2025 First Win Club: NASCAR Cup, Xfinity, and Truck Series

Photo Credits to Logan Riely, Chris Graythen, and Krista Jasso/Getty Images

NASCAR

First-Time Winners in the 2025 NASCAR Cup, Xfinity, and Craftsman Truck Series

Across all three NASCAR National Series, 2025 saw five drivers join the first win club. These elite drivers who earned their maiden victories represent experienced veterans and young rookies alike. Here’s a look back on how each of these victory lane hopefuls broke through and what ultimately happened in their respective seasons. Who do you think joins this list next in 2026?

Josh Berry

The pinnacle of American motorsports saw a new face grace victory lane in week five of 2025 at Las Vegas. Joining a who’s-who list of NASCAR elites to win for Wood Brothers Racing, Josh Berry found his groove in March. Berry ended a three-week stretch of Christopher Bell taking checkered flags, and stunned many with a Playoff berth. This marked victory number 101 for NASCAR’s oldest team, and propelled them into their second-straight postseason appearance.

Making 2025’s field of 16 alongside his three Penske-affiliate teammates, Berry’s postseason was tragically over before it truly began. A lap one turn two crash in the opening race at Darlington set the 21 team on their back foot in the first round. Two more last-place finishes ended one of the most dismally brief runs in NASCAR Playoff history, with Berry being a first-round elimination.

Team 21 did anything but phone it in the rest of the season, though. The very next week at Loudon, Berry was the middle piece in a Penske trio top-five showing. To close out the year, Berry was also seventh at Martinsville and 10th at Phoenix. 16th in points on the strength of a win, eight top-10s, 207 laps led, and an average finish of 15.8 are all career-best marks for the Tennessee short track ace. Now entering 2026 knowing exactly what it takes to have a perfect Sunday, Berry will be chasing more checkered flags and another underdog championship run.

Nick Sanchez

Part of a very stacked Xfinity Series 2025 rookie class, Nick Sanchez was one of four first-year men to make the Playoffs. This achievement came after the No. 48 was number 1 from EchoPark (Atlanta) Speedway in June. Sanchez entered that day facing a must-win scenario and got the upper hand over fellow rookie Carson Kvapil. Atlanta marked one of Sanchez’s 12 top-10s amidst his first full-time Xfinity campaign. His win also came mere days after turning 24 years old.

Entering the postseason as the seventh seed, Sanchez needed three flawless races to stay above water. That unfortunately did not happen for this new driver/team combination. A first round exit relegated Big Machine Racing to 11th in the championship. Team 48 did earn three top-10s over the final seven weeks, showing promise for the RCR-affiliated crew.

Sanchez and the Scott Borchetta-owned team will run it back for 2026 and aim for even higher success. Quickly becoming a very stout superspeedway racer, do not be surprised to see Sanchez find victory lane again early in the new year.

 

Taylor Gray

Perhaps nobody across NASCAR in 2025 saw a more painful loss and more fitting retribution than Taylor Gray at Martinsville Speedway. Going back to fall 2024, Gray was moved out of the way when going for his maiden Truck Series win at The Paperclip. Now an Xfinity Series rookie, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver was in the same position here in March. The No. 54 would be punted around by Sammy Smith in turn three on the last lap, allowing Austin Hill to steal this win.

Making the Playoffs on points, Gray’s championship contention was short-lived. Nonetheless, he still eyed the elusive Grandfather Clock trophy in October. Starting the fall Martinsville race midpack, Gray methodically worked his way forward and took command just after lap 200. Martinsville mayhem ensued again, keeping the pack close to Gray’s bumper through several late restarts. Overtime would even put Gray against Smith once again, but this time they crossed the line first and second. Being Playoff spoiler in the penultimate week, 20-year-old Gray now heads into 2026 with a NASCAR triumph under his belt. Eighth in points with 15 top-10s and 299 laps led are respectable numbers for any Xfinity Series rookie. Now hitting sophomore status, it will be fun to see how much Gray flourishes in top-flight equipment once again.

 

Daniel Hemric

Returning to the Craftsman Truck Series full-time for the first time in almost a decade, Daniel Hemric was pinned as a sleeper championship pick to start 2025. The 2021 Xfinity Series champion and experienced NASCAR veteran opened the season strong, with two top-10s through four races. Start five of the year at Martinsville would be NASCAR victory number two for the 34-year-old from Kannapolis. Hemric’s favor came at the expense of Corey Heim running into issues. Hemric took command from teammate Tyler Ankrum inside the final five laps around The Paperclip, and hung on for his maiden Truck triumph.

The No. 19 Chevrolet would play bridesmaid in second-place three times after Martinsville, including the first Playoff race from Darlington. Returning to Martinsville in a must-win Championship 4 scenario, the Half-Mile of Mayhem was not so kind to Hemric. Early damage and engine woes relegated him to a dismal 31st-place result and a Round of 8 elimination. Being taken out early at Phoenix as well ended Hemric’s 2025 campaign at eighth in points. The perennial underdog and Carolina short track ace can now call himself a winner on two of NASCAR’s top three tours. Hemric’s racing résumé is only missing an elusive Cup Series trophy at the time of this writing.

Gio Ruggiero

Rookie Gio Ruggiero was a true Truck Series newbie at Daytona in February. The Toyota prodigy made his series debut that night at The World Center of Racing. The season opener saw the development driver lead laps late and ultimately finish second behind teammate Corey Heim. Both TRICON Garage drivers’ positions would be swapped in overtime at Talladega in October. The 11 pushed the 17 clear of the pack and to a first NASCAR win. The 19-year-old won Rookie of the Year honors with this victory. He also finished 2025 as best of the non-Playoff drivers in points.

Ruggiero ended 2025 totaling 11 top-10s in 25 starts. Talladega also marked a third-straight top-five for the Massachusetts native. While his 2026 plans are not yet official, Ruggiero would likely be a championship threat returning to TRICON Garage. He would hope to continue this team’s dominance put forth across the 2025 Truck season by Corey Heim.

 

All three manufacturers and every end of the age spectrum were adequately covered with 2025’s first-time NASCAR winners. Each of these five deserving teams had their respective moments in the spotlight, and cemented their names as top dogs for a week. Always a fun story to track every year, it will be fascinating to see who can break onto this list next in the new season and if any surprise names make an appearance.

Written by Peter Stratta

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Photo Credits to Logan Riely, Chris Graythen, and Krista Jasso/Getty Images