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The top three National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) national divisions are: NASCAR Cup Series, operating since 1949; Xfinity Series, operating since 1982; and Camping World Truck Series, operating since 1995. NASCAR drivers who have won in each of top three series are labeled Triple Threats. [1]
Beginning with the inaugural season of the Truck Series in 1995, 36 drivers have accomplished the Triple Threat feat. The first driver to do so was Ken Schrader, with his Truck Series victory at Saugus Speedway on April 15, 1995. The most recent driver to accomplish the feat is Martin Truex Jr., with his Truck Series victory at Bristol Motor Speedway on March 29, 2021.
Below is a list of 36 drivers who have won at least one race in each of NASCAR's three national divisions, through March 29, 2021.
The shortest time from first victory to Triple Threat, and the youngest driver to accomplish the feat, were both achieved by Kyle Busch, who scored his first victory in each series within a 16-month span from May 14, 2004, to September 4, 2005, completing the achievement at 20 years, 4 months of age.
While no driver has achieved all three of their first Triple Threat wins in a single season, seven drivers have gone on to subsequently accomplish a Triple Threat season: Terry Labonte (1995), Kevin Harvick (2003, 2010), Kyle Busch (2005–2011, 2013–2021), Denny Hamlin (2011), Brad Keselowski (2014), Joey Logano (2015), and Kyle Larson (2016).
With his win in the Truck Series race at Martinsville on April 9, 2005, Bobby Labonte became the first driver to complete a Triple Threat at the same track: 1992 Busch Winston Classic; 2002 Winston Cup Virginia 500; and 2005 Craftsman Truck Kroger 250.
With his win in the Cup Series race at Bristol on August 21, 2010, Kyle Busch became the first driver to complete a Triple Threat in the same weekend, winning the Bristol Motor Speedway-hosted: O'Reilly Auto Parts 200; Food City 250; and Irwin Tools Night Race. [2] Busch repeated a one-stop Triple Threat – still the only driver to accomplish the feat – sweeping the three Bristol races on August 16, 18 and 19, 2017.
Showing only their first win in each of the top three NASCAR national divisions, the Triple Threat drivers are:
Driver | 1st Cup Series Win | 1st Xfinity Series Win | 1st Truck Series Win | ||||
1. | Ken Schrader | 07-31-1988 | Talladega | 09-16-1989 | Dover | 04-15-1995 | Saugus |
2. | Terry Labonte | 09-01-1980 | Darlington | 10-05-1985 | Charlotte | 09-07-1995 | Richmond |
3. | Mark Martin | 10-22-1989 | Rockingham | 05-30-1987 | Dover | 09-28-1996 | North Wilkesboro |
4. | Bobby Hamilton | 10-27-1996 | Phoenix | 09-09-1989 | Richmond | 04-10-2000 | Martinsville |
5. | Kevin Harvick | 03-11-2001 | Atlanta | 07-29-2000 | Gateway | 11-08-2002 | Phoenix |
6. | Greg Biffle | 07-05-2003 | Daytona | 04-14-2001 | Nashville SS | 05-08-1999 | Memphis |
7. | Jimmy Spencer | 07-02-1994 | Daytona | 03-25-1989 | Hickory | 09-13-2003 | New Hampshire |
8. | Jamie McMurray | 10-13-2002 | Charlotte | 10-26-2002 | Atlanta | 10-23-2004 | Martinsville |
9. | Tony Stewart | 09-11-1999 | Richmond | 02-19-2005 | Daytona | 09-05-2002 | Richmond |
10. | Steve Park | 08-13-2000 | Watkins Glen | 04-19-1997 | Nashville | 02-25-2005 | Fontana |
11. | Carl Edwards | 03-20-2005 | Atlanta | 03-19-2005 | Atlanta | 07-12-2003 | Kentucky |
12. | Bobby Labonte | 05-28-1995 | Charlotte | 04-13-1991 | Bristol | 04-09-2005 | Martinsville |
13. | Kasey Kahne | 05-14-2005 | Richmond | 11-15-2003 | Homestead | 11-13-2004 | Darlington |
14. | Kyle Busch | 09-04-2005 | Fontana | 05-14-2004 | Richmond | 05-20-2005 | Charlotte |
15. | Ricky Craven | 10-15-2001 | Martinsville | 07-07-1991 | Oxford Plains | 10-22-2005 | Martinsville |
16. | Kurt Busch | 03-24-2002 | Bristol | 04-08-2006 | Texas | 07-01-2000 | Milwaukee |
17. | Johnny Benson Jr. | 11-03-2002 | Rockingham | 9-17-1994 | Dover | 06-17-2006 | Michigan |
18. | Clint Bowyer | 09-16-2007 | New Hampshire | 06-12-2005 | Nashville SS | 11-03-2006 | Texas |
19. | Ryan Newman | 09-15-2002 | New Hampshire | 08-18-2001 | Michigan | 10-25-2008 | Atlanta |
20. | David Reutimann | 05-25-2009 | Charlotte | 10-27-2007 | Memphis | 08-13-2005 | Nashville SS |
21. | Elliott Sadler | 03-25-2001 | Bristol | 05-18-1997 | Nazareth | 07-31-2010 | Pocono |
