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See the full story · 1 sourcesFor every NASCAR Cup Series driver, winning a championship is the ultimate goal. But when it comes to individual races, four events stand above the rest.
Known collectively as NASCAR’s Crown Jewel races, these iconic events carry a level of prestige that few victories can match. They combine decades of history, unique traditions, massive crowds, and some of the toughest challenges on the schedule. A win in any one of them can define a driver’s career. Winning all four places them among NASCAR’s all-time greats.
While NASCAR has never formally codified the term in its rulebook, today’s Crown Jewel races are widely recognized as the Daytona 500, Coca-Cola 600, Southern 500, and Brickyard 400.
Here’s everything fans need to know about the sport’s biggest events.
Why are they called NASCAR’s Crown Jewel races?
Much like golf’s four majors or tennis’ Grand Slam tournaments, NASCAR’s Crown Jewel races are considered the premier events on the Cup Series calendar.
Each race has earned its reputation for different reasons.
The Daytona 500 is the sport’s biggest spectacle and season-opening showcase. The Coca-Cola 600 is NASCAR’s longest and most physically demanding race. The Southern 500 is steeped in history at one of the most challenging tracks on the schedule. The Brickyard 400 brings the prestige of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, one of the most famous racing venues in the world.
Together, they represent the four races nearly every driver wants on their résumé.
The four NASCAR Crown Jewel races
Daytona 500
Held each February at Daytona International Speedway, the Daytona 500 opens the NASCAR Cup Series season and is widely regarded as the sport’s biggest race.
Nicknamed “The Great American Race,” the 500-mile event is NASCAR’s equivalent of the Super Bowl in terms of prestige and attention. Winning the Daytona 500 often becomes the defining accomplishment of a driver’s career.
Richard Petty holds the event record with seven Daytona 500 victories.
Coca-Cola 600
Run on Memorial Day weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the Coca-Cola 600 is the longest race on the NASCAR calendar at 600 miles.
The event is known for testing every aspect of a race team, from mechanical durability to strategy and driver endurance. It also features one of NASCAR’s most recognizable traditions as the race begins in daylight and ends under the lights.
Darrell Waltrip owns the record with five Coca-Cola 600 victories.
Southern 500
The Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway is one of NASCAR’s oldest and most respected events.
First held in 1950, the race helped establish Darlington’s reputation as “Too Tough To Tame.” The egg-shaped oval is famous for wearing out tires, punishing mistakes, and rewarding patience over raw speed.
Jeff Gordon won the Southern 500 a record six times.
Brickyard 400
Although it didn’t debut until 1994, the Brickyard 400 quickly became one of NASCAR’s premier events because of its home at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Winning at Indianapolis carries unique significance across all forms of motorsports, and NASCAR drivers celebrate by participating in the famous “Kiss the Bricks” tradition on the start-finish line.
Jeff Gordon holds the Brickyard 400 record with five victories.
Have NASCAR’s Crown Jewel races changed over time?
Today’s list is widely accepted across the NASCAR industry, but it hasn’t always looked exactly the same.
Before the Brickyard 400 debuted in 1994, many fans viewed the Winston 500 at Talladega Superspeedway as one of the sport’s premier events, particularly during the Winston Million era. The lucrative bonus program rewarded drivers who could win three of NASCAR’s four biggest races in a single season.
As the Brickyard 400 grew into one of NASCAR’s marquee events, it gradually replaced Talladega’s Winston 500 in most discussions surrounding the modern Crown Jewel races.
Which drivers have won the most NASCAR Crown Jewel races?
Jeff Gordon sits atop NASCAR history with 17 Crown Jewel victories across the Daytona 500, Coca-Cola 600, Southern 500, and Brickyard 400.
The all-time leaders are:
Jeff Gordon: 17
Jimmie Johnson : 12
Richard Petty: 10
Bobby Allison: 10
Cale Yarborough: 9
Kevin Harvick: 8
Dale Earnhardt: 8
Darrell Waltrip: 7
David Pearson: 7
Denny Hamlin: 7 (most among active drivers)
Hamlin currently owns the most Crown Jewel victories among active Cup Series drivers, thanks to multiple Daytona 500 wins along with victories in the Coca-Cola 600, Southern 500, and Brickyard 400.
Has anyone won all four NASCAR Crown Jewel races?
Yes, but it’s an exclusive club.
Only four drivers have completed NASCAR’s modern career Crown Jewel Grand Slam by winning all four races:
Dale Earnhardt
Jeff Gordon
Kevin Harvick
Jimmie Johnson
No driver has won all four modern Crown Jewel races in a single season.
As NASCAR continues to evolve with new venues and schedule changes, debate occasionally surfaces about whether another race deserves Crown Jewel status. For now, however, the Daytona 500, Coca-Cola 600, Southern 500, and Brickyard 400 remain the four victories every driver covets and every fan recognizes as among the sport’s biggest accomplishments.
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