | 13 | 7 | 4 | 41 | 1* | 5 | 34 | 3 | 2 | 14 | 2 | 6428 | |||
| 5 | Jimmie Johnson | 5 | 2 | 1* | 2* | 6 | 8 | 3 | 15 | 20 | 7 | 40 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 19 | 36 | 6 | 3 | 13 | 12 | 38 | 5 | 10 | 36 | 16 | 25 | 8 | 1* | 31 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 16 | 5 | 7 | 40 | 6406 | |||
| 6 | Ryan Newman | 20 | 9 | 9 | 14 | 30 | 4 | 16 | 14 | 39 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 34 | 15 | 9 | 14 | 29 | 7 | 5 | 34 | 30 | 12 | 39 | 18 | 12 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 23 | 7 | 10 | 23 | 25 | 12 | 7 | 6359 | |||
| 7 | Matt Kenseth | 42 | 26 | 8 | 31 | 16 | 11 | 18 | 42 | 11 | 26 | 12 | 37 | 7 | 32 | 4 | 11 | 9 | 2* | 10 | 36 | 5 | 18 | 3 | 1* | 7 | 2 | 3 | 35 | 3 | 5 | 26 | 12 | 5 | 3* | 32 | 3 | 6352 | |||
| 8 | Rusty Wallace | 10 | 10 | 12 | 27 | 13* | 5 | 10 | 36 | 22 | 12 | 19 | 10 | 5 | 11 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 12 | 8 | 2 | 25 | 6 | 13 | 5 | 15 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 25 | 7 | 24 | 19 | 37 | 22 | 29 | 13 | 6140 | |||
| 9 | Jeremy Mayfield | 23 | 28 | 20 | 13 | 17 | 15 | 11 | 13 | 4 | 33 | 13 | 4 | 14 | 14 | 22 | 7 | 12 | 6 | 19 | 18 | 4 | 11 | 1 | 18 | 26 | 6 | 16 | 7 | 14 | 16 | 11 | 28 | 38 | 35 | 24 | 10 | 6073 | |||
| 10 | Kurt Busch | 2 | 3 | 3 | 32 | 35 | 19 | 7 | 1* | 7 | 37 | 17 | 43 | 9 | 22 | 12 | 3 | 37 | 8 | 2 | 1* | 18 | 39 | 7* | 10 | 12 | 1* | 35 | 23* | 8 | 14 | 2 | 6 | 36 | 10 | QL† | 5974 | ||||
| Chase for the Nextel Cup cut-off | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pos. | Driver | DAY | CAL | LVS | ATL | BRI | MAR | TEX | PHO | TAL | DAR | RCH | CLT | DOV | POC | MCH | SON | DAY | CHI | NHA | POC | IND | GLN | MCH | BRI | CAL | RCH | NHA | DOV | TAL | KAN | CLT | MAR | ATL | TEX | PHO | HOM | Pts. | |||
| 11 | Jeff Gordon | 1 | 30 | 4 | 39 | 15 | 1 | 15 | 12 | 1* | 2 | 39 | 30 | 39 | 9 | 32 | 33 | 7 | 33 | 25 | 13 | 8 | 14 | 15 | 6 | 21 | 30 | 14 | 37 | 37 | 10 | 38 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 3 | 9 | 4174 | |||
| 12 | Jamie McMurray | 32 | 4 | 15 | 11 | 24 | 25 | 2 | 25 | 5 | 6 | 10 | 21 | 26 | 10 | 13 | 13 | 2 | 22 | 40 | 11 | 17 | 13 | 20 | 26 | 8 | 40 | 12 | 29 | 12 | 18 | 31 | 7 | 6 | 11 | 18 | 18 | 4130 | |||
| 13 | Elliott Sadler | 11 | 8 | 29 | 10 | 2 | 9 | 28 | 11 | 6 | 20 | 7 | 13 | 10 | 21 | 8 | 6 | 21 | 37 | 39 | 16 | 32 | 12 | 39 | 13 | 17 | 17 | 30 | 6 | 34 | 12 | 27* | 29 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 23 | 4084 | |||
| 14 | Kevin Harvick | 28 | 6 | 5 | 21 | 1 | 32 | 13 | 19 | 12 | 14 | 5 | 14 | 25 | 8 | 25 | 37 | 24 | 19 | 22 | 6 | 19 | 15 | 22 | 37 | 14 | 10 | 10 | 19 | 10 | 24 | 28 | 15 | 22 | 16 | 23 | 8 | 4072 | |||
| 15 | Dale Jarrett | 15 | 11 | 18 | 23 | 5 | 14 | 14 | 23 | 9 | 15 | 34 | 8 | 23 | 13 | 24 | 5 | 5 | 18 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 22 | 34 | 31 | 24 | 39 | 18 | 15 | 1 | 38 | 30 | 31 | 14 | 12 | 9 | 17 | 3960 | |||
| 16 | Joe Nemechek | 13 | 39* | 19 | 35 | 33 | 10 | 17 | 10 | 31 | 11 | 18 | 18 | 27 | 3 | 6 | 23 | 15 | 15 | 18 | 22 | 28 | 9 | 8 | 12 | 10 | 26 | 25 | 17 | 9 | 20 | 4 | 23 | 18 | 37 | 17 | 24 | 3953 | |||
| 17 | Brian Vickers | 21 | 21 | 43 | 6 | 12 | 35 | 34 | 5 | 37 | 16 | 32 | 31* | 6 | 2* | 41 | 34 | 29 | 4 | 11 | 14 | 3 | 8 | 9 | 20 | 3 | 37 | 13 | 14 | 6 | 11 | 12 | 36 | 15 | 19 | 26 | 43 | 3847 | |||
| 18 | Jeff Burton | 29 | 19 | 17 | 15 | 36 | 16 | 12 | 3 | 10 | 21 | 16 | 22 | 12 | 19 | 11 | 30 | 11 | 30 | 14 | 37 | 20 | 43 | 26 | 2 | 35 | 18 | 9 | 11 | 35 | 28 | 14 | 5 | 8 | 30 | 15 | 25 | 3803 | |||
