Over the last decade, we, as NASCAR fans, have noticed a change in drivers’ career longevity. Gone are the days of drivers racing for 20 to 30 years. In the 2010s and the 2020s, drivers careers seem to be shrinking. Gone are the days of talent reigning supreme, and now we sit in an era of “who you know” and not what you can do. Newman is gone, Kurt is gone, Biffle is gone. Title contending drivers whose careers were cut shorter than hoped.

However, standouts such as Truex, McDowell, Hamlin, Kyle Busch, and a select few others hold strong. But there are drivers currently in Cup or just now dabbling into NASCAR who you will be seeing a lot more of over the next decade-plus.

The drivers on this list are not in any order, and of course, there are many others we can mention. Maybe a part 2 will come in the future?

Connor Zilicsh

Excuse my French… But wholly shit, can this kid wheel a race car. In his first Career Craftsman Truck Series start at COTA, this Kid ran from Pole to the back of the pack, then all the way back to a fourth-place finish. He won his Class at the Rolex 24-Hour race at Daytona. Most recently, he scored his first career CARS Tour win. The 17-year-old Charlotte native signed a multi-year development deal with the booming TrackHouse Racing team this year, is tasked with wheeling the Junior Motorsports 88 later in the season, and just today added 3 more Truck Series Starts in 2024.

Carson Kvapil

The 20-year-old son of former NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Champion Travis Kvapil is now a 10-time winner in the CARS Late Model Tour and a 3x Champion. Carson impressed in front of a heavy crowd for his first career Xfinity Series start in the No. 88 Junior Motorsports Camaro at Martinsville just a couple weekends ago, where he finished with a top-5.

Bubba Wallace

Unlike the first two mentions, Wallace has already been around Cup full-time since 2018 and NASCAR’s top 3 Series since 2012. Wallace has multiple wins in NASCAR’s National Series and, despite critics, has constantly improved year over year. In 2023, Wallace even made his first appearance in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs and a fantastic top 10 standing for the season. Wallace is one of the most marketable drivers in the entire sport and has a very loyal fanbase. Add that together, and you will have a long career in the sport.

Chandler Smith

In 2024, Smith is in his second year in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Last season, Chandler won for Kaulig Racing, and this season, he has already won for Joe Gibbs Racing, where he currently resides atop the series standings. Smith is, without a doubt, a talented driver who is just beginning to stretch his legs in the sport. He made three Cup starts for Kaulig in 2023, so he has experience (all, be it limited) in the Gen 7 car as well. Chandler is definitely a title contender in 2024 in Xfinity, and the sky is the limit for the Georga native.

Cole Custer

Fresh off an Xfinity Series Championship, Custer proved, again, that he belongs in the sport. Custer spent three years full-time in the Cup Series for Stewart-Haas Racing, where he scored a single victory at Kentucky. He was forced back down to the Xfinity Series in 2023, where he went out swinging, netting 3 race wins en route to his championship. Whether he remains a lifer in Xfinity or moves back up to Cup, Cole Custer will be around for a long time to come.