2013 NASCAR Cup Series

The 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series was the 65th season of professional in the United States and the 42nd modern-era Cup season. The season began on February 16, 2013, at Daytona International Speedway, with the Sprint Unlimited, followed by the Daytona 500 on February 24. The season ended with the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 17.

The 2013 season was the first season using the Generation 6 race car, the Car of tomorrow's successor, and marked the return to the qualifying procedure that was used before the 2005 season. However, at the two road courses on the schedule drivers qualified in groups instead of single laps. In September 2012, NASCAR removed a ban introduced in the 2008 season on testing at tracks that were on any of the premier series' schedules, replacing it with a testing limit.

Chevrolet entered the season as the reigning Manufacturer's Champions, while Brad Keselowski was the reigning Drivers' Champion. However, because Keselowski failed to make the Chase, he was unable to defend his title.

This was the last season for Jason Leffler, as he took his last start at the 2013 Party in the Poconos 400 for Humphrey Smith Racing in the no. 19 Toyota. He finished 43rd after only completing 8 laps. He died in a Sprint Car accident 3 days later.

There were 40 full-time teams in 2013.

Penske Racing changed their manufacturer to Ford after being with Dodge since 2003. Penske had collaborated with the Ford corporation from 1994 through 2002. During the off-season, Inception Motorsports was purchased by Swan Energy Inc. CEO Brandon Davis, renaming the team to Swan Racing. However, David Stremme remained as the driver of the team's car.Tommy Baldwin Racing changed the number of their primary car from 36 to 7 in honor of former Modified Series driver Tom Baldwin, Sr., the father of team owner Tommy Baldwin, Jr. During the season, James Finch announced that he would sell Phoenix Racing, and that his final race as owner of the team would be the Crown Royal presents the Samuel Deeds 400 at the Brickyard which was later changed to the AdvoCare 500.

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