| 19 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 3 | 32 | 42 | 24 | 4 | 13 | 9 | 4 | 15 | 8 | 14 | 33 | 22 | 33 | 17 | 42 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 32 | 43 | 10 | 18 | 9 | 38 | 20 | 5 | 31 | 40 | 34 | 42 | 18 | 4* | 8 | 40 | 19 | 3780 | |||
| 20 | Kyle Busch(R) | 38 | 23 | 2 | 12 | 28 | 39 | 21 | 8 | 41 | 23 | 4 | 25 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 40 | 31 | 14 | 4 | 39 | 10 | 33 | 43 | 33 | 1* | 4 | 27 | 2 | 33 | 21 | 39 | 9 | 12 | 40 | 1 | 41 | 3753 | |||
| 21 | Ricky Rudd | 24 | 41 | 37 | 33 | 25 | 7 | 8 | 34 | 30 | 13 | 11 | 35 | 40 | 28 | 33 | 2 | 13 | 7 | 23 | 10 | 41 | 16 | 19 | 4 | 9 | 38 | 20 | 12 | 18 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 17 | 13 | 20 | 37 | 3667 | |||
| 22 | Casey Mears | 26 | 22 | 7 | 19 | 43 | 17 | 4 | 39 | 14 | 39 | 28 | 34 | 24 | 18 | 21 | 20 | 43 | 9 | 33 | 21 | 6 | 23 | 14 | 34 | 32 | 23 | 23 | 10 | 38 | 8 | 6 | 22 | 21 | 4 | 22 | 5 | 3637 | |||
| 23 | Kasey Kahne | 22 | 40 | 38 | 5 | 14 | 2 | 35 | 17 | 24 | 3 | 1* | 26 | 35 | 27 | 18 | 41 | 16 | 41 | 6 | 27 | 2 | 17 | 29 | 42 | 6 | 8 | 38 | 16 | 13 | 19 | 23 | 17 | 35 | 42 | 27 | 16 | 3611 | |||
| 24 | Bobby Labonte | 43 | 13 | 41 | 37 | 22 | 33 | 38 | 6 | 23 | 17 | 8 | 2 | 38 | 26 | 14 | 18 | 35 | 13 | 3 | 8 | 40 | 36 | 16 | 21 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 32 | 11 | 39 | 18 | 4 | 31 | 26 | 5 | 34 | 3488 | |||
| 25 | Michael Waltrip | 37 | 38 | 21 | 7 | 19 | 30 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 34 | 9 | 36 | 13 | 5 | 7 | 22 | 40 | 36 | 17 | 26 | 16 | 41 | 27 | 15 | 13 | 31 | 15 | 26 | 42 | 40 | 29 | 27 | 11 | 41 | 33 | 29 | 3452 | |||
| 26 | Dave Blaney | 14 | 34 | 13 | 8 | 20 | 34 | 26 | 24 | 19 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 36 | 24 | 29 | 19 | 27 | 38 | 20 | 20 | 30 | 34 | 32 | 23 | 22 | 33 | 33 | 20 | 15 | 25 | 13 | 16 | 24 | 28 | 25 | 6 | 3289 | |||
| 27 | Kyle Petty | 17 | 18 | 25 | 36 | 8 | 18 | 24 | 31 | 43 | 28 | 33 | 17 | 19 | 41 | 30 | 27 | 19 | 27 | 29 | 30 | 13 | 20 | 33 | 25 | 41 | 27 | 21 | 8 | 24 | 29 | 15 | 14 | 25 | 21 | 19 | 27 | 3288 | |||
| 28 | Mike Bliss | 18 | 12 | 16 | 18 | 37 | 36 | 22 | 20 | 36 | 19 | 37 | 15 | 18 | 35 | 27 | 39 | 20 | 34 | 21 | 9 | 11 | 26 | 37 | 7 | 27 | 15 | 36 | 30 | 32 | 15 | 35 | 41 | 13 | 17 | 31 | 12 | 3262 | |||
| 29 | Jeff Green | 16 | 27 | 23 | 28 | 29 | 22 | 43 | 21 | 25 | 22 | 24 | 11 | 30 | 15 | 38 | 29 | 34 | 24 | 31 | 19 | 15 | 24 | 24 | 22 | 25 | 16 | 17 | 27 | 21 | 26 | 19 | 37 | 29 | 18 | 28 | 30 | 3241 | |||
| 30 | Sterling Marlin | 8 | 15 | 35 | 16 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 26 | 34 | 41 | 23 | 39 | 32 | 16 | 40 | 26 | 22 | 32 | 34 | 28 | 9 | 21 | 29 | 19 | 41 | 11 | 41 | 7 | 13 | 40 | 38 | 20 | 23 | 34 | 26 | 3183 | ||||
| 31 | Ken Schrader | 39 | 14 | 34 | 26 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 38 | 8 | 18 | 30 | 9 | 37 | 20 | 28 | 35 | 10 | 26 | 26 | 31 | 22 | 32 | 25 | 11 | 29 | 19 | 40 | 28 | 26 | 17 | 34 | 13 | 34 | 29 | 30 | 22 | 3159 | |||
| 32 | Scott Wimmer | 33 | 16 | 27 | 20 | 27 | 31 | 42 | 32 | 38 | 25 | 20 | 23 | 31 | 36 | 16 | 25 | 32 | 17 | 35 | 25 | 26 | 21 | 23 | 14 | 31 | 24 | 26 | 36 | 17 | 27 | 20 | 25 | 27 | 27 | 21 | 11 | 3122 | |||
| 33 | Travis Kvapil(R) | 19 | 24 | 26 | 42 | 7 | 27 | 30 | 40 | 18 | 35 | 22 | 32 | 17 | 17 | 26 | 21 | 23 | 43 | 27 | 38 | 37 | 40 | 38 | 19 | 33 | 11 | 41 | 21 | 16 | 22 | 17 | 21 | 26 | 24 | 10 | 32 | 3077 | |||
