Winning in the NASCAR Cup Series has never been harder than it is today; meanwhile, more and more drivers are finding their way to Victory Lane. It is harder to dominate the series than at nearly any point in the sport’s history, and despite some fans arguing otherwise, there is truly massive parity today. Since the introduction of the Next Gen car in 2022, the lowest winner count has been 15 in both 2023 and 2025.
But one of the biggest stories isn’t the number of winners, it’s the number of drivers who have NOT won. Only 11 drivers who currently run full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series have not yet won in their careers. Three of those drivers have been knocking on that door this season.
Winless Cup Drivers
- Ryan Preece
- Carson Hocevar
- Zane Smith
- Connor Zilisch
- John Hunter Nemechek
- Todd Gilliland
- Ty Dillon
- Riley Herbst
- Cody Ware
- Ty Gibbs
- Noah Gragson
Carson Hocevar, Ty Gibbs, and Ryan Preece are all drivers who have shown tons of speed so far in 2026. Either of these drivers appear that they could win on any given weekend. Connor Zilisch is a rookie with a ton of potential. The rest of these drivers have had a year or more behind the wheel of a Cup car but have just not yet found their way to Victory Lane.
Image Credit: Patrick Vallely
