NASCAR
Current Winless Streaks that could break in the NASCAR Cup Series
Sunday at Michigan, Kevin Harvick snapped a 65-race winless streak. For the 2014 champion, this marked the 4’s first trip to victory lane since the 2020 Bristol Night Race. With one lengthy losing drought over, who has other outstanding winless streaks in the NASCAR Cup Series? With just three races left in the 2022 regular season, can any of these drivers pull off an upset win and take the final Playoff spot? Let’s look at the eight active winless streaks that last over a year. Of note, a driver must be full-time between victories and a past Cup Series winner to make this list.
Chris Buescher-218 races
Last win: 2016 Pocono (8/1)
Best finish since: 2nd
The fog rolled into Pocono Raceway over 200 races ago, giving Chris Buescher his only win to date. Driving for Front Row Motorsports that day in 2016, Buescher has since raced for JTG Daugherty Racing (2017-2019) and with RFK Racing since 2020. The No. 17 team has been stout this year, with six top-10s. Buescher’s best result so far in 2022 was second at Sonoma, following that up with a sixth-place day at Road America. With these great finishes on road courses, Buescher could be a sleeper pick for Watkins Glen in two weeks.
Unlike many on this list, Buescher may have three solid chances at a win over the next three weeks. Both RFK Racing cars showed promising speed at Richmond in April, and Buescher is also a highly underrated superspeedway racer. Needing to win at Daytona last August, Buescher survived the chaos to come home second, only before getting DQ’d. RFK also swept both Daytona Duels in February, so both of their Mustangs certainly handle well on the high banks. At 23rd in points, Buescher is must-win to make the 2022 Playoffs. Should he get a win between now and Darlington, it would mark the second-longest winless streak in NASCAR history, trailing only Bill Elliott (1994-2001).
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.-186 races
Last win: 2017 Daytona (7/1)
Best finish since: 2nd (3 times)
186 races ago, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. won his second race of 2017, taking two-straight at Talladega and Daytona. Since moving on from the Roush No. 17, Stenhouse has found a home in the JTG Daugherty 47. Stenhouse has a second-place finish each year since taking over the 47 in 2020. His 2022 runner-up came at Dover in May. That kicked off a run of four-straight top-10s for Stenhouse, but he’s not finished that well since.
Always a threat on superspeedways, this team has to have Daytona’s regular season cutoff race circled as a do-or-die event. At the Daytona 500 in February, Stenhouse was leading inside the final 10 laps. However, the 47’s chance at the Harley J. Earl Trophy ended when Stenhouse was wrecked by Brad Keselowski. Should Stenhouse manage to stay clean for 400 miles again, he could be facing his third career win and first in over five years.
Erik Jones-106 races
Last win: 2019 Darlington (9/1)
Best finish since: 2nd
Now riding a triple-digit winless drought, Erik Jones’ most recent win was the 2019 Southern 500 at Darlington. In the Labor Day classic, Jones held off teammate Kyle Busch in the closing laps for his second career win. Since then, Jones left Joe Gibbs Racing’s 20 team for the famed Petty No. 43.
Jones has had a few breakout runs this year, highlighted with a third-place at Auto Club, and fourth in July’s Atlanta race. Also at Talladega, a bad last-lap block sent the 43 from the lead to crossing the line sixth. After a win was in their sight, the 43 may come to Daytona with vengeance on their mind.
Cole Custer-78 races
Last win: 2020 Kentucky (7/12)
Best finish since: 7th
It’s been 78 races since then-rookie Cole Custer shocked the NASCAR world at Kentucky Speedway. From then onward however, the California driver only has eight top-10s, with two coming in the last five weeks. Finishing last of the 2020 Playoff drivers, Custer was 26th in points a year ago, and currently is 25th in standings.
More than perhaps anyone on this list, Custer needs a win to largely help redefine him as a Cup-level talent. The 41 could sneak its way up the leaderboard at either Watkins Glen or Daytona. One of Custer’s best races of 2022 was the Indy Road Course just two weeks ago. He was also ninth at the superspeedway-style Atlanta in July. Both of these results give Custer some ground to stand on as a potential under-the-radar pick for the final two regular season races.
Austin Dillon-77 races
Last win: 2020 Texas (7/19)
Best finish since: 2nd (3 times)
Now over two years ago was Austin Dillon’s most recent win at Texas. That day, a late two-tire pit strategy call gave the 3 the lead over teammate Tyler Reddick. RCR then held on through a few restarts to finish 1-2. Dillon was strong to start out 2022, but has wavered since. The 3 had three top-fives in the opening 10 weeks of the season, punctuated by runner-ups at Auto Club and Talladega. However, Dillon has yielded just one top-10 since May. With Michigan being one of his best tracks, 13th was far from the result expected for the RCR 3 team. Like many, Dillon’s Playoff-busting hopes of a victory may rely on Daytona. A past Daytona 500 Champion, Dillon’s hopes at locking both RCR cars into the postseason will likely require another Florida win.
Michael McDowell-58 races
Last win: 2021 Daytona 500 (2/14)
Best finish since: 3rd (2 times)
From one Daytona 500 Champion to another, Michael McDowell took home the Harley J. Earl Trophy to kick off 2021. In the 58 races since though, driver 34 is still searching for career win number two. Despite winning last year, 2022 is McDowell’s best statistical season yet. Through 23 races, McDowell has nine top-10s, nearly half of his career total, and an average finish of 16.7. McDowell’s best run this year was third at Sonoma, along with eighth at both Road America and the Indy Road Course. With three-straight road course top-10s, watch out for McDowell in two weeks at Watkins Glen. The 34 also has a pair of top-10s at both Daytona and Talladega, so he could stun in the regular season finale too.
Brad Keselowski-49 races
Last win: 2021 Talladega (4/25)
Best finish since: 2nd
In his last year with Team Penske, Brad Keselowski won once in 2021 at Talladega. Since then, it’s been a tough time for the new team co-owner in the RFK No. 6 Ford. Much like his teammate Buescher though, Keselowski showed out at Daytona Speedweek in February; the 6 won his Duel and led a race-high 67 laps in the 500 before finishing ninth. The only past Cup Series champion on this list, Keselowski’s last hope for career win number 36 in 2022 may just be Daytona in three weeks. The 6 was arguably the best car on the Florida superspeedway in February. This time around, Keselowski will be trying to rectify a largely disappointing season.
Aric Almirola-37 races
Last win: 2021 New Hampshire (7/18)
Best finish since: 5th (2 times)
It’s been just over a full year since Aric Almirola’s unexpected New Hampshire win. Entering that day a dismal 27th in points, truly nobody foresaw the Stewart-Haas 10 car as a Playoff contender a season ago. In the 37 races since then, Almirola’s best finish has been fifth, both at the Daytona 500 and Gateway. After scoring that top-five in February, Almirola said that he “wants that one back.” With a return to Daytona on the very near horizon, Almirola could be aggressive again going for another bracket-busting victory.
2022 has been the NASCAR season full of parity and unpredictable winners. Through 23 races, 15 different drivers have taken a checkered flag. With three very unique tracks left in the regular season, another long winless streak could end in the coming weeks. Richmond this weekend could be the spot for a 16th winner. One of the above listed drivers hopes for a first trip to victory lane in a long time.
Written by Peter Stratta
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Photo Credit to Adam Glanzman/Getty Images for NASCAR
