NASCAR Power Rankings: Looking back at drivers’ first career Cup wins

Bob Pockrass

FOX NASCAR Insider

When Harrison Burton won Sunday at Daytona, it was the first time a full-time series driver had won their first career race since 2022, a year where four drivers — Austin Cindric, Chase Briscoe, Daniel Suarez and Tyler Reddick — earned their first Cup victory. It was Burton’s 98th career Cup start.

Last year, Shane van Gisbergen won in his Cup debut at the Chicago street course in what was then supposed to be just a one-off race for the three-time Supercars champion.

So I thought it would be fun to look back at my current top-10 power ranking drivers at their first victory. The rankings are based primarily on performance in the last several weeks:

1. Tyler Reddick (Last Week: 1)

Reddick’s first Cup win came at Road America in July 2022. One of the most memorable moments were photos of his son, Beau, asleep in victory lane. It was a big victory for Richard Childress Racing and Reddick. It was Reddick’s 92nd career Cup start.

2. Christopher Bell (LW: 6)

Bell’s first victory came in the second race of the 2021 season (his 38th career start) on the Daytona road course as he passed Joey Logano for the victory. He made the pass on the fronstretch chicane coming to the white flag.

3. Kyle Larson (LW: 3)

Larson’s first win came in August 2016 at Michigan in a race where he took the lead from future teammate Chase Elliott (Larson was driving for Ganassi at the time) on a restart with nine laps to go and held him off for the win. Both drivers spun their tires on the restart but Elliott also got hit by Ryan Blaney. It was Larson’s 99th career Cup start.

4. Denny Hamlin (LW: 2)

Hamlin’s first career victory came in June 2006 at Pocono. He led the final 24 laps (and 83 total) but it wasn’t easy — he had to hold the lead on two restarts in the final 10 laps to capture the win as he crossed the finish line ahead of Kurt Busch and Tony Stewart. It was just his 21st career Cup start.

5. Brad Keselowski (LW: 7)

Keselowski’s first career win was one of the most memorable as he won at Talladega in April 2009 when driving a part-time Cup schedule for team owner James Finch — and it was just his fifth career Cup start. It was the race where he and Carl Edwards were jockeying for the win, Edwards got turned in trying to block Keselowski and then launched airborne into the catchfence following contact with Ryan Newman.

6. William Byron (LW: 4)

Byron’s first victory was a walk-off into the playoffs as he captured the regular-season finale in August 2020 at Daytona. It also is notable in that it was the last victory for Chad Knaus as a crew chief. It was Byron’s 98th career Cup start.

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7. Chase Elliott (LW: 5)

Elliott’s first win came in August 2018 at Watkins Glen in a race where he led 52 of the 90 laps. He won by more than seven seconds but it wasn’t like it was a real cruise to the finish — he and Martin Truex Jr. battled while trying to save fuel. Elliott went way wide in Turn 1 that allowed Truex to reach his bumper before Truex ended up running out of gas on the final lap. It was Elliott’s 99th career Cup start.

8. Ryan Blaney (LW: 8)

Blaney’s first win came in June 2017 at Pocono. What was also notable about it? Until Sunday, it was the most recent victory for the iconic Wood Brothers Racing team. He passed Kyle Busch with 10 laps to go for the win in his 68th career Cup start.

9. Ty Gibbs (LW: 10)

Gibbs still seeks his first Cup win. He has 11 career top-5s in 76 Cup starts.

10. Bubba Wallace (LW: 9)

Wallace’s first Cup victory came in October 2021 at Talladega, a Monday race that followed a rainout the day prior. He diced his way to the lead as the drivers knew the rain was coming and was leading when the caution came out for an accident on Lap 116. The rains followed and he was declared the winner in his 143rd career Cup start.

Dropped out: None

On the verge: Alex Bowman, Chris Buescher, Kyle Busch, Ross Chastain, Joey Logano, Martin Truex Jr.

Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass.