Corey Heim’s win at San Diego puts him in a small group of drivers who have won a NASCAR Cup Series race in their first 15 starts. Corey Heim’s first Cup win came on race 13 of his career, and with that, he joins some elite company. Drivers such as Brad Keselowski, Jimmie Johnson, and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Since the turn of the century, only 7 drivers have won a Cup Series race in their first 15 starts in the series. Corey Heim’s 13th represents only the fourth time since 2012 a driver has done so. All four come in the Next Gen Era.
Here are each first-time winner in their first 15 starts since 2000;
| race # | driver | driver |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | Corey Heim (2026) | Jimmie Johnson (2002) |
| 12 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2000) | |
| 8 | Austin Cindric (2022) | |
| 5 | Brad Keselowski (2009) | |
| 3 | Justin Haley (2019) | |
| 2 | Trevor Bayne (2012) | Jamie McMurray (2002) |
| 1 | Shane van Gisbergen (2023) |
Image: James Gilbert/Getty Images