22. | Michael Waltrip | 02-18-2001 | Daytona | 09-17-1988 | Dover | 02-18-2011 | Daytona |
23. | Denny Hamlin | 06-11-2006 | Pocono | 03-05-2006 | Mexico City | 10-29-2011 | Martinsville |
24. | Aric Almirola | 07-06-2014 | Daytona | 06-23-2007 | Milwaukee | 05-15-2010 | Dover |
25. | Brad Keselowski | 04-26-2009 | Talladega | 06-07-2008 | Nashville SS | 08-21-2014 | Bristol |
26. | Joey Logano | 06-28-2009 | New Hampshire | 06-14-2008 | Kentucky | 03-28-2015 | Martinsville |
27. | Kyle Larson | 08-28-2016 | Michigan | 03-22-2014 | Fontana | 04-14-2013 | Rockingham |
28. | Austin Dillon | 05-28-2017 | Charlotte | 06-29-2012 | Kentucky | 07-11-2010 | Iowa |
29. | Ryan Blaney | 06-11-2017 | Pocono | 09-21-2013 | Kentucky | 09-15-2012 | Iowa |
30. | Erik Jones | 07-07-2018 | Daytona | 04-10-2015 | Texas | 11-08-2013 | Phoenix |
31. | Chase Elliott | 08-05-2018 | Watkins Glen | 04-04-2014 | Texas | 09-01-2013 | Bowmanville |
32. | Justin Haley | 07-07-2019 | Daytona | 06-20-2020 | Talladega | 06-23-2018 | Gateway |
33. | Cole Custer | 07-12-2020 | Kentucky | 11-18-2017 | Homestead | 09-20-2014 | New Hampshire |
34. | William Byron | 08-29-2020 | Daytona | 06-24-2017 | Iowa | 05-06-2016 | Kansas |
35. | Christopher Bell | 02-21-2021 | Daytona RC | 10-21-2017 | Kansas | 07-22-2015 | Eldora |
36. | Martin Truex Jr. | 06-04-2007 | Dover | 03-27-2004 | Bristol | 03-29-2021 | Bristol (Dirt) |
Below is an alphabetical list of drivers with victories in two of the three national series, as of Bubba Wallace's Cup Series victory at Talladega Superspeedway on October 4, 2021.
In the history of NASCAR (through the end of the 2020 NASCAR season), only nine drivers have accomplished championship seasons in more than one of the top three national divisions. Of these, six have championships in both the Cup and Xfinity Series, while three have championships in both the Xfinity and Truck Series.
The feat was first accomplished by Bobby Labonte, with a championship season in the 2000 NASCAR Winston Cup Series to go with his championship season in the 1991 NASCAR Busch Series (now Xfinity Series).
The quickest to accomplish this feat, from the start of his NASCAR career, is Austin Dillon, who started NASCAR racing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East in 2008 and had won national championships in both the Xfinity and Truck Series by 2013.
Driver | 1st Cup Championship | 1st Xfinity Championship | 1st Truck Championship | ||||
1. | Bobby Labonte | 2000 Champion | Winston Cup Series | 1991 Champion | Busch Series | ||
2. | Greg Biffle | 2002 Champion | Busch Series | 2000 Champion | Craftsman Truck Series | ||
3. | Johnny Benson Jr. | 1995 Champion | Busch Series | 2008 Champion | Craftsman Truck Series | ||
4. | Brad Keselowski | 2012 Champion | Sprint Cup Series | 2010 Champion | Nationwide Series | ||
5. | Austin Dillon | 2013 Champion | Nationwide Series | 2011 Champion | Camping World Truck Series | ||
6. | Kevin Harvick | 2014 Champion | Sprint Cup Series | 2001 Champion | Busch Series | ||
7. | Kyle Busch | 2015 Champion | Sprint Cup Series | 2009 Champion | Nationwide Series | ||
8. | Martin Truex Jr. | 2017 Champion | Monster Energy Cup Series | 2004 Champion | Busch Series | ||
9. | Chase Elliott | 2020 Champion | Cup Series | 2014 Champion | Nationwide Series |
Accomplished Triple Threat in career |
Robert Allen Labonte is an American semi-retired professional stock car racing driver and current analyst for NASCAR on Fox. He also currently competes part-time in the Superstar Racing Experience, driving the No. 18 car. Labonte is the 2000 NASCAR Cup Series champion. He and his older brother, Terry Labonte, are one of only two pairs of brothers to have both won the Cup championships. He is also the uncle of former Xfinity Series race winner Justin Labonte.
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is a pickup truck racing series owned and operated by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, and is the only series in NASCAR to race modified-production pickup trucks. The series is one of three national divisions of NASCAR, ranking as the third tier behind the second-tier NASCAR Xfinity Series and the top level NASCAR Cup Series. Camping World has been the title sponsor since 2009; it replaced Craftsman, which served in that role from 1996 through 2008.
