To win the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship a driver must earn more points than any other driver during the 36-race season, beginning in February and ending in November. The point system awards points to every driver who starts a race, with the winner receiving the most points and the last-place driver receiving the fewest points.
Each week 43 cars start the race. The number of points awarded for each finishing position is as follows:
| Finish | Points Awarded | |
| 1 | 185 | 15-Point Differential |
| 2 | 170 | 5-Point Differential |
| 3 | 165 | |
| 4 | 160 | |
| 5 | 155 | |
| 6 | 150 | 4-Point Differential |
| 7 | 146 | |
| 8 | 142 | |
| 9 | 138 | |
| 10 | 134 | |
| 11 | 130 | 3-Point Differential |
| 12 | 127 | |
| 13 | 124 | |
| 14 | 121 | |
| 15 | 118 | |
| 16 | 115 | |
| 17 | 112 | |
| 18 | 109 | |
| 19 | 106 | |
| 20 | 103 | |
| 21 | 100 | |
| 22 | 97 | |
| 23 | 94 | |
| 24 | 91 | |
| 25 | 88 | |
| 26 | 85 | |
| 27 | 82 | |
| 28 | 79 | |
| 29 | 76 | |
| 30 | 73 | |
| 31 | 70 | |
| 32 | 67 | |
| 33 | 64 | |
| 34 | 61 | |
| 35 | 58 | |
| 36 | 55 | |
| 37 | 52 | |
| 38 | 49 | |
| 39 | 46 | |
| 40 | 43 | |
| 41 | 40 | |
| 42 | 37 | |
| 43 | 34 |
In an effort to add excitement and put more emphasis on winning, in 2004 NASCAR made changes to the point system that had been in place since 1975. The new changes were aimed at increasing attendance and TV ratings that drop in the fall because of competition from the World Series and NFL.
The "Chase for the Championship" begins after the first 26 races. The top ten drivers in points standing as well as any other drivers within 400 points of the leader earns a berth in the "Chase."
In 2007, the 400-point cutoff was eliminated and the top 12 drivers in the points after Race 26 now qualify for the Chase. All 12 drivers have their point totals re-set to 5,000; each then receive a 10-point bonus for each race victory they had during the first 26 races. The drivers not involved in the championship keep the points they have earned to that point in the season.
The new adjustments are aimed at putting a greater emphasis on winning races and making the Chase for the championship even more exciting for race fans and more competitive for the teams.
Race winners throughout the 36-race season receive 185 points.
Counting the five-point bonuses available for leading at least one lap and leading the most laps, a race winner can earn a maximum of 195 points, creating a possible maximum of 25 points between first- and second-place finishers.
In addition to the regular points that drivers and teams receive for competing in a race, they can also earn bonus points:
NASCAR awards points to the driver who starts the race, therefore a driver must complete one lap of a race in order to earn points. Sometimes drivers with the flu, broken bones, or other ailments will complete one lap on race day before being replaced by a relief driver in order to earn those points. If the relief driver finishes well, the injured driver receives the points because he started the race. A relief driver may be a driver who had mechanical problems with his car and retired from the race early or a NASCAR Busch Series driver who happens to be at the race that day.
Drivers earn points for the races he competes in, whatever car he drives. A car owner earns points whenever his car is in a race, no matter who is driving it. Driver points accumulate toward the championship, while owner points accumulate to help teams obtain provisional qualifying entries.