Securing a first victory in the NASCAR Cup Series is a milestone many drivers hope to reach, yet for Bubba Wallace and several others, the journey demanded perseverance and patience across years and numerous starts. Bubba Wallace NASCAR first Cup win, along with similar stories from four other racers, shows the grit needed to ultimately break through as a winner at the sport’s highest level.
Bubba Wallace’s Long-Awaited Breakthrough
Bubba Wallace entered the Cup Series in 2017, facing a challenging road to his elusive first win. After enduring 143 race starts without victory, Wallace claimed triumph at the rain-shortened Yellawood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on October 4, 2021, driving for the brand-new 23XI Racing team. His path was marked by only leading a handful of laps before weather halted the event, yet this single moment was enough to make Wallace just the second Black driver in nearly six decades to win a Cup race, and delivered 23XI’s inaugural victory in the series.
Wallace’s following season featured another win at Kansas Speedway in 2022, but since then, his journey has included a 96-race winless stretch, putting his playoff hopes for this year in doubt. The resilience shown by Wallace underscores the immense pressure and dedication required to achieve that career-defining victory, even as the winless streak continues.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.—Persistence Pays Off at Talladega
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. took the green flag for 158 races before crossing the finish line first in the Cup Series. His breakthrough occurred at Talladega Superspeedway on May 7, 2017, driving for Roush Fenway Racing. Starting from the pole, Stenhouse battled fiercely with Kyle Busch on the final lap, ultimately securing the win during overtime in a dramatic finish. This hard-earned victory ended a three-year drought for his team and marked Stenhouse’s emergence among NASCAR’s winners after years of effort.
Daniel Suarez Finds Success After Years in the Field
After establishing himself as the first foreign-born Xfinity Series champion in 2016, Daniel Suarez joined the Cup ranks with Joe Gibbs Racing in 2017 but had to wait four more seasons to savor his first Cup Series triumph. Suarez reached victory lane during his sophomore season with Trackhouse Racing, taking the checkered flag at Sonoma Raceway on June 12, 2022, in his 195th start. His only other major win since then came in the initial NASCAR event outside the United States at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, though that occurred in the Xfinity Series.
Despite the scarcity of further wins, Suarez continues to leave a mark in the sport, recently agreeing to part ways with Trackhouse Racing after the 2025 season. Bubba Wallace publicly expressed his support for Suarez during these transitions, reinforcing the camaraderie that persists among Cup drivers.
AJ Allmendinger’s Memorable First Win at Watkins Glen
AJ Allmendinger waited until his 213th Cup start to reach victory lane, capturing his inaugural win at Watkins Glen International in 2014. Competing for JTG Daugherty Racing, Allmendinger outdueled Marcos Ambrose in the closing stages of the race to secure his historic achievement. Years later, he offered Kaulig Racing its first Cup win in 2021, yet more recently led the pack at COTA this season before finishing 30th instead of sealing a victory.
Michael McDowell’s Emotional Daytona 500 Triumph
The longest road to a maiden Cup win belongs to Michael McDowell, who endured 358 starts before finally celebrating a victory—and he achieved it on NASCAR’s biggest stage. In a dramatic and rain-delayed 2021 Daytona 500, McDowell navigated a final lap wreck involving Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski, and Kyle Busch to claim the checkered flag well past midnight. This emotional win came in his fourteenth Cup season and remains a testament to persistence in the face of long-standing adversity.
The Broader Impact Such Journeys Have on NASCAR
The stories of Bubba Wallace, Michael McDowell, Daniel Suarez, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and AJ Allmendinger reveal the immense resilience required to stand atop a NASCAR podium for the first time. Their winding paths, from initial debuts with teams like 23XI Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing to breakthrough moments at iconic tracks such as Talladega Superspeedway and the Daytona 500, inspire fans and fellow competitors alike. While years without a win can weigh heavily, these successes show that perseverance and belief continue to be as important as speed within the world of NASCAR. For fans, these narratives offer a reminder that every race may be the one that changes a career forever.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Did Bubba Wallace ever win a race?
A. On October 26, 2013, Wallace became the first African-American in 50 years to win a NASCAR national series race by winning the Kroger 200 in the Camping World Truck Series at Martinsville Speedway.
Q. Has Bubba Wallace ever won?
A. Wallace won his first Cup race at Talladega on October 4, 2021, as the event ended early because of rain.