| 34 | Scott Riggs | 4 | 33 | 31 | 9 | 10 | 21 | 32 | 18 | 27 | 36 | 26 | 19 | 11 | 37 | 23 | 24 | 41 | 23 | 32 | 33 | 35 | 31 | 2 | 40 | 36 | 29 | 28 | 24 | 36 | 30 | 33 | 24 | 33 | 34 | 38 | 38 | 2965 | |||
| 35 | Mike Wallace | 41 | 25 | 24 | 40 | 34 | 23 | 25 | 27 | 28 | 24 | 29 | 16 | 28 | 31 | 43 | QL₪ | 8 | 25 | 38 | 29 | DNQ | 17 | 14 | 22 | 22 | 19 | 35 | 43 | 35 | DNQ | 36 | DNQ | 2269 | |||||||
| 36 | Bobby Hamilton Jr. | 35 | 20 | 11 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 39 | 35 | 40 | 30 | 36 | DNQ | 21 | 23 | 31 | 38 | 21 | 28 | 23 | 39 | 35 | 35 | 23 | 43 | 29 | 33 | 20 | 43 | 41 | 30 | 39 | 38 | 35 | 36 | 2183 | |||||
| 37 | Robby Gordon | DNQ | 35 | 39 | 34 | DNQ | 20 | 37 | 37 | DNQ | DNQ | 31 | 27 | 29 | 39 | 39 | 16 | 26 | 35 | 30 | 40 | 24 | 2 | 30 | 38 | 34 | 35 | 37 | 39 | 23 | DNQ | 32 | 42 | DNQ | DNQ | 8 | 14 | 2142 | |||
| 38 | Jason Leffler | 36 | 37 | 22 | 25 | 38 | 12 | 36 | 29 | 26 | 38 | 25 | DNQ | 20 | 40 | 20 | 18 | 20 | 24 | 24 | 33 | 1538 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 39 | Kevin Lepage | 9 | 31 | DNQ | 30 | DNQ | 28 | DNQ | 28 | DNQ | 32 | DNQ | 12 | 33 | 38 | 37 | DNQ | 25 | 28 | 37 | 35 | DNQ | 40 | 30 | 36 | 21 | 42 | 33 | DNQ | 35 | 1460 | ||||||||||
| 40 | Terry Labonte | 36 | 18 | 40 | 38 | 12 | 12 | 42 | 36 | 37 | 40 | 27 | 9 | 33 | 31 | 1071 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 41 | Denny Hamlin | 32 | 8 | 8 | 19 | 7 | 13 | 33 | 806 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 42 | Boris Said | 27 | 27 | 35 | DNQ | 17 | 28 | 31 | 3 | 30 | 31 | DNQ | DNQ | 791 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 43 | Johnny Sauter | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | 41 | 41 | 9 | 16 | DNQ | 41 | 40 | 17 | DNQ | 28 | DNQ | 16 | DNQ | DNQ | 39 | 722 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 44 | Hermie Sadler | DNQ | DNQ | 33 | DNQ | 32 | 37 | 29 | DNQ | 29 | 40 | 38 | DNQ | 41 | DNQ | 30 | DNQ | DNQ | 30 | 42 | DNQ | DNQ | QL‡ | Wth | 32 | 717 | |||||||||||||||
| 45 | Bill Elliott | 43 | 22 | 33 | 20 | 35 | 23 | 11 | 40 | 32 | 695 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 46 | Jimmy Spencer | 29 | 21 | 42 | DNQ | 36 | 28 | 36 | 39 | DNQ | 40 | DNQ | 39 | 36 | 31 | 667 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 47 | Martin Truex Jr. | 34 | 29 | 7 | 42 | 28 | 40 | 15 | 589 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 48 | Mike Garvey(R) | 41 | Wth | 43 | 43 | DNQ | 25 | 36 | DNQ | DNQ | 36 | 34 | DNQ | DNQ | 37 | 32 | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | Wth | DNQ | 491 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 49 | Mike Skinner | 30 | 42 | 41 | DNQ | 34 | 29 | 43 | 43 | 43 | 37 | 39 | 487 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 50 | Tony Raines | DNQ | 35 | DNQ | DNQ | 31 | DNQ | 28 | 34 | DNQ | 38 | 22 | DNQ | 419 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 51 | Stanton Barrett(R) | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | 41 | DNQ | DNQ | 30 | DNQ | 31 | 34 | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | 43 | DNQ | 43 | 42 | 389 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 52 | Kenny Wallace | 40 | DNQ | 27 | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | 34 | Wth | 16 | 21 | 376 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 53 | Carl Long | DNQ | DNQ | 42 | DNQ | 43 | 42 | DNQ | DNQ | 42 | DNQ | Wth | 40 | 43 | DNQ | Wth | DNQ | 32 | DNQ | DNQ | 42 | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | 32 | DNQ | DNQ | 356 | |||||||||||||
