After Tyler Reddick, who will be the next first-time winner in the NASCAR Cup Series? – Ryan O., New Orleans
Austin Cindric, Chase Briscoe, Ross Chastain, Daniel Suarez, Tyler Reddick: the 2022 Cup Series season has seen five first-time winners, the most in one year since 2011. With only 18 of 36 races in the bag, you would think we’re on track for more.
Except … who’s left in the field that hasn’t won?
Bubba Wallace, Justin Haley and Chris Buescher all own one victory each, as does dark horse top-10 collector Michael McDowell. Part-time road-course ringer AJ Allmendinger has won twice. Even Cole Custer, who hasn’t finished in the top 10 in over a year, won at Kentucky Speedway in 2020.
While I wouldn’t count out any of these guys to shake up the playoff picture with a surprise underdog win, it wouldn’t be the first time for any of them.
Neither of the winless second-generation rookies (Harrison Burton and Todd Gilliland) has shown the speed in their young careers to mix it up at the front, and while both Spire Motorsports and Rick Ware Racing have improved by leaps and bounds, neither Corey LaJoie (Spire No. 7) nor Cody Ware (RWR No. 51) are likely to have race-winning speed any time soon.
That leaves Ty Dillon, doesn’t it?
After an embarrassing debut in the Petty GMS Motorsports No. 42 at the Clash, hitting everything but the pace car and getting thrown out of the main for a restart violation, the younger Dillon brother has kept his Camaro mostly clean ever since. Sitting 26th in points with a best finish of 10th, Dillon hasn’t had many of the headline-stealing performances of his teammate Erik Jones but has quietly readjusted to full-time competition after sitting out 2021.
A Dillon victory would certainly be the biggest upset in a season of upsets, but I’m not ready to put all my eggs in basket No. 42. Could the next first-time winner come from outside the current Cup field?
Well, the last Silly Season domino to fall is Stewart-Haas Racing’s No. 10. Currently driven by three-time winner Aric Almirola, experienced Cup drivers Ryan Preece and John Hunter Nemechek are on the shortlist to replace him. Could it be the mystery driver of SHR’s fourth car that scores a first win next?
While both Nemechek and Preece are experienced and capable wheelmen, I’m not sure either of them could hop right in the No. 10 and win immediately. It’s not controversial to say that SHR has been a step behind ever since Kevin Harvick’s…
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