| Year | Champion | Rookie of the Year | Finish | Series Title |
| 2008 | Jimmie Johnson | Regan Smith | 34th | Sprint Nextel Cup |
| 2007 | Jimmie Johnson | Juan Montoya | 20th | NASCAR Nextel Cup |
| 2006 | Jimmie Johnson | Denny Hamlin | 3rd | |
| 2005 | Tony Stewart | Kyle Busch | 20th | |
| 2004 | Kurt Busch | Kasey Kahne | 13th | |
| 2003 | Matt Kenseth | Jammie McMurray | 13th | NASCAR Winston Cup |
| 2002 | Tony Stewart | Ryan Newman | 6th | |
| 2001 | Jeff Gordon | Kevin Harvick | 9th | |
| 2000 | Bobby Labonte | Matt Kenseth | 14th | |
| 1999 | Dale Jarrett | Tony Stewart | 4th | |
| 1998 | Jeff Gordon | Kenny Irwin | 28th | |
| 1997 | Jeff Gordon | Mike Skinner | 30th | |
| 1996 | Terry Labonte | Johnny Benson, Jr | 21st | |
| 1995 | Jeff Gordon | Ricky Craven | 24th | |
| 1994 | Dale Earnhardt | Jeff Burton | 24th | |
| 1993 | Dale Earnhardt | Jeff Gordon | 14th | |
| 1992 | Alan Kulwicki | Jimmy Hensley | 28th | |
| 1991 | Dale Earnhardt | Bobby Hamilton | 22nd | |
| 1990 | Dale Earnhardt | Rob Moroso | 30th | |
| 1989 | Rusty Wallace | Dick Trickle | 15th | |
| 1988 | Bill Elliott | Ken Bouchard | 25th | |
| 1987 | Dale Earnhardt | Davey Allison | 21st | |
| 1986 | Dale Earnhardt | Alan Kulwicki | 21st | |
| 1985 | Darrell Waltrip | Ken Schrader | 16th | |
| 1984 | Terry Labonte | Rusty Wallace | 14th | |
| 1983 | Bobby Allison | Sterling Marlin | 19th | |
| 1982 | Darrell Waltrip | Geoff Bodine | 22nd | |
| 1981 | Darrell Waltrip | Ron Bouchard | 21st | |
| 1980 | Dale Earnhardt | Jody Ridley | 7th | |
| 1979 | Richard Petty | Dale Earnhardt | 7th | |
| 1978 | Cale Yarborough | Ronnie Thomas | 17th | |
| 1977 | Cale Yarborough | Ricky Rudd | 17th | |
| 1976 | Cale Yarborough | Skip Manning | 18th | |
| 1975 | Richard Petty | Bruce Hill | 16th | |
| 1974 | Richard Petty | Earl Ross | 8th | |
| 1973 | Benny Parsons | Lennie Pond | 23rd | |
| 1972 | Richard Petty | Larry Smith | 23rd | |
| 1971 | Richard Petty | Walter Ballard | 10th | NASCAR Grand National Series |
| 1970 | Bobby Isaac | Bill Dennis | 25th | |
| 1969 | David Pearson | Dick Brooks | 21st | |
| 1968 | David Pearson | Pete Hamilton | 32nd | |
| 1967 | Richard Petty | Donnie Allison | 16th | |
| 1966 | David Pearson | James Hylton | 2nd | |
| 1965 | Ned Jarrett | Sam McQuagg | 24th | |
| 1964 | Richard Petty | Doug Cooper | 21st | |
| 1963 | Joe Weatherly | Billy Wade | 16th | |
| 1962 | Joe Weatherly | Tom Cox | 18th | |
| 1961 | Ned Jarrett | Woodie Wilson | 41st | |
| 1960 | Rex White | David Pearson | 23rd | |
| 1959 | Lee Petty | Richard Petty | 15th | |
| 1958 | Lee Petty | Shorty Rollins | 4th | |
| 1957 | Buck Baker | Ken Rush | 38th | |
| 1956 | Buck Baker | Could not find these Rookie records | ||
| 1955 | Tim Flock | |||
| 1954 | Lee Petty | |||
| 1953 | Herb Thomas | |||
| 1952 | Tim Flock | |||
| 1951 | Herb Thomas | |||
| 1950 | Bill Rexford | |||
| 1949 | Red Byron | Strictly Stock Div | ||