| 54 | Stuart Kirby | 42 | 31 | DNQ | 41 | 43 | 32 | 37 | 37 | DNQ | DNQ | 352 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 55 | John Andretti | 31 | 29 | 28 | DNQ | Wth | 28 | DNQ | 304 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 56 | J. J. Yeley | QL¿ | 39 | 34 | 25 | 29 | DNQ | 276 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 57 | David Stremme | 16 | QL¶ | 42 | 36 | 42 | 244 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 58 | Scott Pruett | 31 | 4 | 230 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 59 | Ron Fellows | 8 | 25 | 230 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 60 | Bobby Hamilton | 27 | 39 | 30 | 201 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 61 | Kerry Earnhardt | DNQ | 19 | 42 | 39 | 195 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 62 | P. J. Jones | DNQ | DNQ | 32 | DNQ | 41 | DNQ | 42 | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | 41 | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | 189 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 63 | Morgan Shepherd | DNQ | Wth | 40 | DNQ | Wth | DNQ | 42 | 42 | DNQ | Wth | 41 | DNQ | DNQ | Wth | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | 162 | |||||||||||||||
| 64 | Johnny Benson | 42 | 43 | 28 | 150 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 65 | Brian Simo | 10 | 134 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 66 | Randy LaJoie | DNQ | 42 | 36 | DNQ | DNQ | 42 | DNQ | 134 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 67 | Reed Sorenson | 41 | DNQ | 28 | 119 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 68 | Todd Bodine | 20 | 103 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 69 | Clint Bowyer | 22 | 97 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 70 | David Reutimann | 22 | 97 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 71 | Paul Menard | 27 | QL¡ | 82 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 72 | Chris Cook | 28 | DNQ | 79 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 73 | Anthony Lazzaro | 28 | 79 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 74 | Shane Hmiel | 43 | 40 | Wth | 77 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 75 | Johnny Miller | 29 | 76 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 76 | Ted Christopher | 42 | 42 | 74 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 77 | Joey McCarthy | DNQ | DNQ | 31 | DNQ | DNQ | 70 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 78 | Jeff Fuller | DNQ | 43 | DNQ | DNQ | 43 | 68 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 79 | Greg Sacks | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | 43 | 43 | Wth | DNQ | 68 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 80 | Eric McClure(R) | DNQ | DNQ | 32 | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | 67 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 81 | Derrike Cope | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | 32 | DNQ | DNQ | 64 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 82 | Jorge Goeters | 35 | 63 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 83 | Jerry Robertson | 41 | 40 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 84 | Kirk Shelmerdine | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | 42 | DNQ | DNQ | 37 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 85 | Brandon Ash | DNQ | DNQ | 42 | DNQ | 37 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 86 | Tom Hubert | 43 | DNQ | 34 