5 NASCAR rookie drivers with most wins in their debut season feat. Shane van Gisbergen

In the NASCAR Cup Series, even the most accomplished newcomers often struggle to adjust, no matter how dominant they were in lower-tier series. However, some wasted no time in leaving their mark, collecting multiple wins early in their rookie season—most notably Shane van Gisbergen, who has already scored four victories this year.

Shane van Gisbergen already tops the all-time rookie wins list with ten races still left on the 2025 schedule. All four of his victories have come on road courses, namely Mexico City, Sonoma, the Chicago street race, and Watkins Glen. With the Charlotte Roval looming in the Round of 12, he could be poised for another trip to victory lane—provided he makes it through the Round of 16.

With Shane van Gisbergen proving that rookies can still shine in NASCAR’s top level, it’s worth looking back at the first-year drivers who made their own mark in the past. Below is a list of rookies with the most wins in a single season—excluding SVG, since the story of 2025 is still being written.

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1. Jimmie Johnson - three wins in 2002

Jimmie Johnson ran his rookie NASCAR Cup Series season with Hendrick Motorsports in 2002. Driving the #48 Chevrolet, the Californian scored three wins that year from Auto Club Speedway and the two stops at Dover.

Jimmie Johnson won at Auto Club Speedway in 2002 - Source: Getty

Johnson eventually concluded his career with 83 race wins and seven championships, including an unprecedented five-year title run from 2006 to 2010. He is tied for the all-time championship record with Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt Sr.

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2. Tony Stewart - three wins in 1999

Tony Stewart became the first NASCAR rookie to win three races in 1999. He had a strong late-season run in the #20 Joe Gibbs Racing car to win at Richmond, Phoenix, and Homestead-Miami. Eventually, he scored 49 wins and three championships.

Much like Shane van Gisbergen, Stewart entered NASCAR with championship credentials from another discipline. While Shane van Gisbergen brought three Supercars titles with him, Stewart arrived as the 1997 Indy Racing League (now IndyCar Series) champion, making him the only driver in history to capture major championships in both American open-wheel racing and stock car racing.

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3. Denny Hamlin - two wins in 2006

Another Joe Gibbs Racing driver to make the list is Denny Hamlin, Stewart's former teammate. Hamlin won two races in his rookie season in 2006—both coming from Pocono.

Denny Hamlin won at Pocono Raceway in 2006 - Source: Getty

The long-time #11 JGR driver has 58 career wins but remains without a championship. That puts him alongside Junior Johnson as one of only two drivers in NASCAR history to surpass 50 wins without securing a title—though retirement doesn’t appear to be on his horizon anytime soon.

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4. Dale Earnhardt Jr. - two wins in 2000

Coming off a back-to-back Xfinity Series championship run, Dale Earnhardt Jr. won two races in his rookie Cup Series season in 2000. Driving the #8 Dale Earnhardt, Inc. (DEI) Chevrolet, his victories came at Texas and Richmond.

Dale Jr. captured his third career victory at Daytona in 2001, in an emotional return to the 2.5-mile superspeedway just months after his father’s fatal crash there. He went on to retire in 2017 with 26 Cup wins.

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5. Kyle Busch - two wins in 2005

Kyle Busch once held the record as the youngest NASCAR Cup Series winner before Joey Logano claimed it at New Hampshire in 2009. Busch captured two victories during his 2005 rookie season with Hendrick Motorsports, taking the checkered flag at Auto Club Speedway and ISM Raceway (now Phoenix Raceway).

Kyle Busch (8) racing Shane van Gisbergen (88) at COTA in 2025 - Source: Getty

Busch is the longest-tenured active driver on the grid, competing against this year's rookies, including Shane van Gisbergen and Riley Herbst. He currently drives the #8 Richard Childress Racing Chevy with 63 career victories under his belt.

Honorable mention: Kevin Harvick with two wins in 2001 (Atlanta, Chicagoland).