Terrance Lee Labonte is an American former stock car driver who raced from 1978 to 2014 in the former NASCAR Winston Cup and Sprint Cup Series. A two-time Cup Series champion and 1989 IROC champion, he is the older brother of 2000 Cup Series champion Bobby Labonte, and the father of former Nationwide Series driver Justin Labonte. He also co-owns a Chevrolet dealership in Greensboro, North Carolina with Rick Hendrick. He appeared on the CBS series The Dukes of Hazzard in 1984, where he played an unnamed pit crew member.
Kevin Michael Harvick, nicknamed "The Closer" and "Happy Harvick," is an American professional racing driver. A veteran of stock car racing, he competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 4 Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing.
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Jonathan Benson Jr. is an American retired stock car racing driver and the son of former Michigan modified driver John Benson Sr. Benson has raced across NASCAR's three national series, and his career highlights include the 1993 American Speed Association AC-Delco Challenge series championship, the 1995 NASCAR Busch Series championship, the 1996 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Rookie of the Year Award, and the 2008 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship.
Charles Robert Hamilton Sr. was an American stock car racing driver. A driver and owner in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series circuit and the winner of the 2004 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship, Hamilton owned Bobby Hamilton Racing. Hamilton's son, Bobby Hamilton Jr., is also a NASCAR driver.
The Dixie Vodka 400 is a NASCAR Cup Series race held at Homestead–Miami Speedway in Homestead, Florida. The inaugural race was held in 1999 and was the final race in the NASCAR Cup Series from 2002 until 2019, as well as the final race of the NASCAR Cup Series' NASCAR Cup Series playoffs from 2004 to 2019. As the season finale, it was also part of the Ford Championship Weekend, which consisted of two other races, the Ford EcoBoost 200 for the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series and the Ford EcoBoost 300 for the NASCAR Xfinity Series. The race is contested over 267 laps, 400.5 miles (644.542 km). William Byron is the defending winner of the event.
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Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) is an American professional stock car racing organization owned and operated by former Washington Redskins coach Joe Gibbs, which first started racing on the NASCAR circuit in 1991. His son, J. D. Gibbs, ran the team with him until his death in 2019. Headquartered in Huntersville, North Carolina, roughly 10 miles (16 km) northwest of Charlotte Motor Speedway, the team has amassed five Cup Series championships since the year 2000.
Jason Anthony Jarrett is an American race car spotter for 23XI Racing, JR Motorsports, and On Point Motorsports. A former driver in the NASCAR Busch Series and ARCA Racing Series, he has not driven in competition since 2005. Jarrett is the son of 1999 NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion Dale Jarrett and the grandson of two-time champion Ned Jarrett.
The 2000 NASCAR Winston Cup Series was the 52nd season of professional stock car racing in the United States, and was the 29th modern-era Cup series. The season began on February 13 and ended on November 20. Joe Gibbs Racing driver Bobby Labonte was crowned champion at season's end. The NASCAR Manufacturers' Championship was won by Ford as they captured 14 wins and 234 points to better Pontiac's 11 wins and 213 points. Chevrolet finished third with nine wins and 199 points.
The 2001 NASCAR Winston Cup Series was the 53rd season of professional stock car racing in the United States, the 30th modern-era Cup series. It began on February 11, 2001, at Daytona International Speedway and ended on November 23, 2001, at New Hampshire International Speedway. Jeff Gordon of Hendrick Motorsports was declared as the series champion for the fourth time in seven years.
Since 2002, NASCAR's top three racing series have closed their season with a weekend designed to crown each series' champion, officially known as NASCAR Championship Weekend.
Erik Benjamin Jones is an American professional stock car racing driver who competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 43 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE for Petty GMS Motorsports as well as part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 31 Chevrolet Camaro for Jordan Anderson Racing. His nicknames are EJ, his initials, and That Jones Boy, given to him by announcer Ken Squier. Until 2021, Jones had spent his entire NASCAR and ARCA career with Toyota, and while in their driver development program, he won the 2015 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship.
The 2018 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series was the 24th season of the third highest stock car racing series sanctioned by NASCAR in North America. Christopher Bell entered as the defending champion, but he did not defend his championship, leaving his No. 4 Kyle Busch Motorsports entry to a number of drivers throughout the season, with Todd Gilliland covering the majority of the schedule in the truck. Title sponsor Camping World Holdings rebranded the series with their Gander Outdoors brand they acquired in 2017 for the 2019 season, replacing the Camping World brand.
The Bass Pro Shops Night Race is a NASCAR Cup Series stock car race held at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee. It is one of two NASCAR Cup Series races held at Bristol, the other being the Food City 500, but it is by far the more popular of the two. From 1978 to 2019, the race has been held in late August, typically on the last weekend of the month, on a Saturday night.
Kyle Thomas Busch or "Rowdy Busch" is an American professional stock car racing driver and team owner. As of 2021, he competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 18 Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing, part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 54 Toyota Supra for JGR, and part-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, driving the No. 51 Toyota Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports. KBM runs multiple trucks in the Truck Series. Busch is the 2009 NASCAR Nationwide Series champion and the 2015 and 2019 Cup Series champion.