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 87 | Wayne Anderson | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | 43 | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | 34 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 88 | Chad Chaffin | DNQ | QL¥ | 43 | DNQ | 34 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 89 | Larry Gunselman | DNQ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 90 | Andy Belmont | DNQ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 91 | Geoff Bodine | DNQ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 92 | Stan Boyd | DNQ | DNQ | Wth | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 93 | Brad Teague | DNQ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 94 | Steve Portenga | DNQ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 95 | Johnny Borneman III | DNQ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 96 | José Luis Ramírez | DNQ | Wth | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 97 | Bryan Reffner | DNQ | DNQ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 98 | Ryan McGlynn | DNQ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 99 | Jason Jarrett | Wth | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 100 | Dan Pardus | Wth | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 101 | Shane Hall | Wth | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 102 | Bobby Gerhart | QL∞ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 103 | Jon Wood | QL‹› | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 104 | Mark Green | QL# | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pos. | Driver | DAY | CAL | LVS | ATL | BRI | MAR | TEX | PHO | TAL | DAR | RCH | CLT | DOV | POC | MCH | SON | DAY | CHI | NHA | POC | IND | GLN | MCH | BRI | CAL | RCH | NHA | DOV | TAL | KAN | CLT | MAR | ATL | TEX | PHO | HOM | Pts. | |||
| † –Kenny Wallace replacedKurt Busch for the race after Busch was suspended byRoush Racing for the remainder of the season. ‡ –Hermie Sadler originally qualified for the race but was replaced byMike Skinner. ₪ –Mike Wallace qualified for the race, but was replaced byP. J. Jones. ¿ –J. J. Yeley qualified forTony Stewart. ¶ –David Stremme originally replacedSterling Marlin, who had left the track to mourn the death of his fatherCoo Coo Marlin, but was replaced byScott Pruett for the race after Pruett originally failed to qualify in anotherChip Ganassi Racing entry. ¡ –Paul Menard qualified forRobby Gordon. ¥ –Chad Chaffin qualified for the race, but was replaced byBobby Hamilton Jr. ∞ –Bobby Gerhart qualified forCarl Edwards, who was running theBusch Series race atPikes Peak International Raceway. ‹› –Jon Wood qualified forRicky Rudd. † –Mark Green qualified forKyle Petty. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The 2005 Rookie of the Year battle in NEXTEL Cup was pretty much decided halfway into the season. Twenty-year-oldKyle Busch became a phenomenon by winning twice and breaking the record for the youngest driver to win at NASCAR's premier level. Runner-upTravis Kvapil had a modest season, qualifying for every race, but only finishing in the top-ten twice. After that, the field was quite slim, as onlyMike Garvey andStanton Barrett ran more than seven races during the year. The only other declaree,Eric McClure, had resigned from his No. 73Raabe Racing Enterprises ride after the season's third race. And while he had run too many races in 2004 to declare for the ROTY award for 2005,Carl Edwards became the most popular first-year driver – winning four races.