Lengthy NASCAR Winless Streaks Heading into 2023

Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images for NASCAR

NASCAR

Drivers Entering 2023 with Long NASCAR Cup Series Winless Streaks

2022 saw a record-tying 19 different NASCAR Cup Series winners. As a result of this much parity, several long winless streaks were broken. At Michigan in August, Kevin Harvick ended a 65-race losing drought. A few weeks later at Daytona, Austin Dillon took his first win in 80 starts. The very next week at Darlington, Erik Jones took his first checkered flag in 110 starts. Lastly, Bristol ended Chris Buescher’s whopping 223-race dry spell. A few drivers have similar current streaks lasting over a full calendar year. Let’s look at each of these drivers below, and handicap their odds at finding victory lane again in 2023.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr-199 races

Last win: 2017 Daytona (7/1)

Best finish since: 2nd (3 times)

Five years ago saw a two-win season for Ricky Stenhouse Jr. at Talladega and Daytona. Since then, Stenhouse has switched teams but still been an everlasting threat on superspeedways. In 2022 though, Stenhouse and the No. 47 showed great speed from Dover to Charlotte, with four-straight top-10s. However, those are still the 47’s most recent top-10s, highlighted by a P2 effort at Dover.

Stenhouse was also turned from the lead in the closing laps of this year’s Daytona 500. The forthcoming season-opener will be a bit of retribution for Stenhouse, if the 47 can stay clean all day. Should Stenhouse end his winless streak at the Daytona 500, it would be one of the longest busted droughts in NASCAR history.

Cole Custer-90 races*

Last win: 2020 Kentucky (7/12)

Best finish since: 7th

One of the most unprecedented rookie wins in NASCAR history, Cole Custer’s Kentucky miracle was nearly 100 races ago. However, Custer has not come close to repeating his first year high. Finishes of 26th and 25th in points since 2020 have Custer’s name in silly season news. Despite being the son of Stewart-Haas Racing President Joe Custer, Cole has lost the No. 41 seat to Ryan Preece. SHR’s two co-owners were at odds with which driver to put in this seat. However, they did end up going with Preece, who was waiting in the wings with high potential. As a result, this winless streak does have an asterisk on it, since Custer will not compete full-time in 2023.

Custer is far from an undeserving driver though, as he did score an Xfinity win back in February. Across five starts in the SS-Green Light Racing No. 07, Custer earned three top-10s, and the team’s first win at Fontana. Shifting back to Xfinity, Custer should have a great chance to get back to racing on Sundays. This SHR team is automatically a championship favorite, as Custer won seven Xfinity races in 2019. Custer does hope to have a future chance at Cup win number two. Alas, that will not be with a full-time Cup campaign in 2023.

Michael McDowell-71 races

Last win: 2021 Daytona 500 (2/18)

Best finish since: 3rd (3 times)

February will mark two years since the seas parted for Michael McDowell’s Daytona 500 triumph. Despite the win and ensuing 2021 Playoff berth though, 2022 was a markedly better season for the 34. McDowell saw a career-best 12 top-10s, with a pair of third-place runs at Sonoma and Talladega.

However, McDowell will try and repeat his Daytona 500 victory with a new crew chief. First-year crew chief Blake Harris moves onto Hendrick Motorsports, leaving a big vacancy atop the 34 box. Front Row Motorsports has yet to name a new crew chief for McDowell. With a new leader, this team will try and build off of their best season to another win in 2023.

Brad Keselowski-62 races

Last win: Talladega 2021 (4/25)

Best finish since: 2nd

After only one win from his last year with Team Penske, Brad Keselowski has been winless in his tenure as driver/owner at RFK Racing. After a debilitating early-season penalty put the 6 in a deep points hole, they hardly ever recovered in 2022. Keselowski only managed one top-five at Homestead in October.

Perhaps the only consistent bright spot for the 6 this past year was superspeedways. Keselowski was one of the top contenders all race long in the Daytona 500, still searching for his first win in this event. With great shots to win the last two runnings of The Great American Race, Keselowski could end his dry spell in February. A year of experience under their belts should make this RFK team only stronger for 2023 as well.

Aric Almirola-50 races

Last win: New Hampshire 2021 (7/18)

Best finish since: 5th (2 times)

It’s been a year and a half since Aric Almirola stunned the racing world at Loudon. Since then, Almirola missed his first Playoffs since 2017, finishing 20th in the 2022 standings. This past season saw the 10 get seven top-10s, with a best result of fifth in the Daytona 500 and at Gateway.

Coming back after postponing his retirement, Almirola should have a few great chances at another win in 2023. After saying he wish he had this year’s Daytona 500 finish back, the Florida native will be as hungry as ever for his first February triumph. Expect the 10 to return to some form of consistency as well in 2023, as SHR was slow to adapt to the Next Gen car.

Ryan Blaney-46 races

Last win: Daytona 2021 (8/28)

Best finish since: 2nd (2 times)

While his teammates each won the championship and the 2022 Daytona 500, Ryan Blaney went 0-36. Truly from Daytona until Phoenix, nobody had more wins escape their grasp than the 12. Blaney’s lack of wins is in no way a reflection of the team’s performance, as this Penske group had 17 top-10s. However, late-race errors took the 12 out of prime position for a win multiple times. Had Blaney not found late race troubles in pivotal Playoff races at Las Vegas and Homestead, the 12 could have made the Championship 4.

While a three-time 2021 winner, Blaney’s best chances in 2022 came at both superspeedways: fourth in the Daytona 500 and second at Talladega. Aside from drafting tracks though, the 12 was a near-weekly contender up front. Should Blaney get over this last hurdle keeping him from victory lane, he can be a championship contender in 2023.

Martin Truex Jr-44 races

Last win: Richmond 2021 (9/11)

Best finish since: 2nd

2017 Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr. is in foreign but not unfamiliar territory. 2022 was MTJ’s first winless season since 2014, predating him ever teaming up with Cole Pearn at Furniture Row Racing. Failing to make the Playoffs entirely, Truex’s season can be looked back upon with a few pivotal losses. The 19 was leading laps late at Las Vegas, Richmond, Nashville, New Hampshire, and the Southern 500 before bad luck hit. Much like with Blaney, Truex had a consistent year with 15 top-10s, but failing to score any victory bit this team big time.

Coming back for another year with Joe Gibbs Racing, Truex will try and find the familiar ground of victory lane in 2023. The New Jersey native should have many great shots at erasing this drought. This winless streak is far from the longest of Truex’s career though; the time between his first two wins is one of the longest droughts in NASCAR history.

2022 was a year filled with plenty of drama and unpredictability, tying the NASCAR record for different winners. Such a feat will be difficult to replicate in 2023 though, as every team now has a year of notes on the Next Gen car. Despite this, plenty of talented drivers will be as hungry as ever to break back into victory lane. Don’t be surprised to see a few of these winless stretches end in 2023, as some of these teams are too good to be kept out of winning.

Written by Peter Stratta

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Photo Credit to Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images for NASCAR