What’s Happening?

For any driver, finding victory lane is the pinnacle of their career. However, not every driver is lucky enough to find victory lane during their career. In 2026, rookies, veterans, and everyone in between will fight across 36 races in hopes of finding victory lane for the first time.

This list will be limited to full-time Cup Series drivers. Drivers competing part-time are not eligible, but adjustments can be made in the event of a driver swap.

This list will start with the driver with the fewest number of career starts in the NASCAR Cup Series and end with the driver with the most. These streaks can span all the way from single digits to triple digits.

Last season, Josh Berry removed his name from this list, winning at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in his 52nd career NASCAR Cup Series start.

3 Starts – Connor Zilisch – No. 88 – Trackhouse Racing

Zilisch enters the 2026 season with just three starts under his belt, none at short tracks and none at super speedways. While he adjusted to the Xfinity Series rather quickly, this Cup Series will likely come as a sharper learning curve for the 19-year-old.

44 Starts – Riley Herbst – No. 35 – 23XI Racing

Despite showing promise in sporadic starts leading up to the 2025 season, Riley Herbst had one of the toughest rookie seasons in recent NASCAR history. While the pressure will be on in 2026, Herbst has overcome a similar situation before, coming quite a ways from his rookie season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2020.

81 Starts – Carson Hocevar – No. 77 – Spire Motorsports

After his impressive rookie campaign in 2024, Hocevar improved yet again in 2025, scoring better counting stats, his first career pole, and a much-improved average starting spot. The No. 77 came close twice in 2025, and it is only a matter of time before the stars align for Hocevar and Spire.

81 Starts – Zane Smith – No. 38 – Front Row Motorsports

Zane Smith made his return to Front Row Motorsports this past season, and, despite all-around struggles from the team, the No. 38 seemed like FRM’s most consistent option from start to finish. Smith still has a way to go until he is a real threat week in and week out, but once he finds his groove in the Cup Series, a win will likely follow soon after.

111 Starts – Noah Gragson – No. 4 – Front Row Motorsports

Noah Gragson is entering his first NASCAR Cup Series season, in which he will return to the team he raced with the year prior. The 2025 season was very challenging for Gragson, but maybe some consistency will pay off and help the fan favorite driver score his first win in 2026.

113 Starts – John Hunter Nemechek – No. 42 – Legacy Motor Club

John Hunter Nemechek may not have won his first race in 2025, but his year-to-year improvement cannot be overlooked. Entering 2026, he and his Legacy Motor Club teammate Erik Jones have a knack for racing at Darlington, and maybe Nemechek can turn his 2025 Southern 500 run into a win this season.

123 Starts – Ty Gibbs – No. 54 – Joe Gibbs Racing

It never felt like the No. 54 team found its footing during the 2025 season. Following a crew chief change and a difficult end to 2024, Gibbs and company found themselves starting where the team left off in 2024, and though he came close to winning at Bristol, the odds did not fall in his favor, keeping his winless streak alive for yet another season.

142 Starts – Cody Ware – No. 51 – Rick Ware Racing

Much like his family’s team, Cody Ware has yet to find a way to win after many years racing in NASCAR’s highest level. Though he may not impress every week, that No. 51 is often at the front of the field during superspeedway races, and if his timing is right, that could pay off in the long run.

144 Starts – Todd Gilliland – No. 34 – Front Row Motorsports

Todd Gilliland took on the role of veteran for Front Row Motorsports in 2025, but failed to build on the gains he made during the 2024 season. As always, FRM had fast cars on superspeedways in 2025, and this will likely carry into the 2026 season, with Gilliand’s knack for racing on drafting tracks, which could be his most likely route to his first win.

223 Starts – Ryan Preece – No. 60 – RFK Racing

After a solid first season at RFK Racing, the vibe around Ryan Preece has shifted from ‘will he match expectations’ to ‘when will he finally win?’ The short track ace will have many opportunities to do so during his second year with the team, and his countdown to victory lane seems to be slowly coming to an end.

281 Starts – Ty Dillon – No. 10 – Kaulig Racing

Ty Dillon has had one of the toughest careers in the NASCAR Cup Series, and despite outperforming his equipment at times and frequent team changes, Dillon remained winless in his first year with Kaulig Racing. The second-generation racer has a hunger to win and hasn’t given up yet, and maybe 2026 will be his season to break this streak.

This list will be updated as the season goes on and drivers get their first wins.